Facebook Group Tips | 5 Tips for Avoiding the Drama

Posted on February 11, 2021 by Robyn Roste

These Facebook Group tips will help you network without going down the drama rabbit hole. Why would you want to participate in groups?

Facebook Group Tips | Avoiding the Drama

They’re an interesting ecosystem within the social media behemoth.

For example, many successful Facebook Groups provide small, safe spaces for like-minded individuals to connect. And many groups have the added benefit of being secret or private, so your group activities aren’t revealed to your friends or followers.

Facebook Group tips

Networking is a critical aspect of success in the freelance writing world. Because many writers are also introverts, the idea of networking can seem either overwhelming or needless.

But those who have joined healthy writing groups, they understand the power of networking and collaborating with likeminded people. In this, you discover your tribe and realize you’re not so alone after all.

See also: Networking Tips for Introverted Writers

While in-person groups can be amazing, the isolated nature of the writing life doesn’t always support regular attendance.

That’s where online networking comes in. With more than a billion active users, Facebook is an easy place to find community and networking opportunities. But if you’ve joined groups before, you may understand their potential volatility.

These Facebook Groups tips are intended to help freelance writers make the most out of networking while avoiding the drama.

Groups versus pages

Before we get into the Facebook Group tips let’s do a quick overview of the difference between groups and pages.

If you have a business people assume you have a Facebook Page. This is a convenience for the general public and can function, in its simplest form, as a business card directing prospects to your website or informing them of how to contact you.

Page owners can leverage their pages and use them like a community but this takes a lot of effort and dedication, which is why groups may be a better option for interacting with your followers and fans.

Having a Facebook Page is also required if you want to run Facebook ads, which is something to consider if you’re ready to invest in online prospecting. But we’ll get to that another time.

A Facebook Group is less linear than a page and the group members can have the ability to create content and carry on discussions without the administrator’s approval.

Author Kirsten Oliphant describes groups as “a web, where connections don’t have to move in a linear way from the creator at the center.”

Groups can be about anything (a person, a topic, a website, whatever) and, for many, are an important connection hub for a writer’s networking efforts.

5 Tips for Optimizing Your Social Media Profiles Free Ebook

While we’re talking about social media, I wanted you to know about my free ebook outlining five easy ways to optimize your social media profiles.

You can read the post Five Tips for Optimizing Your Social Media Profiles training and for the ebook, pop your email address into the form below. I’ll send you instructions to access my resource library to download the free ebook.

Once you’re in the library, navigate to the social media section and download the ebook called “Social Media Optimization.”

Facebook Groups tips for survival

While a Facebook Page’s success is tied to the number of likes and reach, a Facebook Group can be considered successful even if it’s small.

A group’s engagement and activity is what matters. For some freelancers, creating and moderating a Facebook group make sense but for many others, joining groups is enough.

We’re focusing on how to behave in other people’s groups today since that’s where the majority of freelance writers exist. So here we go.

When joining other people’s groups, here are a few things to keep in mind

Remember, this isn’t your group so don’t act like it is (if you don’t like it, create your own)
Pay attention to the group’s rules and abide by them. If the group rules say don’t share anything from the group then really don’t share anything. If the rules say don’t promote yourself then really don’t drop links and brag your bylines. Respect the group rules
Be kind, genuine and helpful—listen before you speak, if you have a negative emotional reaction to a topic or post don’t respond right away (avoid becoming an Internet troll!)
Make connections, yes. But don’t immediately try and sell something (that’s not how this works). Make sure you’re in these groups for the right reasons or this won’t be a positive experience for you
Watch for ways you can contribute to the group, don’t just take. Maybe you can’t participate in every discussion but if there is a question or topic you know something about, add a tip or two

While these general Facebook Group tips will keep you in good standing my biggest tip is this. Try and add value to the group rather than dissension.

There are so many times I see a beautiful group get sidelined by a disagreement where the moderator doesn’t step in soon enough and the discussion gets out of hand.

When groups go down this route it stops being safe and people become afraid to voice their opinion, lest they get trolled or jumped on.

