How to Create a Facebook Voting Group

The Group Room

If you have been following my blog posts you may already be aware that I am a heavy fan of group rooms. I have previously mentioned some of the top things that I like in the group room format. In this article we will take a closer in depth look at the group room components so that you can learn how to successfully manage and maintain your own group room. You can also learn how to maximize your voting results. As a warning, please be sure the friends you add to the room do indeed share a voting and contesting passion with you, or you will have many angry friends.

Creating the Group Room

Creating a group room is an easy process. It involves following several simple steps. Underneath your Facebook avatar (Home Page, not Profile) is a little avatar called create group. Clicking this button will open up a new window with a series of answer boxes and pull down menus and circle choice.

For example a group name needs to be given. You also have to decide whether the group is Private which means no one can see it, Closed in which the contest is hidden, but the members are open and/or public in which all members and posts are open for all to see, or Public. Obviously the choice is yours, but the way of the voting group rooms being public has gone downhill and is fast disappearing to the more secret voting rooms.

Once you have chosen the name, selected a choice, you then have the option of adding group members at this time. This is simply selecting from your friends list on whom you want to be a part of the group. Hopefully you have talked to the friends you wanted to add beforehand. I have witnessed first hand the explicit language that goes on when people are added without their consent or knowledge.

If you would like to see an example voting group, here’s a Facebook Voting Group, created by Di Coke, Contest Mob guest blogger from UK.

The Group is Created and You Have Friends in it

So you have created the group and now have a room to go to. You have added some friends whom you know to be close and they have accepted your personalized request to join the group. Now you have to explain the rules of the room. Generally most rooms have similar traits in that the admin, the person who created the room will tell others.

For example a key one is explaining how to turn off email notifications. For some reason Facebook group rooms circumvent and send out emails in group room settings to all members. If a person goes to the “edit settings” box they can uncheck this setting. Another one which some people may or may not elect to turn off is the messages or “chat” for the group room.

Two other main features here which must be mentioned is now you have the choice of selecting people to help you run this room. If you go away, find yourself busy, you can elect to nominate admins by going to the see all members and choosing make an admin. This will in the long term help alleviate you doing all the work. The last thing to do is make group rules. Traditionally a formal policy in the contesting world is that you vote for others first and then you post your contest.

Your Room is Ready with Friends and Rules – Now You Need to Maximize

Once you have completed all these steps and you have a number of friends in, how can you maximize your voting. Group rooms are like posting a status to your newsfeed. The unfortunate part to newsfeed is that a lot of people ignore the newsfeed. Some people as a matter of fact rarely look at the newsfeed and you may be losing valuable voters. Having your friends as a captive audience ensures three things. One it is a place where friendships are formed. Two it creates a captive audience where all the members posts are exclusively seen and three it creates a room of belonging. When people feel they belong and fit in, not only does the socialization process occur, but it goes to further enhance what you and they are looking for. Votes!!

A Few Group Glitches

Group rooms can also have some disadvantages. Remember we live in a world where everyone has different thinking processes and differing attitudes and opinions. As a group member sometimes your loyalty may come into question. You may be asked to pick sides. You may be asked to ban members. Just remember that voting friends are like high school peers. Some may be around for a short period of time and some may be around for the rest of your life. This is something you will have to decide upon for the majority of your group room to get along.

As you continue to grow in the group room attitude, just remember that there are many group rooms, so treat others with respect and your room will be a popular one that contesters will be asking to join. This will maximize your voting power in the group room setting. Thanks for reading Contest Mob and if you find a great room to join or create, give me a shout on Facebook

About the Author, truckerofbc

Roger, also known in the contesting world as truckerofbc, is a professional transport driver who in his spare time is an avid and daily contester and coupon user. Living in New Westminster, BC, Roger is married with 2 children.