Creating community online is more than building a group or collecting followers — it’s about crafting a space where connection, accountability, momentum, and learning happen on purpose. In this deep-dive guide I’ll walk you through what community really means in the online space, when and how to start one, how to price and launch a membership, how to retain members, and the lessons learned from Amanda's experience running communities like Monarch Momentum. If you’re considering creating community online or turning your free group into a paid membership, this article gives you a practical roadmap you can follow step-by-step.

If we haven't met yet, I’m Brittany, an online marketing strategist for female entrepreneurs. I teach women how to make their entrepreneurial dreams a reality through smart, actionable marketing strategies that get them seen, loved, and paid. Whether you’re eager to DIY your way to success or hire professionals to help you along the way–my goal is to make sure you walk away with the clarity you need to see the results you desire and build a life you love.

This week's podcast guest, Amanda Wilson-Ciocci. She is the best-selling author of The Monarch: The Signature 8 Method for Launching Your Dream Business with Clarity, Confidence & Love and the genius behind The Monarch & Co., Monarch Business Academy, and the Monarch Momentum Community.

With over two decades of experience, Amanda specializes in helping heart-centered entrepreneurs uncover their authentic stories, passions, and purpose. She's on a mission to empower you to shine your brightest, magnify your impact, and leave a lasting legacy through your work. Her experience and advice is pure gold so let's dive in!

Table of Contents

• Why creating community online matters (and why it’s not optional)

• When to start creating community online

• Building the minimum viable community (MVP for memberships)

• Monetization: when and how to charge for your community

• Launching a community: a practical timeline

• Growth strategies that actually work

• Mistakes to avoid when creating community online

• Case study: How member feedback shaped Monarch Momentum

• Retention playbook: a 90-day plan to keep members

• Measuring success: metrics that matter

• Troubleshooting common problems

• Checklist: are you ready to start creating community online?

• Final thoughts: design your community with intention

• Frequently Asked Questions

Why creating community online matters (and why it’s not optional)

When we talk about creating community online, it’s tempting to reduce it to tactics: the right platform, the perfect welcome post, or the content calendar. Those things matter, but they’re tools — not the reason you build a community. The real impact of creating community online is in three areas:

• Momentum: A group of people working toward similar goals accelerates achievement. Week-by-week accountability, shared wins, and collective energy help members move faster than they would alone.

• Connection and trust: Regular interaction creates familiarity and trust with your brand and with each other. That trust is the foundation for long-term customer relationships and recurring revenue.

• Learning and creativity: Groups enable peer-to-peer coaching, spontaneous collaboration, and real-time feedback. When people see what others are trying, they adapt, iterate, and learn faster.

Creating community online isn’t a bonus marketing channel — it’s a strategic business asset. If you want sustainable growth, engaged customers, and loyal clients, a well-built community should be part of your plan.

What “community” really means

Community is often confused with audience or followers. Creating community online is about building belonging, not just broadcasting. Think of an audience as one-to-many communication. Think of a community as many-to-many connection with a clear leader or convenor who sets the tone, values, and structure.

Core elements of community include:

• Shared purpose: Members come together for reasons that matter to them — to launch, scale, learn, get accountability, or simply feel less alone.

• Shared values: Explicit community values shape behavior, contribution, and culture. When members know what’s expected, engagement improves.

• Structures and rituals: Weekly sprints, guest workshops, mastermind sessions, and themed threads give members predictable opportunities to show up.

• Facilitation and leadership: Communities need convening — someone to guide the experience, respond to feedback, and sustain momentum.

Creating community online isn’t about packaging content behind a paywall and calling it a membership. It’s about curating interactions that help members reach goals together.

When to start creating community online

Timing matters. One of the most common questions I hear is: when is the right time to start creating community online? There’s no single answer that fits everyone, but here are practical signals that it might be time to launch:

• You already have repeat clients or students asking to stay connected after a program ends.

• Your one-on-one work is at capacity and you want to scale your impact without trading more hours for dollars.

• Your audience frequently asks similar questions and could benefit from peer answers and shared learning.

• You’re willing to commit to showing up consistently and designing intentional experiences rather than treating the community as an afterthought.

In short, the best time to start creating community online is when your people are asking for it, and you’re ready to listen and respond. A community that’s built as a reaction to demand — not as a shiny new thing created on a whim — has a higher chance of success.