If you see this happening in one of your groups there are a few things you can do.

Avoid the drama. Consider muting the thread or group for a few days until the storm blows over
There is a chance the group moderator hasn’t seen the drama unfolding so if you think this is the case tag the person in the thread to draw their attention to it
Maybe the group is heading down this new, more volatile direction. If it stops feeling like a safe space to you or you feel like it’s just attracting distracting, unhealthy drama then consider leaving the group
As much as you can, avoid joining in the debate. In my experience, good doesn’t seem to come from emotional social media back-and-forths

For those looking for community, Facebook Groups can be an excellent option.

When searching for new groups to join, ask your friends and colleagues what groups they recommend first.

If you do a general search, keep in mind private groups will more often be safer than public groups.

This is because anyone can join a public group but you have to be approved to join a private group.

Look for groups that mirror your interests, or are moderated by people you admire. And if you do join a group and it’s not a good fit, don’t feel bad leaving.

Streamline your group experience and only stay in the groups you know you’ll be active in.

What’s a Social Media Manager and Why Should I Care?

Posted on February 4, 2021 by Robyn Roste

I heard of the social media manager title years ago, but never considered I would or could be one.

I figured it was for someone else, someone who went to school for new media or social media management (things that didn’t exist when I did my bachelor of journalism).

But then my LinkedIn job suggestions started getting…obvious.

But I’m a writer! Who cares about what a social media manager is!

Here’s a splash of what I see whenever I check LinkedIn Jobs to see what’s new and who’s hiring.

Social Media Coordinator
Copywriter
Office Administrator
An Open Letter to _______’s Future Marketer
Client Success Coach
Marketing Specialist
Social Media Manager
PR Consultant
Marketing and Events Coordinator
Brand Publishing Specialist

Keep in mind these are the jobs posted in the past seven days in my area, which LinkedIn thought I’d be a good match for.

If you’re a writer but have collected different skills, experience, connections, etc. you may have a different snapshot. But do you see what I’m talking about?

Two reactions come to mind I must choose between

Wow, this social network doesn’t know me at all
When did I become a social media manager?

So I begin wondering, what’s a social media manager and is it different from what I’m doing now?

Well I’ll cut to the chase, all 10 of these postings are about the same.

The type of work, the skills involved, the experience required, everything. No matter if it’s administrator level, coordinator level or management level. Now that’s confusing!

This tells me something

I need to understand all the ways people think of the skills I have—calling myself a writer without attaching any of the other keywords strips out nine of these jobs. Wow. Yet all require the exact same skills. OK…

What now?

Fluent in social media but wondering how to create a sustainable, effective Instagram strategy? I’ve written an ebook on exactly this topic!

This is a free resource but it’s a part of my resource library and to access it you’ll need a password. Pop your email address into the form and I’ll send it to you.

Once you’re in the library navigate to the social media section and look for “How to Create an Instagram Strategy ebook.”

Here’s what’s in the modern-day social media manager’s toolkit

Fluent in social—all social (paying attention to social trends, dos and don’ts, what’s hot and what’s not)
Strong writing skills (with a specialization in content marketing/copy writing)
A people-first approach to everything (a service mindset, which not only has you listening to your customers and industry chatter but being engaged in your community)
Graphically inclined (not a pro, but you need the basics of design and video production)
Comfortable with social selling (and understanding how this is done)
Competent at SEO and analytics (yes you will have to run campaigns and reports)
Confident public speaker (yes you will have to use Instastories and Facebook Live—you may even have to speak on a panel…in person)
An understanding of human behaviour (you don’t have to have a psych degree but you do need to understand what works and what doesn’t, what people want and what they don’t)
Reasonable budgeting skills (show me the money! Er…show your clients how you’re spending their money!)
Adaptable (this industry is like a river—moving fast and constant, you have to keep up with the changes and adapt as necessary)
Curious and savvy (in order to succeed as a social media manager, you need to know what works—but if you’re ahead of the curve you’ll be able to move your clients’ business strategies forward faster and won’t be distracted by fleeting trends or vanity metrics)
Strong grasp of marketing (specifically strategy and digital, email, and funnel marketing)

If this seems like three jobs in one, you’re right.

