Facebook Groups are widely used by a variety of communities, which is why the announcement of new features in the sixth Facebook Communities Summit may be a step in the right direction. Among the features that were announced, Reels will now be added to Facebook Groups.
Reels have been a huge addition to Facebook, which is designed to compete with TikTok and follow Instagram's reels. Facebook users are now allowed to customize their reels with audio, filters, and text the way they can with Instagram reels, as mentioned in 9To5mac.
Facebook Group Updates
According to Facebook's blog post, Reels were added in so its members can tell their stories, share information, and connect on a deeper level. It would be a quick way to view short videos to update fellow members on new ideas, like the latest techniques in makeup, cooking, and so on.
Another feature that can be very useful, is the members' ability to share a public Facebook event to their Instagram stories. The possibilities are vast. An admin may host an event so members can meet up, or members can share their passions with friends, which provides exposure for communities so more like-minded people can join in.
Facebook is also testing certain updates for the Group profile. Users can customize the information displayed in their "About Me" section. This would highlight what users want their community to see about them first. It would also help determine what kind of content the members of the group would like to see.
Users can also add an indicator in their profile if they are open to receiving messages. Sometimes, individuals in a group are more spectators than contributors, and they might not want to participate. The indicator will let users know if their fellow members are open to discussing shared interests.
Admins are now able to create channels to connect with a smaller number of members in a group for casual discussions. In Community Chats, members will be able to communicate in real time via texts, audio, and video. This way, they will be able to add inputs to the ideas and topics that are being discussed. This feature is now available in 140 countries.
They could also add event chats, where members can discuss matters about the event both before and after. There are also view-only chats where admins and moderators can send messages to all their members easily. This can be useful for important announcements, and since members can't reply, the announcement won't easily be flooded by new messages.
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Why Facebook Added the Features
Facebook expressed that they wanted to connect people over shared interests, which could be done through Reels, Facebook Groups, and updates in the user's Group Profile.
The new features will help the admin build a culture within the groups. The Reels in Groups will let users express themselves through creative and immersive videos.
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