It’s always exciting for those of us who spend a lot of time on social media platforms, especially for running groups and businesses, when a new feature comes out. And there are always pros and cons to those features. The latest feature everyone is talking about is the @everyone tag for Facebook groups.
As usual, it can be a helpful and even essential tool for communication with members of your group.
It can also be annoying and even detrimental to the health of your group.
It is a topic worth exploring in terms of who can use the tag, what its actual purpose is, and how it should be used, so that you can be sure your group does not end up losing members and fading out of existence due to overuse or abuse of the @everyone tag in a Facebook group.
What Is the @Everyone Tag on Facebook?
First, what is this new feature?
The @everyone tag on Facebook is a handy little tool that allows you to get the attention of every member in your group for a particular post.
When you use @everyone in your post, every member will get a notification that they have been “mentioned.”
It is an excellent feature for time-sensitive issues or other matters of urgency, like a member needing group support, etc.
What Is the Purpose of the @Everyone Tag on Facebook?
Originally, this tag feature was put into place so the moderator or admin of the group could get everyone’s attention in the group to alert them to important messages or events.
For example, let’s say you are part of a niche club, like a particular sports team or a television show, and one of the key people on your team or actors on your show is set to make a public appearance or give a press conference in the immediate future.
The admin of the group could post that announcement and tag @everyone to make sure no one misses out.
Another example would be a close-knit community group that has a member who is dealing with an urgent health issue or is in crisis somehow. Tagging @everyone could circle the wagons, so to speak, and make sure that person gets the support they desperately need.
Is the @Everyone Tag only for Facebook Groups?
As of now, the @everyone tag is only for group use and for use on Facebook Messenger messages.
Though depending on how successful the feature is, we may see it expand into other areas of Facebook.
Is the @Everyone Tag on Facebook Pages?
We have not seen the @everyone tag venture into Facebook pages yet, which makes sense as a page is more something you follow while a group is something you join and ideally actively participate in.
It would not be surprising, however, to see the @everyone tag expand to pages.
Can You Use the @Everyone Tag in Facebook Messenger Chats?
Yes, you can use @everyone in Facebook Messenger chats. Indeed, it is lauded as one of the great new shortcut features.
Keep in mind the @everyone feature is kind of redundant on Messenger because if you are a part of a chat group on Messenger, you will ideally already be notified if chatting is taking place. But the @everyone feature guarantees you can notified that you have been mentioned in the chat.
Presumably then, the @everyone feature for Messenger will let you know you specifically are being asked a question or let you be notified of an event or other urgent or time-sensitive issue.
And here’s where @everyone can get really annoying.
Some people use it with utter abandon, simple tagging @everyone every single time they create a post, which entirely defeats the purpose of the feature.
Should You Use the @Everyone Tag in Facebook Groups or Messages?
Of course you want everyone’s attention on all of your posts, but shoving notifications in their faces every time you have something to say is not the right way to use the @everyone tag.
You should use the @everyone tag in your groups or in chats – appropriately.
That’s the key to using this feature.
If you use it appropriately, as in infrequently and only to bring attention to something you are sure everyone will actually agree calls for a sense of urgency, then it will be welcomed.
You will get the right response, “Oh, I’m so glad you let me know!”
When you use it excessively, as in every post, you have to remember other groups and chats may also be using this feature excessively, and now your voice is just lost amid the chaos.
Even if you are the only annoying one doing it, it makes your group easy to simply walk away from.
No one wants to be badgered by constant notifications, especially when the issue or post might not even pertain to that person specifically.
When used incorrectly, the @everyone feature is you just waving your hands and jumping out of your seat saying, “Pick me! Pick me!”
And that’s only fun for, or even tolerated by, everyone else for a short while.
Can Anyone in My Facebook Group Use the @Everyone Tag?
Fortunately, Facebook has put some backstops into place with the @everyone tag. As of now, only admins and moderators of the group can use the feature, and it has been limited for use to only once a day.
Let’s hope it stays that way.
I would still be selective about how you use the feature.
Your biggest danger here is driving your members away when what you are seeking is more engagement.
Just be sure your posts actually relate to the group, and that when you do use the @everyone feature, you follow the basic etiquette of only using it for time-sensitive or urgent issues.
What has your experience been with the @everyone feature in Facebook groups and on Messenger? Let me know in the comments below.