And if it seems like a lot of different skill sets wrapped up into one, you’re right again.

But this seems to be where the industry is at these days and if you want to compete, you need at least a cursory knowledge of these tools.

Keep in mind the typical day-to-day tasks a social media manager executes each day are a little less overwhelming: writing and scheduling posts, running ads, replying to fans and creating graphics.

See? Not so bad. However, the only way this works is with a strong foundation—a strong social marketing strategy.

This is where the real value of a social media manager comes in. If you have good instincts and can build a strong strategy for your client, you are going to see great results.

So stay at it and invest in yourself!

By the way, if your social media presence needs a little work check out this free ebook in my resource library. You’ll need a password to access the library so pop your email into the form below and I’ll send it to you.

Once you’re in the library navigate to the social media section and look for “Social Media Profile Optimization Ebook.”

Are you looking to level-up your business on social? Need a social media manager? Let’s chat!

Let me know what problems you’re looking to solve and I’ll be happy to send you a quote.

I heard of the social media manager title years ago, but never considered I would or could be one. I figured it was for someone else, someone who went to school for new media or social media management (things that didn't exist when I did my bachelor of journalism). But then my LinkedIn job suggestions started getting…obvious.

One more thing. You may be interested in my free resource library. This is where I keep my files, downloads, ebooks, worksheets and whatever else I manage to create. I love sharing what I learn and want to keep adding to this library so it becomes a wealth of helpful goodness.

This is a free resource but I do require a password to access the library itself. You can get access by popping your email address into the form below.

I never considered I would or could be a social media manager. It was for someone else, someone who went to school for new media or social media management.

Going Viral: What You Can Do To Make Your Content More Contagious

Posted on January 28, 2021 by Robyn Roste

Have you ever wondering what makes something go viral?

Is there a secret?

What do viral-video makers know that you don’t?

Learn the what and how of going viral and a few tips for what you can do to make your content more contagious.

Going viral: creating contagious content

It was my niece’s first birthday and her mother threw a party, inviting the whole family to join in on the celebration.

Everyone was excited to share in the festivities but the morning before the party, people began cancelling saying they weren’t feeling well.

But this was my niece’s first birthday! A big O-N-E!

With much pressure on, the family came together to save the party. Those who were feeling sort of better were encouraged to show up anyway and give my niece the party she deserved.

So they came.

And it was a lovely time. Good food, good conversations and good feelings all around.

Later that evening…

I haven’t vomited from being ill since I was a child.

But vomit I did, from midnight till 8 a.m. the next morning.

Who was the culprit?

No real idea, since there were a few people at the party who weren’t feeling 100 per cent and we spent the day switching children, changing seats, and grabbing snacks from the same bowls.

And I learned I wasn’t the only one. Most of the other non-sick party-goers spent the next day beside the toilet.

It all happened so fast.

One moment we were minding our own business, living life like normal, and the next we were swept up into a wave of vomit-filled illness by no fault of our own except for attending the party and enjoying ourselves.

What happened? Our party went viral.

Going Viral: The What and How of Creating Contagious Content

What does “going viral” mean?

Sans vomiting, going viral in Internet terms is seen as a good thing.

It’s what happens when a piece of content (article, photo, video, etc.) is shared, copied and otherwise spread across social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

How many shares does it take before something is considered viral?

I’m sorry to say, there isn’t an exact number.

Viral status is achieved when the proportion of people seeing the content and then sharing it increases over what’s usual.

I know, could it be more vague?

Think of viral sharing like a secret.

If you share a secret with someone, and that person shares it with someone else and then another, and another. Pretty soon everyone knows your secret.

But if the person keeps your secret, that’s where the sharing ends. It’s safe and no one knows about it.

The simple math of virality

Viral content is relative.

When you share a piece of content on social media, how many shares is normal? If you see your shares go up from normal on a couple posts, you can consider those viral.

However, if your shares go up and stay up then it’s the new normal. Not viral anymore.

