Online Communities Review: The Future of Circle.so

Circle.so

 


Circle is an all-in-one platform for Founders, creators, community builders, coaches, businesses, solopreneurs and course creators. Circle.so is a powerful and comprehensive community building platform that offers all the features you need to create, engage, monetize, and manage your community. Circle.so is a robust community platform designed to help individuals and organizations create engaging online communities. With its user-friendly interface and powerful features, Circle.so enables users to build and customize their own community spaces. Users can facilitate discussions, share content, and connect with like-minded individuals or customers. The platform offers seamless integration with various tools and allows community members to interact through forums, discussions, and multimedia sharing. Circle.so empowers users to foster meaningful connections, enhance engagement, and cultivate vibrant online communities.

It is a great platform to build community.

All the features you need to get about Circle.so
CREATE
ENGAGE
MONETIZE
MANAGE

 

CREATE

Circle.so makes it easy to create a custom space for your community, with features like

Organized discussions:- 

Circle.so makes it easy to organize your community’s discussions with features like topic-based forums, threaded replies, and search filters. This helps your members find the information they need and connect with each other in a meaningful way.

Discussions are the heartbeat of your community on Circle

  • Provide a discussion platform your members actually want to use
  • Create a experience that drives engagement and activity
  • Full control over the conversation, with powerful moderation features

 

Rich and flexible discussions:-

You can host engaging conversations in your community and your members will love to be a part of it

  • It’s Flexible, Fun to use, and familiar
  • You can attach videos, audio files, podcasts and hundreds of third party embeds to your posts.
  • With Circle’s content co-pilot, you can write, brainstorm, and start conversations

Tools to maximize engagement:-

The easiest way to engage your members with your community is to make it easier for them to do so.

  • Create a personal home feed for your members to stay connected to your community.
  • Weekly email digests that are automated keep your members coming back.
  • With Circle’s native iOS and Android apps, your members can engage on the go.

The place for all your content and conversations

Your town has so much to offer: use Circle to make it accessible

  • Completely searchable with an endless history
  • Announcements and blog entries should be shared.
  • Pages that are optimized for search engines, SEO friendly.

Easy moderation and control

Circle’s moderation tools help you create an environment your members feel safe in.

Members can report posts that violate your community’s rules.
Repeat offenders will be flagged and will be barred from posting.
Filter for profanity based on the keywords you enter

Rich posts:-

Circle.so supports a variety of rich content formats, including images, videos, polls, and code snippets. This makes it easy for your members to create engaging and informative posts. Rich posts on Circle.so offer an immersive and engaging way to interact within online communities. These posts go beyond simple text, allowing users to embed multimedia elements like images, videos, links, and interactive content. By enhancing the visual and interactive appeal, rich posts facilitate meaningful discussions, share valuable insights, and foster a vibrant community environment. Embracing rich posts on Circle.so amplifies user engagement, making interactions more dynamic and enjoyable for community members.

Content co-pilot:-

Circle. So’s content co-pilot feature helps you create better content for your community. It provides suggestions for topics to write about, related content to include, and how to format your posts. Content Co-Pilot on Circle.so is a game-changing feature designed to elevate your content creation experience. This innovative tool acts as your virtual assistant, guiding you through the entire content creation process. From brainstorming ideas to crafting engaging posts, Content Co-Pilot suggests relevant topics, provides valuable insights, and ensures your content is polished and ready to captivate your audience. With its user-friendly interface and intelligent suggestions, Content Co-Pilot makes creating compelling content on Circle.so a breeze, allowing you to focus on what truly matters – connecting with your community and sharing your message effectively.

 

Immersive courses:-

Circle.so makes it easy to create and deliver immersive courses to your community. With features like video lessons, interactive quizzes, and discussion forums, you can create a learning experience that is both engaging and effective.

Deliver engaging learning experiences right in your community.

