Article summary: Speakap offers four distinct group types to help organize collaboration, social interests, or project teams. This guide breaks down the privacy settings, content visibility, and joining conditions for Public, Restricted, Private, and Secret groups so you can select the right fit for your company’s needs.
Group Type Quick Comparison
The following table provides an overview of how visibility and access control differ across the four basic group options:
| Group Type | Can Non-Members See the Group? | Who Can View Group Content? | Who Can Post/Participate? | How Do New Members Join? |
Public | Yes | Everyone | Everyone | Self-enroll via the Join button |
Restricted | Yes | Everyone | Members Only | Anyone can request; Admin must approve or invite |
Private | Yes | Members Only | Members Only | Anyone can request; Admin must approve or invite |
Secret | No | Members Only | Members Only | Admin invitation only |
Detailed Group Breakdowns
1. Public Groups
A Public group is completely open and accessible to everyone within the organization. This layout fosters spontaneous communication and unrestricted access to shared resources.
- Best Used For: Organization-wide announcements, social clubs, company events, and general discussion forums where cross-departmental collaboration is encouraged.
- Content Visibility: Anyone in the network can view posts, comments, files, and media, regardless of whether they have officially joined the group.
- Joining Method: Users can join instantly at any time by clicking the Join button.
2. Restricted Groups
Restricted groups provide a controlled environment for conversations that require a degree of structural privacy or moderation while remaining discoverable.
- Best Used For: Departmental updates or specialized committees where non-members should stay informed but content generation needs to be heavily regulated.
- Content Visibility: Anyone in the network can browse and read the timeline content, but only active members are allowed to post or comment.
- Joining Method: Non-members can submit a request to join, which a designated Group Administrator must manually review and approve. Admins can also issue direct invitations.
3. Private Groups
A Private group offers a secure, confidential environment tailored for focused team operations, keeping day-to-day work shielded from the rest of the network.
- Best Used For: Specific location work groups, active project teams, (regional) manager groups or functional departments exchanging operational data.
- Content Visibility: Only confirmed members can see or engage with the timeline updates, media, and attachments. However, the group name and details remain visible to non-members in the general group directory.
- Joining Method: Non-members can locate the group name and submit a formal request to join, which requires Group Administrator approval. Alternatively, admins can invite users directly.
4. Secret Groups
Secret groups provide the highest level of privacy and security on the platform. They are completely invisible to anyone who has not been explicitly provisioned into the group.
- Best Used For: Management boards, highly sensitive corporate projects, legal discussions, or HR restructuring planning where absolute discretion is mandatory.
- Content Visibility: Only confirmed members can access the timeline, resources, or communication channels. For non-members, the group does not appear in search results or directory collections.
- Joining Method: There is no public request option available. New members can only join if a Group Administrator sends them a direct, private invitation.