Start by listening: market research for community builders

Before you build anything, do the work of market research. Creating community online without asking what people want is like launching a product without beta testing. Use these steps:

1. Talk to current clients and email subscribers. Ask them what would make them excited to join a community. What problems do they want solved?

2. Create a simple waitlist or interest form that asks about the outcomes they want and how often they’d engage.

3. Run a low-risk pilot or beta with a small group to test format, cadence, and pricing. Collect feedback and iterate.

4. Listen and then listen again. The most valuable insights come from what people say by action — signups, engagement, and cancellations — not only from what they say in words.

Creating community online by responding to demand — rather than imagining demand — reduces wasted effort and increases retention.

Two paths to community: front-end or back-end

There are two common ways to integrate community into your business model:

• Community as a back-end retention strategy: Run a signature program, then offer the community as a follow-up. This works when you want long-term engagement after a course or coaching container.

• Community as front-end entry: Offer a low-ticket or free community to bring people into your ecosystem and sell higher-ticket programs to members later. This works when you want to expand reach and create a revenue funnel that converts community members into clients.

Both models are valid. The right choice depends on your business vision, audience expectations, and capacity to serve. When creating community online decide which model aligns with your long-term goals.

Building the minimum viable community (MVP for memberships)

Your first version should be lean. Instead of creating a giant ecosystem of features, start with a core experience that solves the primary pain point. A minimum viable community helps you test assumptions quickly and iterate.

Essentials for your MVP:

• Clear promise: What will members gain in 30/90/365 days?

• Core weekly ritual: A weekly work sprint, check-in thread, or office hours that establishes habit.

• Simple onboarding: A welcome that sets expectations and explains how to participate — including community values.

• Feedback loop: Regularly survey members and act on changes quickly.

Creating community online should start simple so you can learn from real member behavior rather than theoretical preferences.

Design the structure: rituals, resources, and roles

A community thrives because of predictable structures and human roles. When you’re creating community online think in terms of:

• Rituals: Weekly work sprints, daily prompts, monthly office hours, mastermind sessions, and celebration posts. Rituals reduce decision fatigue and keep members engaged.

• Resources: Templates, workshops, recordings, and toolkits that help members implement the lessons. Keep resources organized and easy to access.

• Roles: Define who leads, who moderates, and who supports. Community managers and operations support are game-changers once membership scales.

When creating community online, the magic is in the container you provide — not only the content. Containers shape behavior.

How much time does running a community take?

Short answer: it varies. Long answer: plan for more time at launch and less time once systems are in place. Building your community requires two phases:

• Launch and beta phase: Expect intense hours for the first 6–12 months as you test formats, onboard the first members, and iterate quickly.

• Maintenance phase: After your systems are dialed in (weekly templates, automations, a community manager), your time shifts to content planning, facilitation, and periodic launches or events.

If you’re creating community online as a solo founder, budget several hours a week to show up authentically — more if you lead live sessions or run recurring accelerators. Many founders find that a small team (operations + community manager) is a worthwhile investment as the membership scales.

Monetization: when and how to charge for your community

One of the trickiest decisions when creating community online is deciding whether to make it free, paid, or freemium. There isn’t one correct answer for every business. Consider these approaches:

• Free community: Good for audience-building and top-of-funnel engagement. But free groups can limit depth and often deliver lower retention and less commitment.

• Paid membership: Creates commitment, higher perceived value, and recurring revenue. Ideal when members need regular structure and support to hit an outcome.

• Hybrid model: Keep a free group for broad reach and offer a paid, member-only space with premium content and deeper connection.

Deciding when to monetize depends on your goals. If you want to help people gain momentum anytime they need it, an open-door paid community may be best. If you prefer exclusivity, a closed community with specific open windows can make membership feel more special.

Pricing that makes sense: data, retention, and value

Pricing a membership goes beyond choosing a number. When creating community online be sure to:

• Ask your audience what price feels like a no-brainer for the value you’re offering.

• Model retention: The average member lifetime sits roughly between three to six months, often around four months. If the average lifespan is short, low monthly pricing may not be sustainable.

• Offer an annual option for members who want commitment and better results. Annual pricing increases retention and cash flow.

Example pricing strategy: offer a monthly plan and an annual plan that amounts to several months free. Encourage serious members to choose the annual plan by tying it to outcomes that require consistent work (quarterly planning, one full-year roadmap, cohort-based programs).

