Groupchats are one of Clapper’s more unique and popular features. A group message built into the app, that’s easy for your followers to use and for you to utilize? How could a creator resist!
This feature gives you another way to connect with your followers and get to know your community. And while Groupchats are really easy to set up and even easier to use, any feature can be a little intimidating. Trust me when I say that there’s nothing to Groupchats and that once you start using them, you won’t be able to stop! In this article, we’ll explain what Groupchats are, how to set one up, and where you can go to join another creator’s.
What are Groupchats? š¬
The name itself is pretty self-explanatory! Groupchats are chat threads you can add to your profile. While most apps give you the option to send a direct message to another user, the Groupchat feature lets you communicate directly with your entire community. Plus it gives them the option to communicate with each other and forge new connections. You can have up to 5,000 people in one Groupchat and you are in total control of it!
While weāre mostly talking about creating a Groupchat, this feature is available to every user. If thereās one creator youāre a huge fan of, check out their profile and see if they have a Groupchat for you to join.
How to Create One šļø
- On your profile, just under your bio, click the button that says āCreate Groupā.
- Youāll be taken to the āCreate Groupā page, where you can tell us more about your group. Weāll get into the individual settings in a minute, but you can add a name, a cover photo, and tell us more about your group. Once youāre happy with your group…
- Hit the āCreateā button at the bottom. And thatās it! Youāre good to go!
Settings āļø
There are a lot of settings you can change for your Groupchat. Its yours to run, so we wanted to make sure you could really make it your own! Weāll walk through each of these settings one by one.
Add a Photo š¼ļø
When you create a group, youāre given the option to choose a display photo. This can be one of you, a pet, some art youāve created – whatever picture of yours youād like! We suggest relating it to your brand or content as much as possible.
Member Requests š
You can choose if you want to review and manually approve each member request, or if you want them to be automatically approved. You can go back and change this later, so thereās no wrong choice!
Notify Followers š
Thereās an option to invite new followers to join your chat. If selected, a message will pop up automatically when someone follows you and give them the option to join your Groupchat.
Group Name š„ø
You want to give your group a catchy name related to either your brand or what youāll talk about in the chat. If I were a makeup artist, I might name my group āHarriās Highlights šāāļøšā; as a writer, maybe I could name it āDONāT Kill Your Darlings: Writing Advice āļøāØā. You have 100 characters, so donāt be afraid to use them!
About š
In this section, you can tell us more about your Groupchat. This can be a quick summary of the kind of content youāll be sharing or reasons why your followers would want to join your chat.
What Can Be Shared š„
Once you create your group, you can click the three dots in the top right corner. This will open a page where you can edit and update your Groupchat. One option (third from the bottom) is āWhat can be shared in the group?ā; clicking this option will let you edit what people can share in your chat. The owner (you!) can share whatever youād like, but this puts a few limits on your followers. You can allow or un-allow followers to share videos, profiles, Lives, Radios, and other Groups!
Sometimes it can feel spammy if followers are allowed to share whatever they like, but it can be great to see what everyone loves. In the end itās up to you, and you can go back and change this later.
Joining a Groupchat šØļø
If you thought creating a Groupchat was easy, joining one takes just a few clicks! When you click on a creator’s profile, there are a few buttons below their bio. The bottom one is the follow and message button; when you’re not following a creator, it will be orange; once you follow them and can message them, it will be white.
The grey button above the following, followers, and like counters is the creator’s Groupchat. You can click it to join, and a notification will either pop up saying you’re in or that your request will need to be approved. Either way, there’s nothing else you need to do!
How Do I Check My Groupchats? š±
While you can always come back and access a Groupchat through a creator’s profile, your Groupchats will be added to your Direct Messages. You’ll get a notification anytime a message is sent.
Ideas for Your Groupchat š”
A lot of creators love to use this feature for check-ins, but there are a ton of things you can do! You can send reminders about Livestreams or Radios, or even drop in to let followers know you’ve posted a new video. You can ask a question of the day to facilitate discussion amongst your community, ask for feedback on your content, or let your followers ask you questions to help them get to know you. If you’d love to really boost your Fam Tiers, Groupchats can be an exclusive benefit for your supporters. For more inspiration on how to put your Groupchat to good use, check out @ClapperCreator, @ClapperSounds, and @ClapperAcademy!
Now you’re ready to get started with you Groupchat! Take some time to look at what your favorite creators are doing, then dive in and start your own. There’s no wrong way to begin so long as you’re having fun and forging deeper connections with your audience. Good luck!