Early members often set the tone for everything that follows. Should admins carefully select them or let them come naturally? How much influence do they really have on long-term culture? What strategies help attract the right early contributors?
How Important Are First 100 Members in Shaping a Community?
- Thread starter Maya
- Start date
I think the first 100 members, or even the first 5, 25, or 50, can absolutely shape a community. Guests and new members usually follow the example set by existing members. The way people post, joke around, debate, help others, follow rules, and even how active the forum feels all play a role in building the culture of the community.
When starting a forum, those early members matter more for the culture than the actual member count itself. I don’t think admins should try to overly manufacture the first 100 members, but at the same time it shouldn’t be completely left to chance either. Where and how an admin promotes the forum naturally attracts a certain audience, and that can heavily influence the type of people who end up joining early on.
When starting a forum, those early members matter more for the culture than the actual member count itself. I don’t think admins should try to overly manufacture the first 100 members, but at the same time it shouldn’t be completely left to chance either. Where and how an admin promotes the forum naturally attracts a certain audience, and that can heavily influence the type of people who end up joining early on.
I think the first 100 is more of a vanity metric.
You could have 100 members and 5 be the only active ones on the forum. In that case, those 5 lone members are your biggest assets.
I'd rather have just 5 active members than 5 active members and 95 inactive members.
We as a community founders should be focusing on better onboarding when new members join so that we can turn that vanity metric into actual active members.
It's not really a number thing. It's an onboarding thing.
You could have 100 members and 5 be the only active ones on the forum. In that case, those 5 lone members are your biggest assets.
I'd rather have just 5 active members than 5 active members and 95 inactive members.
We as a community founders should be focusing on better onboarding when new members join so that we can turn that vanity metric into actual active members.
It's not really a number thing. It's an onboarding thing.
The Raven92
Up-and-Coming Sensation
I believe it is extremely important. And I wouldn't go far as 100, but even 10, 20, 50 and finally 100. Having 100 people active daily is insane for modern day standards. I know a very active Serbian forum with that amount of people present. So, for me 100 is ambitious. I would be happy if I had 10 loyal members a day (not package joiners or exchange post people).
Early members have a major influence on a community's long-term culture because they set the example for how people interact and participate. From my experience with Bayside Gamers, active and welcoming members helped create a friendly environment that encouraged others to get involved.
Admins should focus on attracting people who genuinely share the community's interests and values while creating opportunities for them to contribute. A strong core of positive, engaged members helps build momentum, encourages discussion, and shapes the atmosphere that future members will experience.
In my view, the first members help define the community's identity, and the culture they create often continues long after the community grows.
Admins should focus on attracting people who genuinely share the community's interests and values while creating opportunities for them to contribute. A strong core of positive, engaged members helps build momentum, encourages discussion, and shapes the atmosphere that future members will experience.
In my view, the first members help define the community's identity, and the culture they create often continues long after the community grows.
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