Building a Community: Best Practices for Town Founders

The goal of Towns is to make the internet feel more intimate without making it smaller. This guide will provide you with best practices to help you build, grow, and maintain a connected community where serendipity and good vibes flow.

Laying the Foundation

1. What’s your Town about?
   • Think about the mission and goals of your Town. Whether it’s a Town that’s based on shared interests, shared tokens, or just a place for your community to engage and hang out.
2. Create Community Guidelines
   • Establish clear rules and expectations for behavior. Post them in #General channel and you can pin them if you like.
   • Ensure guidelines align with your Town's values.
3. Design Your Space
   • Organize your Town's structure for easy navigation.
   • Create channels that encourage different types of interactions.
4. Set Up Moderation Systems
   • Recruit and train reliable moderators.
   • Build out fair and consistent moderation practices.

Growing Your Community

1. Welcome New Members
   • Create a warm and informative onboarding process. Feel free to post these docs in your #General channel.
2. Encourage Participation
   • Create low-barrier opportunities for engagement.
   • Recognize and reward active contributors.
3. Foster Connections
   • Intro community members each other.
   • Create spaces for members to showcase their expertise or interests.
4. Consistent Content
   • Maintain a regular schedule of events or content.
   • Encourage member-generated content.
5. Promote Your Town
   • Share your town on your socials to encourage participation.
   • Collaborate and partner with other complementary communities.

Maintaining Community Health

1. Lead by Example
   • Actively participate in your community.
   • Embody the values and behavior you want to see.
2. Address Conflicts Promptly
   • Develop a clear process for conflict resolution.
   • Be fair and transparent in your decisions.
3. Gather and Act on Feedback
   • Regularly seek input from your community members.
   • Be open to implementing suggested improvements.

Building a Sustainable Community

1. Develop Leadership
   • Identify and nurture potential leaders within your community.
   • Create opportunities for members to take on responsibilities.
2. Financial Sustainability
   • If applicable, develop a transparent and fair monetization strategy.
   • Ensure any financial decisions align with community values.