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# How to use keyword filters in Facebook groups (inclusion & exclusion)?

# How to use keyword filters in Facebook groups (inclusion & exclusion)?

**Reading time:** 4 min

**Quick summary:** Keyword filters allow targeting specific members of a Facebook group according to information visible under their name (profession, city, description). You create reusable keyword groups with positive keywords (inclusion) and negative keywords (exclusion).

---

## What are keyword filters for?

Keywords allow **precisely targeting** certain members of a Facebook group from information visible in the member list.

### Targetable information

Keywords match on:
- Member's **first and last name**
- **1-2 lines under name** which often contain:
  - Profession (e.g., "Personal development coach")
  - City (e.g., "Paris, France")
  - Short description (e.g., "Entrepreneur • CEO")
  - Current position (e.g., "Founder at StartupXYZ")

|| Novalya doesn't "guess" keywords. They must match what is **actually visible** in Facebook.

---

## How to create a keyword group?

### Step 1: Access library

1. In your Novalya space (app.novalya.com)
2. Go to **Library** (left menu)
3. Click **Keywords**
4. Click **Create new** (blue button top right)

### Step 2: Configure keyword group

A window opens with 3 fields:

**1. Your keywords name**
- Give descriptive name to group
- E.g., "CEO — Entrepreneurs", "Coaches", "Paris Real Estate"

**2. Positive keywords**
- Add terms to **include**
- Keywords appear in **green**

**3. Negative keywords**
- Add terms to **exclude**
- Keywords appear in **red**

### Step 3: Save

- Click **Submit**
- Keyword group is saved in your library

---

## How to enter keywords?

### Entry methods

You can add a keyword in 2 ways:
- Type word then press **Enter**
- Or separate with a **comma**

**Entry example:**
```
coach, consultant, trainer
```
Result: 3 distinct keywords created

### Visual validation

A keyword is validated when it becomes:
- **Green chip** (positive keywords)
- **Red chip** (negative keywords)

|| You can delete a keyword by clicking the ✕ on its chip.

---

## Positive keywords (inclusion)

Positive keywords are used to **include** members who contain these terms in their visible information.

### How it works

**Example:**
- Positive keyword: `coach`
- Result: Includes "Personal dev coach", "Sports coach", "Life Coach"

### Case insensitivity

Keywords are **case insensitive**:
- `Coach` = `coach` = `COACH` = `CoAcH`

### Variants and synonyms

**Recommendation:** Add common variants

**Example to target entrepreneurs:**
```
Positive: entrepreneur, CEO, founder, 
co-founder, business owner, director
```

---

## Negative keywords (exclusion)

Negative keywords are used to **exclude** members containing certain terms.

### How it works

**Example:**
- Positive: `coach`
- Negative: `personal dev`, `student`
- Result: Includes "Sports coach" but excludes "Personal dev coach" and "Coaching student"

### Use cases

**Exclude irrelevant sectors:**
```
Positive: consultant
Negative: IT, computer, developer
```

**Exclude statuses:**
```
Positive: entrepreneur
Negative: student, intern, retired
```

**Exclude specific competitors:**
```
Negative: CompanyNameA, CompanyNameB
```

---

## Best practices (very important)

### 1. Copy actual terms from Facebook

|| **Critical recommendation:** Copy terms **as they appear** in Facebook.

**Method:**
1. Go to Facebook group
2. Check member list
3. **Copy exactly** terms visible under names
4. Paste into your Novalya keywords

**Why:**
- Avoids terms that match nothing
- Guarantees correct targeting
- Reduces configuration errors

### 2. Targeting balance

||| **Too few positive keywords** = too strict targeting → few or **no profiles** found

||| **Too many negative keywords** = too strong exclusion → few or **no profiles** found

**Recommended approach:**
- Start with 3-5 positive keywords
- Add 1-2 negative keywords if needed
- Test on small volume
- Adjust based on results

### 3. Test before mass launch

- Configure your keywords
- Launch test campaign (10-20 messages)
- Verify targeted profiles match well
- Adjust if needed

---

## Using keyword group in campaign

### At launch time

1. Configure your Facebook campaign (imported group)
2. At **Filters** step
3. Select **keyword group** created in your library
4. Continue configuration

|| Filtering applies **when launching campaign**, not when importing group.

### Reusability

Keyword groups are **reusable**:
- Create once
- Use on multiple campaigns
- Modify anytime in library

---

## What happens if it's too restrictive?

If your filters are too strict, Novalya may find **very few eligible profiles** (or none).

### Symptoms

- Campaign finding no profiles
- Campaign stopping immediately
- Volume of sent messages = 0

### Solutions

1. **Reduce** number of negative keywords
2. **Simplify** positive keywords (more generic terms)
3. **Verify** terms actually exist in Facebook
4. **Test** with single positive keyword first

---

## Concrete examples

### Example 1: Target coaches (simple)

**Keyword group: "Coaches"**
- Positive: `coach, coaching`
- Negative: none

**Result:** All members with "coach" or "coaching" in their info

---

### Example 2: Exclude sector (intermediate)

**Keyword group: "Coaches except personal dev"**
- Positive: `coach, coaching`
- Negative: `personal development, personal dev`

**Result:** Coaches EXCEPT personal development ones

---

### Example 3: Precise multi-criteria targeting (advanced)

**Keyword group: "Tech entrepreneurs Paris"**
- Positive: `entrepreneur, CEO, founder, startup, tech, Paris`
- Negative: `student, intern, retired`

**Result:** Tech entrepreneurs in Paris, excluding students/interns

---

### Example 4: Real estate (specific sector)

**Keyword group: "Real estate agents"**
- Positive: `real estate agent, real estate, realtor, negotiator`
- Negative: `student, assistant`

**Result:** Active real estate professionals

---

## FAQ

**Do keywords work on complete profile information?**

No. Keywords only match information **visible in group member list** (name + 1-2 lines under name). They don't scan complete profile.

**Can I use multi-word expressions?**

Yes. Example: `business owner` is valid keyword (counts as 1 single term).

**Is there accent sensitivity?**

Keywords are generally tolerant, but to maximize results, include variants:
- `entrepreneur` AND `entrepreneur` (if accent variants possible)

**How many keywords can I add?**

There's no technical limit, but we recommend:
- 3-10 positive keywords maximum
- 0-5 negative keywords maximum
- More you add, more restrictive targeting becomes

**Can I modify keyword group after using in campaign?**

Yes. Modifications apply to **future campaigns**. Already launched campaigns keep original configuration.

---

|| **Related articles:**
|| - What's the difference between "All members" and "Members with things in common"?
|| - How to add Facebook group as prospecting source?
|| - How to configure and launch Facebook prospecting campaign?
|| - Why does Novalya stop during campaign? (too strict filters)

---

## Need help?

If you have questions about keyword configuration:

- **Ticket Center:** Available from your Novalya space
- **Email:** support@novalya.com

Our team aims to reply within 24 hours on business days.