The more complicated math of true viral content

Of course, a few extra shares here and there doesn’t make a big impact.

We want to know about the life-changing kind of viral content like Chewbacca Mom’s laughing video or Mandy Harey’s deaf singing audition for America’s Got Talent.

How do you get those?

The next level of viral content

When you level up on going viral this is where stuff happens.

On day one a piece of content is shared and you receive your regular likes, shares, and website visits, plus a few extras. This (according to ShareProgress) is called “first generation.”

From there, a few of these first generation people share your content on their social channels and some of their friends check it out.

They’re called “second generation.”

By the second generation there should be more likes, shares and website visits. Now it’s on the second generation of visitors to share your content.

If a few more than the first round do this, then the third generation of visitors should be seeing your content. If this continues then you’ll see exponential likes, shares, and website visits.

This is where things get crazy.

In the simple viral example, you’ll have a bump of activity and then things will go back to normal.

In the next level of going viral, the momentum grows and keeps growing and, if you’re prepared for it, sends your life in a new direction.

Do you struggle with brainstorming content ideas? I have a worksheet for that.

This is a free downloda but it’s in my resource library and you’ll need a password to access it. Just pop your email address into the form below and I’ll send it to you.

Once you’re there, navigate to writing category and download the “How to Brainstorm Ideas for Writing Worksheet.”

How do I make something go viral?

Yeah, sorry. I don’t know how.

Actually, I don’t think anyone does. No matter how many terms I Google, all I come up with is “there’s no formula, there’s no secret.”

But here are a few things you can do to help your content be ready for going viral.

Here are some reasons people are most likely to share something.

If they have a strong reaction to it
If they have a positive emotional response to it
They are more likely to share if they feel inspired by it
If they are surprised by it
If they find it practical and useful
People are more likely to share something if they think it will help someone

Where to go from here

Before you write an article don’t think about what will or won’t make it go viral, instead think about what will help and inspire your audience.

Think about what they’d like to read/watch/hear and then create it.

Be genuine, be real and be positive.

Here’s how Derek Halpern says it.

Positive uplifting content always gets shared. Remember, there’s a lot of unhappy people in the world, and while there are different reasons for being unhappy, content that is uplifting and inspirational helps people get out of their rut…even if it’s only for a few seconds.

I don’t know about you, but I’d sure like to help someone out of their rut today.

If you need help coming up with content ideas or don’t know who you’re audience is, that’s where I come in. Drop me a line and let’s start a conversation. I’m here to help!

Have you ever wondering what makes something go viral? Learn what going viral means and a few tips for what you can do to make your content more contagious.

This is a free resource but I do require a password to access the library itself. You can get access by popping your email address into the form below.

Tips for Spreading the Love on Social Media

Posted on January 26, 2021 by Robyn Roste

Spreading the love on social media. We could all use more love, couldn’t we?

This year, I’m resolving to do less of the mindless scroll and more adding goodness to the social landscape. Care to join me? Here are eight ideas for spreading the love on social media. They’re not invasive, they’re not difficult, and they’re not rocket science. But sometimes they’re tough to remember.

If we let it, social media can make us feel horrible. We all know it but still allow people’s picture-perfect feeds to get us down. It’s why we’re so focused (borderline obsessed?) on authenticity and honesty—we understand what we see on social media feeds isn’t reality, but it’s difficult to stop comparing.

I wrote about four ways to overcome social media comparison over on Faith Strong Today if you’re interested in changing your self-talk but need a bit of a push.

Want to save this love-filled social media strategy for future reference?

Do it, it’s easy!

To download: Right-click on an image to save it on your desktop
To pin: If you want to save it to your Pinterest board direct from this page, the Tailwind app will help you out!

