Have you ever come across these common assumptions about successful communities?
You might have heard these rumors about what a successful community looks like. But what's really going on behind the scenes?
We took a look to find out.
To identify the best community builders, we set a baseline by surveying 682 professional creators, entrepreneurs, and influencers, who built communities around their audiences.
Then, we layered on Circle product data, resulting in two distinct participant groups: Platinum creators (the top 10% of communities on Circle) and standard creators (everyone else).
qualify as STANDARD creators
qualify as PLATINUM creators
Community size alone doesn’t determine success. Platinum communities are no more likely to be jumbo-sized than standard ones.
76% of Platinums have 500 members or fewer (similar to 82% of standards) and only 7% of Platinum communities have over 5,000 members, vs. 6% of standard communities.
| Community size | Standard | Platinum |
|---|---|---|
| 1 - 100 | 56% | 32% |
| 101 - 500 | 26% | 44% |
| 501 - 1,000 | 5% | 4% |
| 1,001 - 5,000 | 6% | 12% |
| 5,001 - 10,000 | 3% | 1% |
| 10,000+ | 4% | 6% |
Successful communities are monetized, either by charging members directly for access or by offering it as an add-on to another purchase.
Charging ensures joiners have a higher level of intent, commitment, and consequently engagement. The vast majority of Platinum communities require a purchase (93%), while 21% of standard communities are free to join.
You can run a successful community without a team, or with a small, efficient one.
Small teams build strong bonds with members, stay focused on impactful tasks, and leverage member-led initiatives for scalable growth.
Nearly 3 in 5 respondents don’t have any full-time help, and that’s true for both Platinum and standard creators. About the same number of respondents employ two or fewer part-time or freelance staff members.
| # of full-time employees | Standard | Platinum |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 57% | 57% |
| 1 | 24% | 24% |
| 2 | 11% | 6% |
| 3 | 3% | 6% |
| 4 | 1% | 2% |
| 5 | 1% | 0% |
| 6+ | 4% | 6% |
| # of part-time employees | Standard | Platinum |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 43% | 34% |
| 1 | 19% | 21% |
| 2 | 15% | 12% |
| 3 | 8% | 13% |
| 4 | 4% | 6% |
| 5 | 3% | 6% |
| 6+ | 8% | 9% |
You don’t need loads of tools, you only need the right ones. A simpler tech stack means less time juggling tools, and more time crafting and optimizing the member experience.
Half of all creators (Platinum and standard) use three tools or fewer to manage their community, including their community platform, email marketing, and any automation tools.
| # of tools used to run their community | Standard | Platinum |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11% | 7% |
| 2 | 17% | 18% |
| 3 | 27% | 24% |
| 4 | 15% | 13% |
| 5 | 12% | 12% |
| 6+ | 18% | 26% |
| % of marketing budget spent on acquisition | Standard | Platinum |
|---|---|---|
| 0% - nothing! | 51% | 57% |
| 1-10% | 17% | 16% |
| 11-20% | 10% | 6% |
| 21-30% | 7% | 9% |
| 31-40% | 2% | 3% |
| 41-50% | 4% | 1% |
| 51-60% | 2% | 6% |
| 61-70% | 1% | 1% |
| 71-80% | 1% | 0% |
| 81-90% | 1% | 0% |
| 91-100% | 2% | 0% |
| N/A - I don't control this | 2% | 0% |
| Standard | Platinum | |
|---|---|---|
| Social media | 68% | 84% |
| Email / newsletter | 57% | 78% |
| Blog / website | 54% | 71% |
| Referrals / WOM | 62% | 68% |
| Events / workshops | 42% | 57% |
| YouTube | 25% | 47% |
| Podcast | 23% | 31% |
| Partnerships / collabs | 24% | 29% |
| Product purchase | 26% | 25% |
| Paid - social | 12% | 16% |
| Paid - search | 4% | 6% |
| Mobile app | 3% | 3% |
| I don't know / I don't track this | 2% | 0% |
Anna Tyrie, Founder
English like a Native
| Standard | Platinum | |
|---|---|---|
| Write an introduction | 57% | 76% |
| Read a "get started" post | 60% | 69% |
| Provide community guidelines | 45% | 68% |
| Encourage new members to complete their profile | 53% | 63% |
| Send a welcome DM | 42% | 60% |
| Offer a community tour | 34% | 60% |
| Participate in or join a conversation | 36% | 56% |
| Have an onboarding email sequence | 45% | 53% |
| Host welcome events or orientations | 22% | 22% |
Jay Clouse,
The Lab
Founder
Download the full report to get access to the exact onboarding, engagement, and retention tactics the top 10% of creators use, plus other exclusive expert insights.
| Standard | Platinum | |
|---|---|---|
| Educational | 70% | 88% |
| Small group discussions / peer support | 56% | 63% |
| Office hours / Q&As | 47% | 62% |
| Member showcases / success stories | 25% | 43% |
| Onboarding / orientation | 25% | 34% |
| Celebrations / milestones | 23% | 34% |
| Summits / conferences | 14% | 25% |
| Standard | Platinum | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-10% | 14% | 4% |
| 11-20% | 9% | 3% |
| 21-30% | 9% | 4% |
| 31-40% | 6% | 3% |
| 41-50% | 7% | 13% |
| 51-60% | 7% | 16% |
| 61-70% | 6% | 6% |
| 71-80% | 8% | 13% |
| 81-90% | 6% | 15% |
| 91-100% | 6% | 9% |
| I don’t track this | 22% | 13% |
Saya Hillman, Founder
Mac & Cheese Productions
| Adoption tactics to re-engage members | Standard | Platinum |
|---|---|---|
| Send personal DM / email | 47% | 56% |
| Promote relevant content / events | 19% | 19% |
| Send automated reactivation campaigns | 11% | 13% |
| Share a special offer / incentive | 10% | 6% |
Jordan Godbey,
GrowthCommunity
Founder
Mandy Ellis, Founder
The Wealth Lab
If there’s one thing we want you to take away from this report, it’s this;
you don’t need any more money, members, or resources than you already have
to achieve Platinum status.
That's not to say it's easy—no one is saying that (certainly not the hundreds of creators we heard from!). But the knowledge is now in your hands; what you choose to do with it is up to you.
