Community Quick Start Guide

The Strategic Value: This guide walks your team through every step needed to get your Community platform live — from initial administrative setup to launching your first session. Follow the phases in order to build a polished, member-ready Community experience from day one.

Strategy Checklist (Before you click):

Before getting started, align your team on the following decisions:

• What type of Community are you building? (Chamber, Association, Builder, Real Estate) — this shapes your group structure and page layout.
• Which modules and pages will you include at launch? Plan your navigation before you build it.
• Who is your Site Administrator? Confirm who will manage ongoing content, member access, and settings.
• Will your sessions be single events or recurring? Decide your session format before scheduling your first one.

Phase 1: Platform Creation

Complete the initial administrative setup to configure your Community platform — including site settings, user roles, terms of use, and image guidelines.

• → Administrative Setup
• → Setting Up Terms of Use for Community Platform Users
• → Image Editor Specifications

Phase 2: Branding & Themes

Customize your Community site with your organization's logos, colors, and theme settings so it feels native to your brand before members ever log in.

• → Branding Your Community Site: Logos, Colors, and Theme Settings

Phase 3: Pages & Navigation

Build your Community's page structure and set up navigation so members can easily find content, groups, sessions, and resources.

• → Creating and Customizing Pages on the Community Platform
• → Set Up Community Navigation

Phase 4: Creating Groups

Set up the groups that will organize your Community — covering group types, privacy settings, and admin roles so the right members have access to the right spaces.

• → Creating Community Groups
• → Group Admins

Phase 5: Creating a Session

Schedule and launch your first Community session — whether it's a one-time event or a recurring series — and configure speakers and session settings.

• → Creating and Managing Sessions
• → Session Settings
• → Single vs. Recurring Sessions

Consultant Pro-Tip: Plan your structure before you build it

The most common setup mistake is jumping straight into building pages and groups without a plan. Take 15 minutes before Phase 3 to sketch out your navigation menu, decide which groups you'll launch with, and confirm whether your sessions will be recurring. Reorganizing these later is possible — but starting with intention saves significant time and delivers a cleaner member experience from day one.