In recent years, Facebook Groups have increased in popularity. Its growth has been propelled by the release of new features and an increased interest in online communities.
Facebook Groups have become a key part of the platform’s mission “to bring the world closer together.” The feature has been so successful that today 1.8 billion people connect across tens of millions of communities each month.
If you’re looking for Facebook Group statistics and insights to help you better understand this phenomenon, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we’ll share the top 12 stats about Facebook Groups, which cover usage, top-performing groups, new trends, and key engagement stats.
Let’s start.
- 1. 1.8 Billion People Use Facebook Groups
- 2. 400 Million People Are in Groups They Find Meaningful
- 3. 50% of Facebook Users Are Part of Five or More Groups
- 4. There Are Tens of Millions of Facebook Groups
- 5. There Are 70 Million Group Admins and Moderators
- 6. 98% of Members Say They Feel a Sense of Belonging
- 7. The Top 10 Facebook Groups Have 43 Million Members
- 8. Top Groups Have an Engagement Rate Above 80%
- 9. 74% of Creators Use Facebook Groups to Build Their Community
- 10. Facebook Live Achieves 6 Times More Interactions
- 11. 81.8% of Users Only Access Facebook via Mobile
- 12. 88% of Creators Using Facebook Groups Want to Switch Platforms
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
1. 1.8 Billion People Use Facebook Groups
A Facebook report found that 1.8 billion people now use Facebook Groups each month.
And between 2016 and 2020, the number of active members in Facebook Groups almost doubled from 1 billion to 1.8 billion users.
Facebook began to focus and invest heavily in groups throughout 2019, which helped to accelerate its growth.
Moreover, during the lockdowns, the number of users increased as members tried to stay connected. This increase backs up a study from NYU’s The GovLab that found that users experience a strong sense of community when participating in groups.
To further grow active members, Facebook has plans to roll out new features, including paid subgroups, community chats, and admin tools.
2. 400 Million People Are in Groups They Find Meaningful
Facebook redesigned the user experience to focus more on groups and less on friends’ posts. This change, combined with better suggestions, led more users to join groups and engage inside them.
Consequently, the number of people in groups they find “meaningful” increased from 100 million in 2017 to 400 million in 2019. Moreover, 100 million users were part of groups that find “very meaningful.”
Although the platform doesn’t release the exact user engagement metrics, they determined these figures through user surveys and engagement behavior.
3. 50% of Facebook Users Are Part of Five or More Groups
Users are joining more online communities and forming deeper connections than ever before, which has led to 50% of users joining five or more groups.
One change that has increased the number of groups people join is that offline clubs are moving online or creating an online presence.
In fact, in a survey, 77% of people said that the most important community they were part of now has an online presence.
4. There Are Tens of Millions of Facebook Groups
The growth in online communities has been accelerated by the trend of individuals, brands, and offline communities creating an online presence.
According to a company blog post, Facebook has been focusing more on groups by releasing new features, redesigning feeds, and recommending more groups to users to capitalize on the trend.
Since these changes, FB Groups have gained greater engagement, and millions of new communities have been created.
Facebook now has tens of millions of groups spanning every conceivable passion and niche. Examples of communities include Girls Love Travel, English Speaking 101, and Motivational Quotes.
5. There Are 70 Million Group Admins and Moderators
Without strict social media moderation, groups can get filled with arguments, hate, and misinformation and ultimately descend into chaos.
This brings the role of community moderation to the front. To fill this role and remedy the problem, existing group members are usually chosen or nominated to become admins and moderators.
Today, 70 million admins and moderators act as community leaders within groups, and their role is crucial to creating and maintaining a thriving community.
According to a recent Facebook survey, 58% of respondents agree that one of the top qualities that makes a community successful is having effective leaders.
6. 98% of Members Say They Feel a Sense of Belonging
Facebook Groups offer a sense of belonging to 98% of members. One way they promote belonging and meaning is by providing a space to discuss important issues.
One example given by Facebook is Female IN. The group focuses on Women’s issues in Nigeria, including relationship advice, health issues, abuse, grief, and loss.
Often, hard conversations to have online are being held in an informal online environment. In fact, a Facebook study found that users join groups for emotional support, a sense of belonging, and a desire for a safe space.
7. The Top 10 Facebook Groups Have 43 Million Members
Ten of the biggest groups on Facebook now have over 45 million members combined, and each of these popular communities is built around a large niche or passion.
