Groups: How do I use Google Groups?

Answer

What Can Google Groups Be Used For?

  • Engage in discussions about a specific subject.
  • Organize meetings or social events among members of a group.
  • Create groups to send emails to a group of people to facilitate communication (for example, create a list or all of your employees; create a list for members of a campus group).
  • Groups can be used as an alternative to email listservs that require a new email address and intervention by IT staff.

Creating Groups

  1. Open your Gmail account, go to the Apps icon, and click "Groups."
  2. Click the "Create a group" button at the top of the window.
  3. Enter a "Group name." For details about permitted group names, see these tips on character usage.
  4. Enter an email address in the "Group email address" field. 
  5. Optionally, add a description in the "Group description" field.
    • Tip: Use the description field to help users determine the purpose of a group. For example, you can include information about who should join the group, the types of messages you should send to the group, links to FAQs about the group, related groups to use, and so on.
  6. Choose "Basic permissions" for the group. Learn more about access settings.
    • We recommend excluding the "Public" to view, post, or join the group, to ensure that only people you want to have using the email address do.
  7. Click "Create new group." You'll be taken to the "Add members" page. 
  8. Add the email addresses of the group's members.
  9. Optionally, change the group role from "Member" to "Owner" or "Manager." Learn more about group roles. 
  10. Optionally, tell members about the new group by entering an invitation message and clicking "Invite members." If you don't want to send an invitation, click "Skip this step."

Inviting Members

Once you create your group you can add members at any time.

  1. Click "Manage" on the right side of the page.
  2. In the left-hand menu, click "Members."
  3. Click "Invite members" or "Direct add members."
  4. Enter the email addresses of those you want to include.
  5. Click the "Send invites" or "Add" button at the top of the screen.

Editing Settings

  1. As an owner of a group, you may edit settings for a particular group. Under "My Groups" find the group you'd like to edit and choose "Manage."
  2. At the left sidebar there will be menus with information you may edit. Click on any of the headings to open a drill-down menu for options.
  3. Click the "Save" button in each window.

Topics

  • Last Updated Mar 01, 2023
  • Views 88
  • Answered By Sarah Mueller

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