Facebook Adds New Feature for Groups and Events

January 4, 2018

Katie Cook

Katie Cook is the Marketing Communications Specialist for Expo Logic, an event registration company that works with clients worldwide to provide innovative registration and lead retrieval services.

Social media isn’t just for sharing selfies or tweeting 140 characters anymore. We use it every day to stay connected to family and friends, read about current events, and feel included in events and stories from across the globe. Facebook has found a way to encourage user involvement with its new feature, Collaborative Stories.

This recently launched feature is in addition to its already popular Stories function. Users of Facebook groups and Facebook events will be able to contribute to a story that will be visible only to other members of that group or event.

Collaborative Stories shared by other people will show on event or group pages users have joined, along with being shown at the top of their News Feed. Administrators of the event/group will have the power to set the rules of the stories as well. They can choose to either allow posts from everyone and then delete posts that they don’t like, or they can require the approval of each post before it is added to the Collaborative Story.

For avid social media users, you may be wondering how this is any different from Snapchat and its group feature. Well, Snapchat groups can only be made with a user’s current friends and contacts while not allowing other users to join that may not be on your friends list. Also, Snapchat groups are limited to up to 16 people and don’t have a common interest factor. Facebook Collaborative Stories are unlimited in the number of users and are specific to a group or event that has been created from a common interest.

Since Facebook groups and events are centered around hobbies, professions, ideologies and locations, the stories shared may not appeal to everyone but will appeal to the other members of the group or event. This new feature could be helpful to encourage users from a different demographic to contribute their perspective adding more diversity to the story.

For events, this could mean more engagement from attendees that share their personal experience by adding it to the story. Users are given more freedom of expression with images and video, making it easier for attendees to have a voice. In addition, remote attendees have the chance to feel more involved by viewing stories shared by other attendees onsite and seeing the event from multiple perspectives.

This feature is still new to Facebook but creates an interesting way for users to share their experience and get involved.

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Partner Voices
Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact