The Ultimate Guide to Circle: A Complete Platform Tour for Community Builders
If you're looking to build a thriving online community without the chaos of Facebook Groups or the complexity of Discord, you're in the right place. As someone who's a certified Circle Expert, has launched dozens of client communities on the platform, and has been using Circle since its beta launch in 2020, I'm excited to share everything you need to know to get started with the platform.
Read on for an in-depth guide or watch the full video platform tour below.
Getting Started with Circle
Circle's clean, intuitive interface sets it apart from other community platforms—it has the familiarity of a newsfeed without any clunkiness. You'll notice how easy it is to navigate between spaces, manage member interactions, and customize your community's look and feel. The platform strikes a nice balance between simplicity and functionality, making it accessible for beginners while offering advanced features for power users.
Essential Settings for Success
Before diving into content creation, you'll want to configure these crucial settings:
Custom Domain Setup: Connect your branded domain for a professional look
Member Permissions: Define roles and access levels
Payment Integration: Set up your preferred payment gateway using Stripe
Theme Options: Customize the platform to match your brand
Creating Engaging Spaces and Space Groups
Spaces are Circle's equivalent to rooms or channels. We always recommend defaulting to radical simplicity in arranging your spaces. Here's an example of how to structure them effectively:
Main Community Feed: Your central topics and discussions
Topic-specific Areas: Dedicated spaces for different subjects or courses
Resource Library: An organized space for toolkits, worksheets, links, and more
Events Calendar: All your scheduled events in one place
Circle’s Basic Member Onboarding
First impressions matter. Do not skip onboarding! The platform's welcome sequences let you craft personalized journeys that introduce new members to your community without overwhelming them. You can set up automated messages that drip out key information, showcase important spaces, and encourage early engagement.
But, remember, while automation is helpful, personal touches matter even more. Consider combining Circle's automated features with live welcome calls or personal messages to create an onboarding experience that makes every new member feel valued and ready to participate.
Events and Community Engagement
The events functionality combines scheduling tools with communication features to streamline community gatherings. Members can RSVP to events, sync with their personal calendars, and join via Circle Live or external platforms like Zoom.
Each event generates its own discussion space for pre- and post-event conversations, resource sharing, and ongoing discussion. The system supports both one-time events and recurring sessions, with automated reminders and attendance tracking.
Event hosts can monitor participation metrics and engagement patterns through the analytics dashboard. The events feature can work well for various formats including workshops, office hours, Q&A sessions, and informal meetups.
Advanced Features Worth Exploring
In the detailed walkthrough video below, I share what is available on the basic Circle plan, but there are more advanced features to explore if you need more customization, including:
Custom member profile fields
API integration capabilities
Automated workflows
Email
Is Circle Right for You?
In my opinion, Circle shines if you're:
A course creator wanting to build a premium community around your course or program
A coach looking to scale your impact and serve more clients
A business owner or content creator aiming to create a professional member experience, consolidate your online presence, or gather people around your content or business
Final Thoughts
While no platform is perfect (none, I tell ya!), Circle's continuous improvements and focus on community-first features make it a strong contender in the online community space. The key is leveraging its features strategically to create an engaging, valuable experience for your members.
Ready to take the next step? Start with the basics and gradually implement more advanced features as your community grows. Remember, the best community platform is the one that serves both you and your members effectively.
