A Subcommunity is a group of Members that you define, so you can send messages to people based on more than demographics. You can add Members to a Subcommunity automatically by giving it keywords. When a Member texts one of those keywords, they join the Subcommunity.
What is a Subcommunity?
By default, you can target Members using the information they gave when they signed up, such as age, gender identity, join date and location. Subcommunities let you organize Members beyond that. You decide what each group means, for example an interest, a topic, or a type of request.
A Subcommunity works like a tag: it labels a group of Members so you can find them and message them later.
How do I create a Subcommunity?
- Go to Subcommunities, and click the + icon.
- On the New Subcommunity screen, enter a Subcommunity Name to describe this group of members and select a color.
- Optionally, you can add members to this group by clicking Add Members.
- Optionally, you can add keywords to this Subcommunity by clicking Add Keywords. For more information on Subcommunity Keywords, see What are Subcommunity Keywords?
- Once finished, click Save.
What are Subcommunity Keywords?
A Subcommunity keyword is a word, phrase, emoji or hashtag that adds a Member to a Subcommunity when they text it to you. Keywords are how Members sort themselves without you adding them by hand.
How do I add keywords to a Subcommunity?
- Open the Subcommunity page.
- Select the three dots in the top right corner, then select Edit Subcommunity Keywords.
- Enter each word, phrase, emoji or hashtag you want to use.
- Once finished, click Done.
Keywords become active as soon as you save. There is no separate publish step.
How do keywords match incoming texts?
| Behavior | What happens |
|---|---|
| Capitalization | Not case sensitive. Super Bowl and super bowl both match. |
| Position in the message | A keyword can appear inside a longer sentence. |
| Spelling | The keyword must be spelled correctly. A misspelling does not match. |
| Who is added | The sender of any inbound text that contains a keyword. |
How many Subcommunities can I set up on my account?
| Limit | Amount |
|---|---|
| Subcommunities | TK (100 or 200, and whether the limit applies per Community number or per account) |
| Active keywords per Subcommunity | 15 |
What are some ways to use Subcommunities?
Each example below starts with what you tell your Members, then shows how the keyword and Subcommunity work together.
A topic Members opt into. You post: "Ready for Fantasy Football? Text me 'super bowl' if you want to hear my top picks for this year." Use super bowl as a keyword on a Fantasy Football Subcommunity. Anyone who texts it joins, and you can message them about it from then on.
A hashtag for a live event. You post: "I'm doing a Q&A on my YouTube channel. Text me your questions with the hashtag #AMA." Use #AMA as a keyword on a Q&A Subcommunity. You can then thank everyone who submitted a question and send them the link when the video is live.
An emoji for an interest. You post: "Text me ♻️ if you want to hear more about the reusable products I've been using." Use ♻️ as a keyword on a Sustainability Subcommunity. You can then send that group content written for them.
TK (screenshots. The source article has four, unlabeled. Replace with current UI captures of Manage Keywords and a Signup Confirmation with a keyword prompt.)
How can I get Members to sort themselves into Subcommunities?
Ask a follow-up question in your Signup Confirmation that includes your keywords, so new Members tell you what they are interested in as soon as they join. Then follow up with them promptly.