In an article for the Social Media Examiner, Phyllis Khare shares reasons why a Secret Group can be beneficial for your business.
Before we delve into those reasons, first, let us get to know a little bit more about this oft overlooked Facebook feature.
There are several types of groups on Facebook and one of them is the Secret Group. With the exception of members, no one else can search it and find traces of it on your profile. Plus, Google does not index this type of Facebook group so you can be guaranteed that it really is kept as a secret. In fact, it’s so secret that even if you send the URL to a non-member, they will not be able to see the page! Within your Secret Group, you can “group chat” and share inputs on a shared document. Of course, you can also privately share photos and you can have your own custom e-mail address which you can use to e-mail posts to the Secret Group page.
Now, the big question: what are the benefits of using a Facebook Secret Group for your business?
1. Micromanaging. If you have a small team to manage, you can use social media to communicate with your team. Most likely, your staff or your teammates are also on Facebook so it’s one of the few good ways to mix business with pleasure. A Secret Group is a good way to keep your team’s communications private and given Facebook’s continuing popularity, you can be assured that all your messages will be regularly received and read by your team.
2. Managing remote virtual teams. The Group Chat feature is especially helpful in communicating ideas at any time of the day. You can also use your Secret Group page to upload documents and gather insights from your teammates.
3. Crisis management. For example, if there is an image or a situation that needs your team’s immediate attention, you can snap a photo of it and send it directly to your Secret Group page without having to individually tag your teammates. You can also upload a copy of a document for handling crisis situations which will be readily available to your teammates when they need it.
Just as in any social media tool, professionalism and responsibility are important factors to consider when using Facebook’s Secret Group feature for managing your team. Do not forget to set forth guidelines and rules to make sure that you get the most out of your social media tools.