Can Buffer Post To Facebook Groups? (Read This First)

Do you use Facebook groups for your business? 

If you don’t have one, you should consider it, as it can serve as a space to engage your customers. If you’re already using Buffer, you’ll be pleased to know that it works with Facebook groups. 

Posting on Facebook Groups with Buffer:

Buffer can post to Facebook groups but with some limitations. You can use it to post and schedule updates to your group members for the most part, but you cannot post to personal profiles or company pages.

What Do I need to Post on Facebook Groups with Buffer? 

To post on Facebook Groups using Buffer, you need Admin privileges. Buffer will not connect Facebook Groups that you are only a member of. 

How Do you Connect Buffer to a Facebook Group?

To connect a Facebook group to Buffer, you must have admin access to the group. If you don’t have one, get in touch with the group’s creator to give you access. 

Once you have Admin access, log in to your Facebook profile with admin access on a computer.

You will need to tweak some settings in the group that you want to add, and the menu for these settings is not available on mobile. 

1. Go to the group you want to add and click on Settings on the left side of the screen.
2. Under “settings,” go to “Advanced Settings” and click on “Apps.”
3. Click on “Add App” and look for “Buffer” in the search bar.
4. Click on “Add.” 

Now, log in to your Buffer account, click on your profile on the upper right part of the dashboard, and click “Account.”

1. Click on “Channels” and select “Facebook.”
2. If you have not linked Facebook yet, add your Facebook profile first by selecting “Add New Channel” then clicking on “Facebook.”
3. Click on Facebook Group, click on “Continue as (your name),” then do not change any authorizations.
4. Check the Facebook Group you want to add, then click “Add to Buffer.”

If you cannot find your Facebook Group from the list, you will likely not have Admin access. 

What Exactly Can you Post from Buffer to Facebook Groups?

Buffer lets you post text updates, photos, and videos. You have the option to post these contents immediately or schedule them in advance. 

Can you Set up Buffer to Post to Facebook Groups Automatically?

Buffer lets you schedule posts so that they post automatically for you.

You don’t always have to be in front of your computer or holding your smartphone to have your content go up. 

Can you use Buffer to go Live on Facebook Groups? 

Unfortunately, you cannot. While Buffer allows you to post videos to Facebook groups, you cannot use it to go live.

For that purpose, you can use apps like Streamyard:

Can you Post on Facebook Groups as a Page with Buffer? 

Buffer cannot post on a Facebook group as a page you manage.

Buffer uses your profile when posting on Facebook groups. 

Can you Create Events Inside Facebook Groups with Buffer? 

You can only create Facebook events for your group with the Facebook app. 

Can you Moderate your Group with Buffer? 

You cannot use Buffer to approve posts on your Facebook group.

Buffer is only limited to posting status updates, photos, and videos to your group. If you want to approve or decline any posts from your members, log into the Facebook app. 

Can you Invite People to Join Your Group with Buffer? 

Unfortunately, you cannot use Buffer to add people to your Facebook group.

You also can’t use Buffer to approve Membership requests. You can only do membership-related tasks on the Facebook app. 

Do Facebook Groups Take up a Slot on Buffer? 

Yes, Facebook Groups take up one slot in your plan’s allotted social media accounts.

If you run out of space, you can consider upgrading your plan to add more groups. 

Do I Get Analytics for my Posts on Facebook Groups? 

Analytics is only available for Facebook pages. 

Do People Typically use Buffer for this?

Many people use Buffer to post on Facebook, but not necessarily for posting in groups. 

As Buffer is designed for smaller businesses, not all use Facebook groups as part of their strategy. While having a Facebook group helps businesses, this feature is recommended for those that have created a following, with regular customers coming back. 

If you’re considering having a Facebook group for your business, you can use it to create exclusive deals for members.

With Buffer, you can easily publish exclusive deals earlier for groups members. 

What Are Typical Issues When Using Buffer to Post to Facebook Groups?

Facebook Disconnects from Buffer:

One common issue you may encounter with Buffer is Facebook disconnecting after a particular time.

This issue doesn’t just happen with Buffer, and maybe experienced with other third-party social media tools like Hootsuite. 

The reason why Facebook disconnects is that the token expires. Tokens are authorizations given by social media platforms to third-party apps to access your Account.

Tokens have varying levels of permissions and are often for posting and retrieving content on your social media account. 

Now, these tokens often have a validity period, and Facebook has a validity of 60 days. As long as you regularly use the app, Facebook will refresh these tokens after every login. 

Buffer Could not Add Facebook Group:

Another common problem with being unable to add a Facebook group to Buffer.

Remember that each Facebook group takes up a slot in your allotted social media profiles. Ensure that you have a slot free for every group you wish to add. 

The next thing you need to check is if you have Admin access for the group that you’re adding to Buffer. Only profiles with Admin access can add a group to Buffer.

One reason for this is that you need to toggle group settings and authorize third-party apps so that Buffer can post to your group. 

Also, the Facebook group posting feature was designed for business owners who want to provide timely updates. That’s why the posting feature is only for profiles with Admin access.  

Posts Are Not Appearing on Facebook Group. 

You may want to check if your post got tagged for spamming.

The solution here is to space out your posts so that Facebook would not think you are spamming with Buffer. 

Can You Use Buffer to Replace the Facebook App when Posting to Groups? 

Buffer is an excellent solution to posting on Facebook groups, but it does have its limitations. Before we jump into what we cannot do, let’s look at its potential. 

The main reason why you’d want to use Buffer with Facebook groups is the ability to schedule posts. If you’re conducting flash sales exclusive to members of your Facebook group, you can use it to schedule the announcements and when the sale officially starts. 

You can also use Buffer to reply to any inquiries you may get regarding your products or services made in your Facebook group. This helps you streamline your customer engagement and have your team do it through a single tool. 

Publishing Limitations:

On the other hand, Buffer for Facebook groups is only a publishing tool. It cannot handle other functions in groups, such as Group moderation, creating events, and even doing a live video. 

There’s probably a reason for this limitation, which could be to your advantage. For one, this limitation could have been set as a security feature.

Facebook tries to limit access to prevent unusual activities on the site. You do not want your Account to get flagged for such reasons. 

Another probable reason why you don’t get other features on Facebook groups is that these are not standard across all social media services. Buffer maintains consistency with its services, and it can be an added cost to design additional user interfaces to accommodate these features.

This way, the cost of Buffer’s services remains low. 

That’s why, even with how Buffer helps you manage your social media platforms, you cannot do away with the Facebook app. 

Final Thoughts

While Buffer may not do everything that the Facebook app can do, it doesn’t mean you should ignore it. 

It would be best to look at Buffer as a supplementary tool that helps you manage your social media presence, whether Facebook groups or Twitter. 

With that in mind, if you’ve been considering getting Buffer, then it’s worth looking into. Any tool that can help simplify your workflow is always welcome. 

Sources:

Connecting your Facebook group to Buffer

Where Can Buffer Post To? Complete List (And Some No-Go’s)