Boy, did I get it wrong on Facebook Groups. What I first thought would be a great source of spam has turned into the most addictive form of conversation I have experienced online since Twitter in 2007.
A combination of Groups have provided thought-provoking dynamic insights and exposure to other thought leaders, locally, nationally and by industry. From DC’s Tech (started by Justin Thorpe) and Social Media (Lisa Byrne) groups to this band of misfits called Punk Views on SM, conversations are alive and well!
What a relief! Seriously, in the old days vigorous debate, open conjecture, disagreement, resolution and evolution occurred. Kind sharing of information reigned instead of today’s domination of the communications interwebs for thought leadership. And I feel like those things have been restored to me through Facebook Groups. It’s been really, really cool.
Apparently, this phenomena with Groups is not isolated. At this week’s Web 2.0 conference, Zuckerberg said that Facebook Groups “has been one of our fastest growing products ever.”
Other professional types are beginning to experiment with Groups, too, and are achieving fantastic communities in short periods of time. An informal group of U.K. librarians formed on November 6, and in less than two weeks >membership is well over 300 people.
Already communicators are trying to figure out ways to use groups to build communities and raise money. I hope they don’t miss the point, the conversation is truly the point of a group. Outcomes should be the by-product of facilitating fantastic dialog, and not the only intent. I think the medium is so conversation robust that it will be hard to manipulate brand and sales outcomes beyond the natural earned points achieved through moderation and facilitation, similar to a great blog conversation.
What’s your experience with Facebook Groups? Are you enjoying them, too? Any thoughts on dynamic use?