Built-in community

Built-in community means the platform has a space for members to post, comment and talk to each other, such as a forum or feed, without a separate tool. For example, students of a course can ask questions and share progress in a members-only group. Circle, Kajabi and Mighty Networks are among the tools that offer this.

Customers who talk to each other tend to stay longer, and answers given by other members reduce the questions that reach you. Having the community in the same place as your content and payments saves a separate login. It matters if peer support is a central part of your offer. A one-off download product usually does not need it.

• Ask whether community access is tied to a purchase, so only paying members can join.
• Check what moderation tools exist, such as approvals, reports and banned words.
• Test the member experience on a phone, as most people read community posts there.
• Find out whether member numbers are limited on your plan.