How to Add Membership Questions to a Facebook Group

Adding membership questions to your Facebook Group is one of the most effective ways to build a high-quality community right from the start. This simple feature acts as a powerful gatekeeper, helping you screen new members, understand their needs, and set the tone for your group before they even post their first comment. This guide will walk you through exactly why you need these questions, what to ask, and how to set them up step-by-step.

Why Membership Questions Are a Game-Changer for Your Group

You might think of them as just another administrative step, but membership questions are a strategic tool for any serious group owner. They go far beyond a simple "yes" or "no" for entry, they are your first opportunity to engage, learn, and protect your community. Here's why they are so valuable.

Filter Out Spammers, Bots, and Trolls

The number one reason to add questions is for community protection. Automated bot accounts and low-effort spammers rarely take the time to answer custom questions. Even a simple open-ended question like, "Why do you want to join this group?" requires a level of human thought that most bots can't replicate. It’s an incredibly simple filter that instantly weeds out a huge percentage of potential troublemakers. This saves you countless hours of moderation work down the line, removing spammy links and dealing with disruptive accounts that add no value.

Understand Your New Members from Day One

Your membership questions are your first market research tool. Instead of guessing what your members want, you can ask them directly. The answers provide immediate insight into your audience’s demographics, pain points, and goals.

For example, if you run a group for new photographers, you could ask:

• What type of camera do you use? (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Mobile Phone)
• What is your current experience level? (Just starting, Hobbyist, Professional)
• What's the one thing about photography you want to improve?

With just these three questions, you instantly learn what gear your members use, how advanced they are, and what content would be most helpful to them. This data is invaluable for shaping your content strategy, from the articles you share to the live workshops you host.

Set Clear Expectations and Establish a Strong Culture

A thriving group has an identity and a clear set of rules. Your questions can reinforce this culture from the very beginning. One of the most common and effective questions is some variation of:

"Have you read the group rules and do you agree to follow them? (A 'yes' is required to join.)"

This does two things. First, it directly prompts potential members to read the rules they might otherwise ignore. Second, it gets them to formally agree to those standards. If a member later breaks a rule, you can confidently point back to their entry agreement. It's a small psychological step that makes a big difference in maintaining a positive and respectful environment. It signals that your group is well-managed and that certain behaviors are expected, which in turn attracts members who appreciate that structure.

Grow Your Email List or Other Platforms

For many business owners, a Facebook Group is just one piece of their marketing ecosystem. You can use one of your membership questions to ethically and transparently invite new members to join your email list. The key is to offer something valuable in return - this shouldn’t feel like a demanded toll for entry.

A great example looks something like this:

"Would you like a copy of our free 'Beginner's Guide to Landscape Editing'? If so, please enter your email address below. This is completely optional!"

By framing it as an optional bonus, you build goodwill and provide immediate value. Members who are truly interested in your subject will happily give you their email for a relevant resource. It's a fantastic, automated way to grow another one of your marketing channels with highly qualified leads.

What to Ask: Crafting Effective Membership Questions

Facebook allows you to ask up to three questions. With such limited space, you need to make each one count. The best questions are a mix of screening, research, and expectation-setting. Before you start writing, it’s helpful to understand the formats Facebook provides.

The Three Question Formats

1. Written Answer (Open-Ended): This is arguably the most valuable format. It gives you raw, unfiltered feedback and is the best way to screen for genuine human members. Ask things like, "What do you hope to learn from this group?" or "Tell us a bit about your background with [topic]."
2. Multiple Choice: This is perfect for collecting specific data points where members choose one option. Use it for categorizing members by experience level, industry, or goal. For example, "What is your primary goal for joining?" with options like "To learn," "To network," or "To get feedback."
3. Checkboxes: This allows members to select multiple options. It's useful when their answers aren’t mutually exclusive. For instance, "Which of these topics are you most interested in? (Select all that apply)" with a list of your content pillars.

Best Practices for Writing Your Questions

• Combine Screening with Research: Your questions should serve dual purposes. A question like, "What is your biggest challenge with [Topic] right now?" not only gives you a content idea but also serves as an excellent spam filter. A bot can’t easily answer that.
• Always Include a "Rules" Question: Dedicate one of your three questions to rule acceptance. A simple check box or required "yes" is all you need. This is non-negotiable for maintaining group health.
• Be Clear and Concise: Don't ask long, convoluted questions. Get straight to the point. The easier your questions are to understand and answer, the more likely a person is to complete them.
• Ask What YOU Need to Know: Don't just copy questions from another group. Think about your specific goals. Do you need content ideas? Do you need to segment your audience for future offers? Is your biggest problem spam? Tailor your questions to solve your unique challenges as an admin.

Examples of Great Questions for Different Niches

The right questions depend entirely on your group's purpose. Here are a few examples to get you started.