Launching a community: a practical timeline

Creating community online requires a launch plan. Here’s a simple runway you can adapt:

1. 90–60 days before launch: Do market research. Run conversations, collect a waitlist, and test demand.

2. 60–30 days before launch: Finalize core offer, pricing, and the MVP experience. Build landing pages and automated onboarding sequences.

3. 30–14 days before launch: Start active promotion. Share testimonials or beta stories. Host free value-led events that preview the community experience.

4. 14–0 days before launch: Open doors with an early-bird or founder offer. Use live webinars or Q&As to answer last-minute questions.

5. Post-launch 0–90 days: Onboard members with a dedicated welcome sequence, kickoff events, and close feedback loops to make rapid adjustments.

Creating community online is a mix of marketing and product delivery. The longer your runway and the more conversations you have before launch, the higher your initial conversion rates will be.

Growth strategies that actually work

Once your community is live, growth becomes a repeated motion: launch, deliver, iterate. Here are growth levers to focus on:

• Content-led growth: Use free workshops, short accelerators, and guest trainings to attract members. Public events act as low-risk entry points.

• Referral and invite systems: Encourage members to bring peers and colleagues by offering referral perks or co-hosted mini-events.

• Strategic partnerships: Partner with complementary creators who can co-host events and expose your community to new audiences.

• Paid acquisition (selective): When you understand lifetime value and retention metrics, targeted ads pointing to workshops or a waitlist can scale membership acquisition.

Creating community online is less about constant promotion and more about recurring value that members share for you. Great members become your best marketers.

Engagement and retention: practical tactics

High engagement is the difference between a thriving membership and an empty echo chamber. When creating community online, use these retention tactics:

• Weekly rhythms: Simple, repeatable rituals (for example: Monday work sprint, Wednesday wins, Friday reflections) create predictable touchpoints for members.

• Drip and announce: Share a month-at-a-glance for upcoming speakers, themes, and challenges so members look forward to what’s next.

• Gamify and celebrate: Member spotlights, progress milestones, and celebration threads keep members motivated.

• Masterminds and smaller circles: Intimate peer groups increase accountability and deepen relationships. Test different formats to see what resonates.

• Keep it simple: Too many features overwhelm. Prioritize the activities that drive momentum and pare back everything else.

Retention is engineered by regular, meaningful touchpoints — not by sending more content. Quality over quantity wins when creating community online.

Front-facing vs member-only content: what to share publicly

One of the most common dilemmas when creating community online is deciding what to give away and what to reserve for members. A helpful principle:

• Share value freely, reserve access: Teach well on public platforms. Share frameworks, hot tips, and mini blueprints so people can see your expertise. Reserve coaching, live feedback, and deep-dive implementation inside the membership.

• Think layers of depth: Public content should be useful and actionable. Member content should help people go deeper with higher-touch support, community feedback, and personalized next steps.

• Use public content as a demonstration: If your public posts consistently help people, they’ll see the multiplier effect of going deeper inside your community.

Creating community online shouldn’t rely on secrecy. Instead, use transparency to showcase results and make membership the logical next step.

Tools, platforms, and tech considerations

Choosing the right platform matters but should not block you. Here are pragmatic tips:

• Start where your people already are: If your ideal members are used to Facebook groups, start there as a pilot. If they prefer Slack, Discord, or a private platform, test those options.

• Prioritize ease of use: A confusing platform kills engagement. The best platform is the one members will actually use every week.

• Automate onboarding: Use simple automations for welcome emails, membership access, and recurring reminders to reduce admin time.

• Invest in a community manager: When your community grows, a dedicated person to manage the inbox, run prompts, and support members is worth the cost.

Creating community online succeeds when the tech supports human connection rather than disrupting it.

Team, capacity, and sustainability

You don’t have to build the whole thing alone, and you shouldn’t if you want to scale. Consider these roles and when to hire:

• Community manager: Handles day-to-day engagement, onboarding new members, and running the content calendar.

• Operations manager: Maintains systems, automations, billing, and logistics so the community runs smoothly.

• Content leads or guest curators: Bring in specialists to run workshops or co-host accelerators so you’re not doing all the teaching alone.

Creating community online is cheaper when you’re efficient with time, but growth requires delegation. Plan for scaling before you outgrow yourself.

Mistakes to avoid when creating community online

Based on lessons learned from many community launches, here are common mistakes and how to avoid them:

• Overcomplicating the experience: Trying to launch with too many features confuses members. Start simple and expand based on feedback.

