Facebook groups for compers

Are you a member of any Facebook groups? They can be really useful for compers in lots of ways! In this post I explaining how they work, how to set them up and the best ways to use them.

Types of Facebook groups

Public groups: Competition Winners is an example of a public group where anyone can access the page and search the posts. When you request to join and are approved, you will be able to like and comment on the posts, and make your own posts.

Private groups (visible on search): My Lucky Learners group is an examples of a private group – anyone can see the group information and list of members, and it’s visible on a Facebook search. When you request to join and are approved, you can see the group posts – as well as sharing your own posts and liking/commenting.

Private groups (hidden from search):  These private groups cannot be found by searching. You can’t share a link with a non-member – but you can invite them to join via email, or add a Facebook friend to the group. Once you’re a member you can see all the posts, make your own posts and like/comment on them. Compers set these up with a group of friends and they may focus on sharing certain types of competition – eg. radio or photo.

List of local Facebook comping groups

Local comping groups can be really handy if you want to find likeminded local friends (and you’re not yet a member of a real life Comp Club).

Use a local Facebook group to:

• share competitions from local Facebook pages, Instagram or Twitter accounts
• share competitions from local radio, magazine or event websites (see my tips on Googling)
• upload photos of comps you’ve spotted locally in magazine, newspapers – even on bus stops or in shop windows
• organise real life comp club meetings or Zoom calls
• swap prizes – eg. if you’ve won tickets to a local event without enough notice to go

Local groups work because the members often want to win different prizes – for example, some might want tickets to family events, other members might be looking for local sporting tickets, and others might love the theatre or gigs. Working together, you’re able to source a lot more competitions – even if it’s not something you particularly want, there’s bound to be a local comper who would love that prize!

Members of the Lucky Learners group have joined forces and we’ve created a set of local groups for areas across the UK & Northern Ireland. Simply click the name of the group closest to you, request to join and wait for one of the admin team to approve your request (this may take a little while if there are only one or two admins, so be patient!)

All these groups were active on 1 January 2022:

• Berkshire Compers
• Berkshire/Hampshire/Wiltshire Compers Group
• Bristol Compers Club
• Buckinghamshire Compers
• Cambridgeshire Compers
• Cheshire Competitions
• Cornwall Compers
• Coventry Compers
• Cumbria Compers
• Devon Compers
• Dorset only: Comps, Coupons and Freebies
• East Midlands Compers
• Edinburgh & East Scotland compers
• Essex & South Suffolk Giveaways
• Glasgow and the West Local Competitions
• Glasgow Compers Club
• Gloucester Compers
• Greater Manchester Competitions
• Hampshire Compers
• Hampshire/Surrey/Dorset Compers
• Herts & Beds Compers
• IOW,UK – competitions, raffles for fun
• Kent Compers
• Lancashire Compers
• Lincolnshire Compers
• London Compers
• Midlands Competitions
• Norfolk & Norwich Local comps & compers group
• North East Compers
• Lucky vibes NI (Northern Ireland)
• Northern Ireland & Ireland Compers
• North Wales Compers
• North Yorkshire Compers
• Nottingham Competition Sharing
• South Wales Compers
• Surrey Compers
• Sussex/ Brighton Competition Sharers
• West Country Compers
• West Midlands Compers
• West Yorkshire Compers
• Wiltshire Compers
• Yorkshire Compers

Don’t see a group local to you? Use the advice below to set one up – then comment with your link and I’ll add you to the list!

How to set up a group

• Go to www.facebook.com/groups and click Create New group on the left hand menu. On a mobile, go to the More menu and scroll down to Create Group.
• Select your privacy setting from Private or Public – this can be changed at any time for a local group, I suggest Private is the best option, and choose the visible setting so people can find it!
• Add at least one member to your group by typing their name – they must be a friend of yours.

Growing your Facebook Group

• Add members to the group by typing in the Add people to group box – or tap the blue + icon on a mobile, then type in their name and select them.
• Add members by typing in their email address to send an invite.
• If your group is Public or Private (Visible), you can share the link with people and they can request to join.
• Only members with admin privileges can approve requests from new members.
• You can give members admin status by going into the members list and clicking the gear icon – on a mobile device go to the star badge (top right of the screen) and swipe down to Members, then tap their name to give them an admin role. You can remove or block members with the same process.

Tips for Group admins

• Add a cover photo that explains what the group is about
• Add several members as admin so you can share the job of approving/ignoring the requests to join.
• Add a group description – with a Private (Visible) group, this is the only thing visible to non-members so put as much information as you can!
• A set of basic rules is essential – eg. no vote requests or spam.
• In Group Settings, set questions for people to answer when they join: ‘How long have you been comping?’ is a good one, or ask for the first part of their postcode for a local group.
• If you get a request from a profile from outside the UK, with no visible competitions or just aren’t sure whether they’re a spammer, it’s safer to ignore them – if they request again you might want to send them a polite message, just to check they’re a genuine comper!
• You can have up to ten featured posts at the top of the group page – this could be a list of links, or information for the members, or perhaps a post asking for the members to introduce themselves and say where they live! Click on the three dots top right of a post to get a drop-down menu, and choose Pin to Featured. Click … at the top of your featured posts and you can Move them – use the Move to Front option for the most important post that you want new members to see first.
• To make certain posts easy to find, post a photo along with the text – you can then find the photo quickly in the Photos section of the group.
• Use the … menu to add topics to your posts, then people can search on that topic hashtag to find relevant content.
• Edit your settings by clicking Group Settings from the main menu on the left of the page. Here, you can change the group’s name, colours, description and web address (it’s helpful to have the group name in the web address rather than the default numbers!)

Tips for Group members

• If you’re requesting to join a group, you’ll be approved more quickly if your profile is set to public and that you have at least one competition on it.
• To share a comp into a group, look for the share button under a Facebook post, and click or tap it – you can choose to share it in a public group rather than on your personal profile.
• If you use Facebook groups regularly, pin them so they appear at the top of your Groups list (go to the group and tap … then Pin Group)
• Notifications from groups can be overwhelming – to adjust the amount you get (or turn them off completely) click Joined on the group’s cover photo, then tap Manage Notifications.

Secret comping groups

When you’ve been comping for a while you’ll make friends with people who enjoy the same type of competitions as you – it can be a nice idea to start secret (private and hidden) Facebook groups to share competitions, for example radio competitions or Instagram competitions. You’ll need to be committed though – these groups only work when every members is keen to share and contribute!

Good luck with your Facebook groups – do comment if you have any tips or are looking for members for your own comping group!

(photos adapted from Facebook Groups website)