How Do I Create a Community Channel for Members to Post to?

Creating a community channel where your members can post is a great way to encourage interaction and engagement. This guide will walk you through the steps of setting up a community channel and configuring member permissions so that they can only manage their own content.

• Step 1: Create a New Channel
• Step 2: Set Up Community Permissions with a Custom Role
• Step 3: Invite Members to Participate
• Tips for Managing Your Community Channel

Step 1: Create a New Channel

To create a community channel, start by creating a new channel. If you need detailed instructions on creating a channel, click here to visit our complete guide on channel creation. Here's a brief overview of the process:

1. Navigate to the Channels section in the builder.
2. Select the + button to "Add Channel".
3. Name your channel and select the appropriate settings (e.g., "Community Posts" for the name).
4. Save your new channel.

Step 2: Set Up Community Permissions with a Custom Role

Once the channel is created, you'll need to set up permissions that allow members to post their own content without having control over others’ posts. To do this, create a custom role and adjust its permissions:

1. Navigate to the Channel Roles section

   • If you are not already inside your Channel, select it from the Channel List, then select the Channel Roles tab.

2. Create a Custom Role:

   • Click on “Add Channel Role”
   • Name this role something like “Community Member Poster.”

3. Assign Permissions:

   • Ensure the role has permissions for:
     • Create/Edit: Allow members to create content in the community channel, but it still must be approved by an admin before it's published.
     • Publish/schedule/delete: Allows members to publish/schedule and delete content in the channel. 
   • Ensure the role does not have permission to:
     • Edit other member's content: This settings allows a user to edit posts created by another member.
   • We also offer Channel Management permissions, which include the ability to message the channel. Depending on your preferences for how the channel will be used, you should consider enabling this feature. It allows members to send direct messages to the channel, helping facilitate more active communication.
     

4. Save the Role and Assign It to be the Default Channel Role:

   • After setting permissions on the custom role, select the triple dot menu (with the channel role selected), then select "Set as default".
     

Step 3: Invite Members to Participate

Now that your channel is set up and the custom role is created:

1. Add members to the channel and they will automatically be assigned your custom role.
2. Encourage them to start posting and sharing within the community channel!

Tips for Managing Your Community Channel

• Moderate Content: Consider assigning one or more moderators to oversee the content being posted.
• Community Guidelines: Set clear community guidelines and pin these guidelines in the channel to help maintain a friendly and engaging environment.
• Recommend and Default Channels: Consider setting it as a default channel under Advanced Options so new users on your hub will automatically be added to the channel, or set it as a Recommended Channel so it appears during registration for new users to choose if they'd like to join.