• Ignoring onboarding: If members don’t know where to start, they won’t stay. Make your welcome sequence obvious and action-oriented.

• Failing to listen: Launching without ongoing member feedback results in mismatch. Use surveys and direct conversations to steer roadmap decisions.

• Underestimating time: Community care is ongoing. If you can’t commit to consistent facilitation, consider partnering or hiring before launching.

• Locking content without value: Charging for content that doesn’t offer deeper, guided experiences reduces perceived value. Make membership about connection and access, not just content.

Creating community online is iterative. Expect friction, gather feedback, and treat failures as experiments that lead to better design.

Case study: How member feedback shaped Monarch Momentum

One clear example of successful iteration comes from how small group programs led to Monarch Momentum. Starting one-on-one, then moving to group programs, the founder discovered a recurring request: people wanted to stay connected beyond a course. Instead of guessing, the founder asked and launched a community in response.

Key takeaways from that experience:

• Start with an engaged group of past clients; they become your earliest advocates.

• A beta year is essential. Use it to test formats (work sprints, masterminds, workshops) and learn what creates momentum.

• Community rules and rhythms matter: simple weekly rituals like Monday work sprints and Wednesday wins became core engagement drivers.

• Some pilots flop — for example, segmented accountability pods didn’t work as planned. Turning that into one open accountability circle increased engagement and simplicity.

Creating community online that endures is less about perfect design and more about responding to what your members actually do and want.

Launch accelerator model: building awareness and momentum

One effective growth strategy is to run short accelerators that attract both members and prospects. When creating community online, consider hosting several accelerators per year. For example:

• Lead magnet accelerator (list-building focus)

• Course launch accelerator (for members who want to launch a mini-course)

• Business growth accelerator (strategy, pricing, or scaling)

Accelerators provide tangible outcomes, create urgency, and act as a preview of what membership delivers. For many founders, accelerators become the primary engine for discovery and signups.

Retention playbook: a 90-day plan to keep members

Assuming you want to improve retention past the common four-month average, consider a 90-day retention playbook that you can activate with each new member cohort:

1. Week 1: Kickoff call, clear next steps, and a simple first-week checklist.

2. Week 2–4: Small wins: gentle challenges, a resource bundle, and a community spotlight to make members feel seen.

3. Month 2: Midpoint check-in, group mastermind, and a guest expert to introduce new perspectives.

4. Month 3: Results-focused workshop and an invitation to commit for another quarter or year (special pricing or bonuses for annual commits).

Creating community online is about designing experiences that earn renewal. If members see tangible progress and feel accountable to peers, they’ll stay longer.

Content calendar templates for community creators

Here’s a simple 4-week rolling content calendar you can adapt when creating community online. Use the same template every month to create dependable rhythms.

• Monday: Work Sprint — set intentions for the week.

• Tuesday: Resource Drop — templates, toolkits, or a short training video.

• Wednesday: Wins & Share — member spotlight and celebration thread.

• Thursday: Deep Dive or Guest Workshop (bi-weekly or monthly).

• Friday: Reflection & Fail-Fix — honest check-ins and practical next steps for the weekend.

Creating community online becomes easier when you standardize rituals. Members learn to look for value on specific days, increasing their chances to show up.

Sample onboarding message for new members

Welcome sequences matter. Here is a short example you can adapt when creating community online:

Welcome to [Community Name] — we’re so glad you’re here!

Start by introducing yourself in the #introductions thread. Tell us what you’re working on this quarter and one win you want to celebrate.

Here’s your 7-day jumpstart:

Day 1 — join Monday Work Sprint.

Day 2 — download the Launch Plan template.

Day 3 — post a micro-goal for the week.

Day 7 — join the weekly recap call. If you need help, tag @communityteam in any post. We can’t wait to see what you create.

Creating community online depends on a seamless start. A clear, bite-sized onboarding reduces friction and increases immediate engagement.

Measuring success: metrics that matter

When creating community online, track the right metrics so you know whether the community is healthy and growing:

• Activation: Percentage of new members who complete onboarding actions in 14 days (introductions, first post, first sprint).

• Engagement: Weekly active members, comments per member, and attendance at live events.

• Retention: Churn rate and average lifetime of a member (months).

• Referral: Percentage of members who invite peers or refer others.

• Revenue: Monthly recurring revenue, lifetime value, and revenue per member.

Creating community online without measuring these metrics is guesswork. Use metrics to inform what to scale and what to stop.

