The first step in creating your membership-based community is creating your channels. Channels are not only the central communication hub for you and your community members, but can be avenues for you to distribute perks and rewards. 

Consider how you’d like your membership system to function within your community. Here are some possible thinking points to get you started

• How many tiers will you have in your community?
• What are some perks of the higher tiers?
• How gated will your community be? How many aspects of your community will be gated?
• Are the rewards you plan to have worth the work needed by members to achieve those tiers?

Once you have a clear idea of what you want to create, let’s reimagine it in the context of a Returning.AI community. 

We’ll start with creating a couple of channels. Channels that are to be accessible to the whole community should be kept public. 

Channels you plan to limit access should be set as private channels. Select channel types that best suit the function of each private space. In practice, that could look something like this

• Personalized, 1-on-1 customer support through a dedicated DM Channel that connects members and your support team.
• Priority booking through your dedicated booking platform embedded directly within a text channel.
• Exclusive online courses conducted through gated video, or audio channels.
• A feedback channel that specifically addresses the concerns of higher-tier members through an anonymous whisper channel.