An example of a group built around a passion is Makeup Artists, which has over 4.6 million members. The community focuses exclusively on learning how to become better at applying makeup.
The most popular group on Facebook, Deepika Sharma, has a staggering 7.9 million members. The community’s posts consist of funny videos, memes, and other humorous content.
Group Name | Number of Members (In Millions) |
---|---|
Deepika Sharma | 7.9 |
Our Evergreen Bangladesh | 6.2 |
Cheap Meal Ideas | 5.0 |
Makeup Artists | 4.6 |
Kersh Keepers Official Group | 4.5 |
Netflix Recommendations | 4.5 |
PRAY UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS! [PUSH]! | 3.9 |
View From My Window | 3.6 |
Math Formulas | 3.3 |
Instant Pot Community | 3.2 |
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8. Top Groups Have an Engagement Rate Above 80%
Creators build their community on the platform because engagement rates for Facebook Groups are incredibly high. The engagement rate is the total number of posts, reactions, and comments a group has over a given time period.
The engagement benchmark varies depending on the size of the group, the type of content posted, and the user demographics. Typically, the minimum engagement rate for a group is 80%, with some groups receiving an engagement rate of above 200%.
One reason for the platform’s high engagement rate is that average users spend 33 minutes per day on Facebook, so group members don’t need to change any daily habits to participate in the community.
Facebook Group notifications and posts will appear organically on their newsfeed, and members can engage with the community during their normal browsing time. Using Facebook Group welcome posts is another common method to set the group up for engagement early on.
When compared to their own platform or website, creators can expect higher engagement rates on the Facebook platform.
9. 74% of Creators Use Facebook Groups to Build Their Community
One of the biggest trends in the creator economy is building an online community. Facebook has become the most popular platform for hosting communities, with 74% of them being built using the Groups feature.
The most cited reason by creators for using Groups was that the “platform connects to the rest of my work as a creator.”
Facebook was already used by creators in other areas of their work, allowing for seamless transitions and smooth integrations.
The large user base, combined with the platform’s Groups features, were the second and third most cited reasons why creators use the platform.
Facebook has over 2.5 billion active monthly users and is available in 156 countries, making it the largest of all social media platforms. Creators can invite and grow a community without forcing members to sign up, as most will already have accounts.
10. Facebook Live Achieves 6 Times More Interactions
The importance of video has grown tremendously due to consumer behavior shifts. Today, users spend more than six hours per day consuming videos from their TV sets, computers, and video-focused apps.
Compared to regular videos, Facebook found that Live videos produce a six-fold increase in audience interaction, making them a key tool for group owners.
Online interactions between creators and members are essential to building a strong community. A popular way for creators to connect with their members is to broadcast live videos in their group.
Popular types of videos include audience Q&A sessions, presentations, and demonstrations.
Not only do live videos increase the audience connection, but they also drive increases in activity and engagement rates. These are two essential metrics that Facebook considers when promoting groups to new users.
11. 81.8% of Users Only Access Facebook via Mobile
When building an online community, founders have to ensure that the platform is mobile-friendly, as 55% of social media engagement happens on mobile devices.
Facebook has a strong focus on mobile users, and the platform has consistently added to and improved the user’s in-app experience. Their obsession has paid off since 81.8% of Facebook users now only access the platform via mobile.
When users join a group, notifications will appear on the member’s devices, prompting them to engage. Such in-built features drive an increase in engagement and in-group communication.
12. 88% of Creators Using Facebook Groups Want to Switch Platforms
88% of creators using FB Groups want to change platforms. In comparison, only 3.44% of creators want to continue using the Facebook platform for their community.
Creators are looking for an alternative to Facebook Groups for many reasons. The growing anti-Facebook sentiment seems to be the most popular one, but creators’ responses also reference the algorithm, distractions, and that the features don’t meet their needs.
The 88% number is surprisingly high, but keep in mind that Podia did this survey with a specific audience, which primarily includes online course creators.
Conclusion
In 2024, Facebook Groups remain the leading option for building an online community. However, with such a large amount of animosity and creator ambivalence, it will be essential to watch closely.
If you have an existing group that you want to monetize, check out our guide on making money with a Facebook group.
That’s the complete roundup of the ten most important Facebook Group statistics in 2024.
If you have any questions or think we missed something, comment below!