Note: If you see "Unavailable" when trying to connect your social channel, this article will likely be more suitable to get things corrected for you. Otherwise, feel free to continue on in this article.
In order to connect a Facebook group to schedule posts through Buffer, we'll need to authenticate through your personal Facebook profile that is an admin of the group you're looking to connect (don't worry--we won't access your personal information or publish content on your profile!). It is not possible to connect groups that you are only a member of. Learn more about Facebook group roles here.
📝 All posts published to a Facebook group will appear as being posted by the Facebook member who connected the group to Buffer. If you have additional users who have access to this group in Buffer, any posts they schedule and share will also appear as being posted by you (if you're the person who connected the group).
This article contains the following sections:
Connecting Facebook groups
You will need to complete these steps on a computer, as opposed to on a mobile device. The settings that need to be changed in Facebook are not available on mobile.
-
Log into your Facebook profile that has the admin role on the group you'd like to connect, and then navigate to that group.
-
Click Settings on the left hand side.
-
Find the Advanced Settings section towards the bottom of the page and then click the edit icon to the right of Apps.
-
Click Add Apps.
-
Search for Buffer and then click the Buffer app that shows up in the results.
-
Then, click Add.
📝 If you find any issues with the connection, it could be that Facebook needs one more confirmation. In these cases, they'll add a post like this to your Facebook group feed that you will then need to act on. Click "Manage Access" and approve all items. You will need to have your personal profile viewing the page when you accept these permissions. This is where you'll toggle between your profile and Page.
-
Now, head over to Buffer and click on your profile avatar at the top right of your dashboard and then click Account from the drop down menu.
-
Click the Channels option from the menu on the left hand side of your screen.
-
Click Facebook. (If you already have channels connected, click Connect New Channel and then click Facebook.)
-
Click Facebook group then click Start Connecting.
- If you are not already logged into Facebook, click Continue to Facebook to authenticate.
-
Click Continue as [Name] and then click OK in the next step. In this step, it's important not to change any of the permissions. (You won't see these steps if you already have another Facebook or Instagram account connected to Buffer that was authorized through the same personal Facebook profile.)
-
Finally, tick the box next to the group you'd like to connect and then click Add to Buffer.
-
Your group should now be connected. However, if you're seeing the prompt below, it's most likely because you haven't added Buffer to the apps section in your Facebook group. Please head to step 1 above and ensure Buffer has been added as an app to your group.
Troubleshooting Facebook group connections
If you're having trouble connecting or reconnecting your Facebook group, let's check a few settings:
- Are you logged in with a Facebook profile that has admin access to the Facebook group? Please note that whether or not a Facebook Page is an admin on the Facebook group, it's still necessary that the Facebook profile you're logging in with also has admin permissions for the group.
-
When adding the Buffer app to your Facebook group, ensure that your profile is selected in the top right of your Facebook group.
- Have you double-checked that Buffer is still showing in your Facebook group's apps area? To do that, you'll click on the group's Settings, scroll down to the Advanced Settings then check that Buffer is added to the Apps.
- Head into your Facebook profile's Business Integration settings to ensure all permissions are selected there, as these permissions give Buffer access to post on your behalf to both Facebook Pages and Facebook groups. To do that, you'll follow the steps here.
- Finally, once you've made the necessary checks within Buffer, refresh your Facebook group connection within Buffer (if your group is already connected to Buffer).