Create a Google Group
A Google Group is an online community or environment similar to a forum, in which users can connect with one another and discuss a specific topic. Google Groups is free of charge, and allows its users to also organize events, and find other users with similar interests. To create a Google Group, you must first sign in to Google Groups using your Google account username and password. You will then be required to provide your new group with a name and description, manage permissions for users, and configure advanced settings. Continue reading this article to learn more about the steps for creating a Google Group.
Contents
Steps
Access Google Groups
- Visit any of the "Google Support" websites provided to you in the Sources section of this article.
- Click on the "Groups" link located near the top-left corner of the landing page. You will then be redirected to the Google Groups home page.
- Click on the "New Group" button to get started with creating your new Google Group.
- Sign in to your Google account by entering your information into the blank fields provided. If you do not already have a Google account, you will be required to click on "Sign Up" to create an account before you can proceed to create a Google Group.
Describe your Google Group
- Enter a name for your group into the field labeled "Group Name." The name you choose should clearly identity the main topic of your group. For example, if you are starting a group for people who enjoy hiking in your area, give your group a name such as "Las Vegas Hiking Group."
- Enter a description of the group into the blank field labeled "Group Description." The description should accurately describe the types of topics, discussions, and events that can be found within the posts for this group. For example, if the group is for a local softball team, explain in the description that all discussions and events in the group will be related to sporting events and team practices.
- Review the group email address provided to you by Google Groups. By default, Google Groups will assign a group email address based on your group description. Members who join the group will receive and reply to posts using this email address.
- Modify the name of the group email address if you do not agree with the default email address provided.
Manage User Permissions (Optional)
- Click on "Basic Access" to manage the user permissions and access for group members.
- Determine who can have access to all content posted within the group. For example, to restrict the content within the group for view by members only, verify that a checkmark is present next to "All members of the group," and remove all other check-marks.
- Determine who will have the ability to post content to the group. You will have the ability to restrict message posting privileges to members only, or allow any Google user who is not a member of your group to post content.
- Determine who will have the ability to join the Google Group. You can either allow any Google user to join the group, allow users to ask if they can join the group, or limit members to invitation only.
Configure Advanced Settings (Optional)
- Click on "Advanced Settings" to manage a series of settings for your group and its members. Examples of settings you can configure are message moderation preferences, the view of the group as seen on a web page, and more.
- Manage group profiles and identity settings. This option will allow you to specify how you want group members to be identified when they post to the group. For example, you can choose to have the email addresses of group members displayed within posts.
- Manage the way your group will be displayed in the Google directory. Listing your group in the Google directory will allow other users to find and join your group. You can also limit your group to an adult-only audience.
- Configure your group's moderation settings. You can choose whether or not you want all content to be reviewed by you or another administrator before it is published to the group. For example, if you want all swearing banned from the group, you can choose to moderate all content and review each new post for offending words.
- Customize the web view for the group. In the web view settings, you can choose to sort replies by popularity, or allow users to assign "tags," or categories to certain discussions. For example, if your Google Group is about various crafts, you can allow users to sort posts by craft type; such as quilting, knitting, and scrapbooking.
Create the Google Group
- Click on the "Create group" button located at the top of the web page after you have set your preferences and configured all settings.
- Enter the letters and symbols displayed on the screen for verification. Before you can finish creating a group, Google will require you to type a series of letters and symbols to verify you are a human user.
- Click on "Continue" to complete verification. Your Google Group will now be created, and you will have the ability to begin posting content and invite other users to join the group.
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