8 Tips for Spreading the Love on Social Media

spreading the love on social media be generous with your likes

1. Be generous with your likes

This is something I’m trying to do more of. What does it cost me to “like” someone’s status or post? Not much. But what can it add to someone else’s day? Maybe a lot. I don’t go through and “like” everything I see, but if something makes me pause, think, or smile, I make sure to (at least) like it.

spreading the love on social media leave kind genuine comments

2. Leave kind, genuine comments

One of the communities I’m in started practicing this and I realized how encouraging it is to receive comments on social media posts. So much more than I thought. Now that I’m aware I make sure to leave comments as often as I can, and as nice as I can.

spreading the love on social media tell someone something nice

3. Tell someone something nice

This launches from my last point. Doesn’t it feel good when someone notices something you’re working hard on and compliments you? Or tells you you’re doing a great job? I have decided to be more intentional about doing this for others. When I notice something awesome, mention it. And now that I’m trying to notice what others are doing I’m seeing a lot more to mention! I love how it helps me keep my eyes on others rather than on myself.

spreading the love on social media try to make someone laugh

Here’s a great tip.

4. Try to make someone laugh

Yes I do mean post hilarious memes, GIFs, and videos. Why not? Maybe even post an epic Throwback Thursday photo and make someone smile. Who says we need to be serious all the time? Life is serious enough.

spreading the love on social media post something beautiful

5. Post something beautiful

Along the lines of posting something fun, what about posting something beautiful? An amazing landscape, a cute animal, or a stunning piece of art…think about what would bring joy or awe to someone else’s day and add it to your feed.

spreading the love on social media post something encouraging

6. Post something encouraging

In my new and improved approach to social media I’ve started asking what would be helpful and uplifting to the people who I’m connected with on social media. When I approach my posting strategy from this viewpoint I find I have a lot to say—and I find in trying to be encouraging it’s filling me up as well. How cool!

spreading the love on social media highlight someone you look up to

7. Highlight someone you look up to

If someone is doing a great job why not give them a shout out? A friend of mine is doing this on her Instagram feed and I’m finding it so awesome. If someone has helped you out in you life or career why WOULDN’T you honour them in this way? Love this so much.

spreading the love on social media follow people who inspire you

8. Follow people who inspire you

One of the best ways I’ve found to stay positive on social media is by following people with the same agenda—following those already spreading the love on social media and inspiring me to do the same. Why not fill your feed with the change you want to see?

These are my top tips for spreading the love on social media but I’ve love to hear your ideas. Let me know in the comments…or on social media.

Want more about social media?

This year, I'm resolving to do less mindless scrolling and more spreading the love on social media. Care to join me? Here are eight ideas.

This is a free resource but I do require a password to access the library itself. You can get access by popping your email address into the form below.

Spreading the love on social media. We could all use more love, couldn't we? This year, I'm resolving to do less of the mindless scroll and more of the adding goodness to the social landscape. Care to join me? Here are eight ideas for spreading the love on social media. They're not invasive, they're not difficult, and they're not rocket science. But sometimes they're tough to remember.

How to Become a Social Media Influencer

Posted on December 31, 2020 by Robyn Roste

Even if your dream isn’t to be a social media influencer you may wish your online following was stronger.

But does stronger mean bigger? Not always.

If you have the right followers numbers aren’t as important.

Influencer vs influence

Last summer I had a string of clients who hired me to launch and maintain their Instagram profiles.

These small businesses wanted to add social media marketing but didn’t know much about it. Since I love both social media and marketing this is pretty much a dream project. I worked hard to create a strategy that reflected the brand and would attract their ideal customer. I chose or created images, wrote captions, and scheduled posts based on best practices.

And then we launched

After two or three months of social media posts my clients complained that they weren’t happy with the amount of followers they had, wasn’t that the point of the work I was doing?

The first time this came up I was surprised. We had talked about the long game, how gaining authentic followers doesn’t happen overnight. I thought we were on the same page. So why were we so far off base?

Expectations

These clients were new to social media
Their businesses were also new
They had little to no online presence and had heard from a few people that if they went on social media they’d find success

So imagine their disappointment when they realized building an authentic brand on social media doesn’t happen overnight and also is a lot of work.

It was a tough lesson for both of us. I learned I needed to be a lot more blunt about how much time and energy needs to be devoted to building a legitimate social media presence.

Now when I begin working with a client I put in writing what is within my control (posting frequency, content) and what is not (sales, growing followers).

And I believe these clients also learned that becoming and influencer on social media isn’t something you can automate and expect return from.

It involves relationship-building, listening, and connecting with your ideal customer.

How to build an instagram strategy ebook

Wondering how to put together a solid Instagram strategy? Download my free ebook!

This 18-page ebook is part of my resource library, but you’ll need the password to acces it. Pop your email into the form below and I’ll send it to you.

Once you’re in the library, navigate to the social media section and look for “How to Create an Instagram Strategy Ebook.”

What you can and can’t buy

The influencer role is somewhat new so it makes sense that people don’t quite understand what an influencer is.

In general, an influencer is someone who has an engaged following of people who pay close attention to their thoughts and opinions.

A true influencer can post about a great new product they’ve discovered and they have built so much trust with their audience that they rush out to also purchase the same product.

I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t love this kind of influence. I mean, duh! It’s amazing!

But where people get confused is they see an influencer and they equate the number of followers they have with influence.

But numbers don’t equal influence. You can purchase social media followers and engagement. You cannot purchase influence.

How to become an influencer on social media

There is no silver bullet when it comes to becoming an influencer.

If you can build a community of people who want to hear what you have to say and trust your judgment then you’re an influencer.

And your message is amplified the more followers you have.

If you Google “how to become an influencer” you’ll see many, many articles dedicated to giving you the answer.

But no matter what you won’t find a secret tip to getting away from putting the time and work into building your platform, branding yourself, and showing up with authenticity and something to say.

If you want to be a social media influencer and work with brands then you do need at least some sort of a following.

To improve, choose one platform to focus on and become an expert at it. Learn the rules and how people engage. Figure out how you fit into the picture and then create a strategy based on finding your ideal followers and connecting with them.

It will take time and energy. It will not happen overnight.

But if you can make authentic connections and continue offering value to your followers, you will become an influencer.

5 Tips for Optimizing Your Social Media Profiles ebook

By the way, optimizing your social media profiles is important! You want to ensure potential clients know who you are, what you do, and why they should hire you.

Download your free ebook from my resource library! All you have to do is pop your email address into the form below and I’ll send you the password.

Once you’re in the library, navigate to the social media section and download the ebook called “Social Media Optimization.”

For more, here are the three things brands look for when hiring influencers from the Spark Society.

Even if your dream isn't to be a social media influencer you may wish your online following was stronger. But does stronger mean bigger? Not always. If you have the right followers numbers aren't as important.

This is a free resource but I do require a password to access the library itself. You can get access by popping your email address into the form below.

Facebook Group tips

Groups versus pages

Get Access to My Free Resource Library

Facebook Groups tips for survival

When joining other people’s groups, here are a few things to keep in mind

If you see this happening in one of your groups there are a few things you can do.

For those looking for community, Facebook Groups can be an excellent option.

You May Also Like

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But I’m a writer! Who cares about what a social media manager is!

Two reactions come to mind I must choose between

This tells me something

Get Access to My Free Resource Library

Here’s what’s in the modern-day social media manager’s toolkit

If this seems like three jobs in one, you’re right.

So stay at it and invest in yourself!

Get Access to My Free Resource Library

Get Access to My Free Resource Library

Share this post

Going viral: creating contagious content

Later that evening…

What does “going viral” mean?

How many shares does it take before something is considered viral?

The simple math of virality

The more complicated math of true viral content

The next level of viral content

Get Access to My Free Resource Library

How do I make something go viral?

Where to go from here

Get Access to My Free Resource Library

Share this post

Want to save this love-filled social media strategy for future reference?

8 Tips for Spreading the Love on Social Media

Here’s a great tip.

Want more about social media?

Get Access to My Free Resource Library

Share this post

Influencer vs influence

And then we launched

Expectations

It involves relationship-building, listening, and connecting with your ideal customer.

Get Access to My Free Resource Library

What you can and can’t buy

How to become an influencer on social media

But if you can make authentic connections and continue offering value to your followers, you will become an influencer.

Get Access to My Free Resource Library

Get Access to My Free Resource Library

Share this post