For a B2B Marketing Group:

1. What is the biggest marketing challenge you're facing this quarter? (Written Answer)
2. Which best describes your role? (Multiple Choice: Founder, In-House Marketer, Agency, Student)
3. Our group has a strict no-promo policy outside of designated threads. Do you understand and agree to follow all group rules? (Multiple Choice: Yes, I agree)

For a Local Hiking Group:

1. What's your favorite local trail or one you'd like to try? This helps us get to know you! (Written Answer)
2. What's your typical hiking pace? (Multiple Choice: Casual Stroll, Moderate Pace, I'm Practically Running)
3. The mission of this group is respectful and safe outdoor adventure. Have you read the rules about LNT principles and group safety? (Multiple Choice: Yes, I agree)

For a Group Offering a Freebie to Build an Email List:

1. Why are you interested in joining our community for vegan recipes? (Written Answer)
2. To get you started, we'd love to send you our 'Top 10 Vegan Dinners' recipe book. If you'd like it, leave your email below. (This is optional). (Written Answer)
3. This is a supportive, positive community. Do you agree to respect all members and follow the group guidelines? (Checkboxes: I agree to the group rules)

How to Add Membership Questions: A Step-by-Step Guide

Setting up your questions is quick and easy. Follow these simple steps from your desktop computer for the best experience.

Step 1: Go to Your Group Settings
Navigate to your Facebook Group. In the left-hand navigation menu under "Admin Tools," find and click on Group Settings.

Step 2: Locate the "Membership Questions" Section
Scroll down the list of settings until you see the section titled "Manage Membership." Underneath this heading, you will find an option called Membership Questions. Click the little pencil icon to edit it.

Step 3: Create Your Questions
A pop-up window will appear where you can add up to three questions. Click the Add Question button to begin.

• First, choose your question format from the dropdown menu (Multiple Choice, Checkboxes, or Written Answer).
• Next, type your question into the main text box.
• If you chose Multiple Choice or Checkboxes, fields will appear for you to add your answer options. You can add more options by clicking "Add Option."

Step 4: Save Your Work
Once you have added up to three questions, you can drag and drop them to change their order. When you are satisfied, click the Save button at the bottom of the pop-up window.

That's it! Your questions are now live. From this point on, anyone who requests to join your group will be prompted to answer them before their request is sent to you for approval.

Reviewing the Answers

To see the answers from prospective members, navigate back to your group’s main page and click on Member Requests in the Admin Tools menu. You will see a list of everyone pending approval. Under each person’s name, their answers to your questions will be clearly displayed, allowing you to make an informed decision on whether to approve or decline their request. Members who haven't answered the questions will have a note indicating so.

Putting Your Answers to Work

Collecting answers is only half the battle. The real value comes from how you use that information to create a better community and a smarter content strategy.

Manually Track Member Needs

Create a simple spreadsheet (Google Sheets or Excel works perfectly) to log the most insightful written answers you receive. Have columns for "Name," "Biggest Challenge," and "Content Ideas." Every week, spend 15 minutes copying and pasting the best responses into this document. Over time, you’ll build an incredible repository of your audience's exact phrasing and pressing needs. When you feel uninspired or aren't sure what to post, just revisit your spreadsheet.

Create Hyper-Relevant Content

Let your member responses guide your content plan. If you notice a dozen new members all say their biggest challenge is "finding clients," you have a clear signal. You could:

• Host a Facebook Live Q&,A titled "5 Ways to Find Your First Client."
• Write a detailed post showcasing strategies for client acquisition.
• Create a poll asking about common client-finding methods.

This approach moves you from guessing what people want to creating content you know they need, which dramatically increases engagement.

Personalize the Welcome Experience

Instead of a generic weekly welcome post, make it personal. When you welcome new members, call out some of the themes from their applications.

For example: "A huge welcome to our 20 new members this week! It's great to see so many of you looking to learn more about social media strategy. We also have a few experienced pros joining us - we can't wait to hear your insights!"

This small touch shows that you're an engaged admin who listens, making new members feel seen and valued from the moment they arrive.

Final Thoughts

Implementing membership questions is a simple change that produces profound results for any Facebook Group. It helps you filter out undesirable accounts, gain deep insights into your audience's needs, and establish a strong, positive culture from the very beginning. It's one of the highest-impact admin tasks you can perform, taking just minutes to set up.

Gathering great insights from your members is the first step. The next is using that info to create a consistent content strategy that keeps them engaged. A big part of that is planning and scheduling your posts so your group never goes quiet. Since running a group can feel like a full-time job, we built Postbase to make the content side easier. Our visual calendar lets you plan a month's worth of posts at a glance, and you can create content once to schedule it across Facebook, Instagram, and all your other platforms, saving you hours of repetitive work.