Yes, Facebook Groups are free but you’re still paying for it.
You’re paying for it in missed opportunities, lost knowledge, and the members who drift away from the noise.
You’re paying when they make changes and don’t tell you until they’re live.
You’re paying when you can’t design the community to support what your audience needs.
You’re paying when you can’t move to a better platform when you outgrow the group.
You’re paying for it when you don’t get any SEO traffic which sustains most long-term communities.
You’re paying for it when you can’t design an onboarding journey for newcomers which helps them take their first steps and become top members.
You’re paying for it when you can’t treat members differently based upon their previous contributions.
You’re paying for it when Facebook’s reputation takes a hit and people leave the platform.
You’re paying for it when you can’t identify and reward members for great contributions.
The list goes on and on.
Is saving a few hundred (or even a few thousand) dollars a month really worth the cost?
p.s. The fee for the Strategic Community Management and Psychology of Community courses rises after today.