Seeking expert advice on monetizing from FB group

Hello, I am in the inception phase of building a group on FB to provide product reviews and ratings for a 3rd world country market with limited online purchase and people buy more from retailers.
The idea came after doing initial budgeting exercise and found that website and mobile apps will be above our budget and a risky ROI to start with.
Any idea how to grow the group no of members and how to monetize it quickly?
Will I eventually need to have a website and apps especially in the first 3 months?
What is the very first starting action to take ?
Any expert advice will be most appreciated.

 

Paid Facebook ads may be something to consider. In addition, join and promote your page/site in different groups that allow it. Good luck.

 

Thank you. Can you pls elaborate more on the first point? Do I need to build a certain minimum no of group fans/members first and then start ads or do it even earlier? Will this become the main monetization source or the website?

 

To run ads, you do not have to build a certain minimum number of group fans/members first. You can do both though. Build up your group fans/members through paid ads and through your own efforts. No one can say for sure if this will become the main monetization source or the website, but you can use your Facebook page and your group to drive traffic to your website.

 

When it comes to attract the audience of 3rd world county, bear in mind that it's rather impossible to make them pay. And, if somehow you convince them to pay, the only option they'd is credit card, not Paypal, as it's not allowed in their country (some countries). Now, it doesn't mean that they aren't intelligent or aren't willing to spend money. They're and they will, however, just like all others you've to provide some great value.

Besides, if you're going through the advertising mode, target those pages which they like to read. According to my experience, unlike others, they're very active on those social pages, which are rather funny or controversial. If you can target those pages through your advertising, or create your own group like those pages, you can have some great returns...

 

Thanks. So shall I first create and enrich the content then start advertising or do it in parallel? The page is about product reviews in the local language and more relevant product to their market. So the money will most probably come by click throughs rather than direct user payment.

 

If you've just 5-page website, it's enough. But, if you want to advertise, create 1-controversial/funny/weird type of review of some amazing product which is extremely popular among them (your target them). Once you create that content, then advertise "that" content and place it in front of them. This will make them curious and force them to visit your website to read more about "what you're exactly saying!"

Remember, when it comes to creating content or reviews, the key is 'controversial', 'funny', or 'weird'. Be different than others... This is the only way to catch eyes and capture hearts.

 

You can create a special offer of some kind and place it in the 'files' section. Then you can tell people to grab the offer in the files. They will be forced to join in order to access the files.

You monetize it by adding your affiliate link to the product reviews. They like your review, click your link, by the product, you get paid.

 

Great advice! So can I assume that if I started first with the Facebook group for the reviews then later the website ( i will reserve the domain name of course) that I need to apply the same strategy , I. e. Very non traditional reviews and advertise the group on social ones, right?
The reason is I don't think I will be able to provide enough fund at the beginning to have the website and mobile apps at the first 3 months and thought to start with the FB group...what do u think ?

 

There's never been a business that failed because they couldn't scale fast enough. However, tons of businesses have failed because they scaled too fast. Start slow, you can always scale later.

 

Thank you all for the great advice.