How to make your Groups private/ public in Communities?

Modified on Fri, 15 Mar at 11:11 PM

Private groups are specialized, restricted-access communities that allow for confidential discussions and collaboration. Administrators and owners can create and manage these groups, defining roles and approving membership requests. They provide a secure environment for focused interaction, making them perfect for exclusive engagements or sensitive projects.

What is this feature?

Private groups are specialized communities designed for controlled access and confidential discussions within the platform. These groups are accessible only to authorized members, ensuring that the content and conversations are restricted to those specifically invited or approved to participate.

An integral part of community management, private groups offer a range of functionalities. Owners and admins can create and manage these groups, converting regular groups to private ones. The distinct roles within a group, such as Owner, Admin, and Contributor, each come with specific responsibilities and authorities, ensuring a well-structured environment.

Please Note:

The table outlines the general capabilities of each role in private groups.

Role	Access Level and Responsibilities
Owner	The creator of a group can assign users as admin/contributor, convert groups between public and private, and review and accept membership requests. Cannot be assigned by any user.
Admin	Can assign users as admin/contributor, convert groups between public and private, review and accept membership requests, and change roles of contributors and other admins.
Contributor	Participates in the group and contributes to discussions but has no specific authority over group settings or membership.

Joining a private group requires members to request access, which admins or owners must approve. This system ensures that only those genuinely interested and approved can engage in the group's activities. Once accepted, members receive an email confirmation with magic links for seamless access.

Furthermore, private groups allow for transitions between public and private statuses. This flexibility ensures that content can be controlled and the group can evolve according to its objectives. Whether for internal communications within a business, exclusive community engagement, or focused collaboration, private groups provide a secure and organized space for members to connect and interact.

The above features are complemented by a user-friendly interface that allows owners and admins to easily toggle between group types, customize branding, and control visibility to non-group members.

Usage Cases:

Usage Case	Description
Confidential Discussions	Private groups allow members to have confidential and secure discussions, ensuring only authorized individuals can access the shared content.
Focused Collaboration	Ideal for focused collaboration among team members on specific projects, topics, or tasks where external distractions need to be minimized.
Membership Request and Approval	Private groups allow for controlled entry, where interested members must request to join, and only admins or owners can review and accept these requests.
Public to Private Group Transition	Groups can be converted from public to private, restricting future content to current members. Likewise, private groups can become public, automatically accepting all requests.
Customized Role Management	With roles like Owner, Admin, and Contributor, private groups enable structured community management, allowing customization of permissions and responsibilities for members.

Benefits:

Benefit	Description
Controlled Access	Private groups ensure only authorized members can view and participate in discussions, protecting sensitive information and maintaining privacy.
Enhanced Collaboration	By creating a focused environment, private groups facilitate collaboration on specific projects or topics without the distraction of unrelated members or content.
Structured Community Management	With clearly defined roles (Owner, Admin, Contributor), private groups enable streamlined management, with owners and admins controlling membership and roles.
Customizable Branding and Appearance	Private groups offer customization options for branding, colors, images, and more, allowing the group to align with specific themes or organizational branding.
Seamless Membership Management	Admins and owners can easily review and approve membership requests while adjusting roles and access within the group, ensuring an orderly community.
Transition Flexibility	The ability to convert groups from public to private (or vice versa) provides flexibility in controlling access and visibility as the group's needs change.
Secure Communication	Private groups provide a secure channel for confidential discussions and information sharing by restricting access to only those who have been approved.

How to use this feature?

Using the private groups feature involves several steps and functionalities. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to use this feature, from creating a private group to managing members:

Creating and Managing a Group

Create a New Group: Click on the site and select "Create Group." Name the group, customize its appearance, and click on "Create Group."
Convert to Private: Administrators and owners can adjust the group settings to make the group private, perfect for confidential discussions. When inside your Group area> Click on the Gear icon> Group Type> Switch to Private> Save.

Public to Private: Ensures only current members have access to previous content.
Note- Private to Public: Automatically accepts all requested members.
Customize Appearance: You can edit colors, images, and branding to suit your needs.

Membership Management

Request to Join: Interested members click on the group URL and request to join. The request button should turn to "requested."
Review and Approve Requests: Admins and owners can review and accept or reject requests from the "People" section using the filter "Requested."

Adjusting Roles: Owners and admins can assign members roles (admin/contributor). An owner's role cannot be reassigned.

Group Visibility

Access Control: Adjust roles and control who can see and participate in the group.
Access for Non-Group Members: You can choose to make the group visible to non-members. This setting controls whether non-members of this group, who have access to other groups in the sub account, are able to see your group in the group switcher on the top left or not.