Troubleshooting common problems

Even well-designed communities hit speed bumps. Here’s how to handle three frequent issues:

• Slow engagement: Introduce low-friction prompts, spotlight early contributors, and run a short challenge to trigger activity.

• Content overload: Simplify the calendar and archive older content into a searchable resource center so members aren’t overwhelmed.

• Member conflict: Rely on your core values and enforce community guidelines. Mediate quickly and model the behavior you want to see.

Creating community online requires steady care. When problems arise, act quickly and keep the culture top of mind.

Checklist: are you ready to start creating community online?

Use this readiness checklist before you launch:

• Have you done market research and built a waitlist?

• Do you have a clear promise and measurable member outcomes?

• Can you commit to a consistent facilitation schedule for at least 6 months?

• Have you chosen the platform that suits your members’ habits?

• Do you have a simple onboarding sequence and an activation checklist?

• Can you invest in basic support (community manager or operations) as you scale?

Creating community online is a strategic choice. If you can check most boxes, you’re ready to begin.

Final thoughts: design your community with intention

Creating community online is not a hack or a growth trick. It’s a commitment to craft spaces that help people move forward together. Prioritize clarity of purpose, simple rhythms, active listening, and iterative improvement. Build something you enjoy running because your energy sets the tone. Keep your big vision in view and let member feedback guide small changes.

When you do this well, you get more than recurring revenue; you get real relationships, lasting impact, and a network of people who root for one another. That’s the kind of community worth building.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the right time to start creating community online?

Start when your audience or past clients express a desire to keep working together, when your one-on-one capacity is full, or when you want to scale impact without trading hours for dollars. The most successful communities begin as a response to demand and after some market research.

Should my community be free or paid?

It depends on your goals. Free communities expand reach but can lower commitment. Paid communities increase commitment and recurring revenue. A hybrid model also works — use a free front door and a paid, deeper membership inside.

How much time will it take to run a community?

Expect more time in the first 6–12 months during beta and launch. After systems and rituals are in place, plan to spend several hours a week facilitating plus additional time for live events. Hiring a community manager and operations support reduces founder time significantly.

What should I share publicly versus inside the community?

Share useful frameworks and actionable tips publicly to demonstrate expertise. Reserve live coaching, personalized feedback, and deep implementation support for members. Public content builds trust and drives interest; member content delivers depth and access.

How can I improve retention past four months?

Design a 90-day nurture and results plan: onboard quickly, create small wins, run a mid-point check-in, and offer a results-focused workshop in month three. Use member spotlights, accountability rituals, and annual pricing to encourage longer commitments.

What platforms are best for building community?

Choose the platform your audience already uses. Facebook, Slack, Discord, and dedicated community platforms all work. Prioritize ease of use and tools for events, member directories, and searchable resources. The best platform is the one members will actually use.

How should I price my membership?

Ask your market what price feels like a no-brainer and model retention to ensure sustainability. Offer both monthly and annual options, and build pricing around the value and outcomes members will achieve. Consider the average member lifetime when setting price levels.

What common mistakes should I avoid when creating community online?

Avoid overcomplicating features, neglecting onboarding, ignoring member feedback, underestimating time, and locking content that doesn’t provide deeper value. Keep your offering simple and continually iterate based on data and member input.

Want help getting started?

If you’re inspired to start creating community online, begin with one conversation. Ask your audience what they need, build a short waitlist, and test a simple community ritual for 90 days. You’ll learn more from those first steps than from endless planning documents.

Remember: community is not a product to complete; it’s a container to steward. Design it with intention, listen relentlessly, and enjoy the momentum that comes when people come together with a shared purpose. 

Go Get Great Episode 84 References

Join the Monarch Momentum Community  https://www.themonarchandco.com/a/2147532567/zqJhaBfY

Learn more about Monarch Business Academy https://www.themonarchandco.com/a/2147496635/zqJhaBfY

Tune into Ep. 30 - Launch Like A Pro with Amanda https://www.brittanymillersocials.ca/post/ggg30

Connect with Amanda

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00:00 Intro

2:00 Defining community online

6:00 Steps for creating community online

10:00 How much time does it take to run an online community

13:00 The best time to monetize and create a membership community

16:00 Growing your community

20:00 Membership engagement & retention strategies

23:20 Front facing vs paid content in your community

26:00 Gold nuggets & lessons learned

29:20 Wrap up