Setting up a Group Home Page & Features

Home Page – Groups

         There appear to be two standard formats for use of your home page. The first being “Open to the Public” and the Second being “For Group Members Only”

         Open to the Public can be viewed by how you set your access restrictions, and with that you can set it to public, registered, or preferred member access. This form of home page is used for the purpose of attracting members to the group. When you set-up a page such as this you want information on it that is going to attract the members to your idea, and entice them to participate. You should include all pertinent information so that they clearly see what it is that is expected of them as a group member. You could also include a group graphic, links to a forum that you have set up for the group, contests that you are holding for group members, and assignments that you would like them to try. Remember that this will be the first impression that a potential member will see and they could base their whole assessment of how you are going to run the group by how it is presented here.

         For Group Members only, is a more popular route. The access is restricted to only those members, which have joined the group. This allows you the freedom to make your home page a command post for your group members. Links to everything that is happening within the group, special requests and group projects are at easy access to the member. With the appropriate code your group members can make group items that will be listed only for group members to see. This practice is especially helpful if your group is doing newsletter or book projects that you do not want the public to see until the editing process is complete. It is also great if your group consists of family members and personal information that only the family will be able to access or create.

Note: that if you choose to have your group open to the public until you reach the required amount of members, you may then edit your group to restrict access to group members only.

The group feature itself allows for a variety of freedom.

         = You may set your access restrictions, and content rating, or change your text area at any time you deem necessary.

         = Members can create group only items.

         = Gift Points can be accumulated for the group, within the group. This removes the need for you to remember which points belong to what in your regular gift point account. As Group Moderator you have the control over the gift points and can allow members of your group to access gift point stats. You have the control of who is able to see the group gift points. A summary page is also available to see what gift points have come into the group and from whom. You may do your gift point bids as a group to sponsor items. This is extremely helpful and much safer than using your regular account. With the gift point feature if your gift points are insufficient you can easily go into a negative in your balance. The group bid, will only access points from your group gift point account as long as it maintains a balance of 20 x the bid. At which time it will reset your bid to zero and not allow you to go into a negative. If your group is running a contest or your members are rewarded for good deeds within your group you may also issue gift points to them from the group gift point account. This whole system makes life easier for the group moderator, and one less thing to maintain.

         = Group Email is an excellent feature, as you do not have to manually select each person in your group to send an email to. By clicking on the group mail link, you may write your email hit send and all members of your group will receive the email at the same time. Within the group there are rank codes that range from 1 receives email only to 14 access any and all features. By selecting the appropriate code beside your member you can allow the group members access to sending emails to the group as well.

         = A safe guard is installed as well for the group moderator to be able at any time to remove a member from the group. This feature is in place for the member too, as the member may at anytime remove themselves from the group. As a courtesy you should always notify a member before you remove them from the group. If a member chooses to remove themselves you will be notified of their departure.

         = An automatic group welcome email is sent whenever you add a person to your group. As a courtesy of the site a standard email informing a member they have been added to the group is sent. You have the option to create a static item Welcome letter and include the item code on your group page. This in turn will be sent to all new members as they are added. This is a nice personal touch that you can do. Perhaps your home page is open to the public, and you do not want to give away all the details, or you have a special forum set up for only group members. By completing a welcome letter of your choice you can inform members as they join of things or items that only pertain to them.

         Keep in mind that this is not all the group home page has to offer, and you will find many new ideas as you become more comfortable with the group feature.