  • Bring your content and community together so you don’t have to juggle multiple platforms anymore.
  • Include office hours, coaching, live Q&As, and more in your course experience.
  • Earn more through better learning outcomes, cross-promoting products, and word-of-mouth referrals.
  • Basically, it has four major category i.e. directory, sales page, curriculum, lessons

Craft immersive learning experiences
Create an engaging, community-powered course experience, all in Circle.

  • Host events, live streams, office hours, live Q&As, and more
  • Gamify course progress with leaderboards
  • Launch VIP clubs to recognize and reward engaged students

Improve student engagement
Help students feel engaged by connecting with you and each other.

  • DM students with support, reminders, and congratulatory messages
  • Let students comment and tag each other
  • Enable students to learn on the go with courses on iOS and Android

Build your course with ease
Set up a course you can be proud of in hours, not weeks.

  • Use an easy drag-and-drop builder
  • Upload video, audio, text, and other downloadable content
  • Preview your lessons before publishing

Grow your business
Earn more with compelling upsells and cross-sells.

  • Choose from a range of pricing options
  • Create sales pages with teasers and previews
  • Transition alums into paid community members with exclusive benefits

https://wbcomdesigns.com/downloads/buddyx-pro-theme/

 

Private spaces:-

Circle.so allows you to create private spaces for your community members. This is perfect for hosting exclusive events, providing access to premium content, or creating a space for members to collaborate on projects. Private spaces on Circle.so offer a secure haven for exclusive discussions and interactions within online communities. These designated areas ensure confidentiality, fostering trust among members. Users can share sensitive information, engage in private conversations, and collaborate on projects away from the public eye. Private spaces enhance the sense of belonging and encourage meaningful connections, making Circle.so an ideal platform for creating intimate online communities.

Automatic video transcriptions:-

Circle.so automatically transcribes all of your video content, making it more accessible to members who are deaf or hard of hearing. This also makes it easier for members to search for and find the information they need. Automatic video transcriptions on Circle.so offer a seamless solution for content creators. By utilizing advanced technology, Circle.so automatically transcribes videos, turning spoken words into text. This feature enhances accessibility, allowing users to read content instead of solely relying on audio. Moreover, it aids in content indexing, making videos searchable and improving user experience. Circle. So’s automatic video transcriptions save time, increase engagement, and ensure that valuable content is accessible to a wider audience.

Member directory:-

Circle. So’s member directory makes it easy for your members to connect with each other. Members can search the directory by name, interests, and location. A member directory on Circle.so is a valuable feature that allows users to easily search and find other community members. It provides a concise and organized list of all the community participants, enabling seamless networking and collaboration. With the member directory, users can quickly locate individuals based on their profiles, interests, or expertise, fostering a sense of community and enhancing overall engagement within the platform.

Customized branding:-

Circle.so allows you to customize your community with your own branding, including colors, logos, and fonts. This helps to create a community that looks and feels like your brand. Customized branding on Circle.so allows businesses and communities to create a unique online presence tailored to their brand identity. With Circle.so’s intuitive tools, users can customize their community platform with logos, colors, fonts, and other branding elements. This ensures a seamless brand experience for members, fostering trust and recognition. By incorporating personalized branding, businesses can reinforce their message, enhance user engagement, and establish a strong online community that reflects their distinct identity.

ENGAGE

 

Group chat rooms:-

Group chat rooms allow members of a community to communicate with each other in real time. This can be a great way for members to share ideas, ask questions, and collaborate on projects.

Why use 8 tools when you can just use 1?

All of the necessary conversation functions, right in the core of your community

  • Send private and group messages
  • Posts can spark further in-depth discussions.
  • Create areas for real-time discussion and impromptu conversations.

Unlike on social media platforms, you’re in control with Circle
Create a safe, spam-free space for your members you can moderate with ease.

  • Install language filters
  • Change and remove messages
  • Locate and save messages

Boost engagement with a personal touch
Welcome members and help them feel at home right away.

  • DM new members when they join
  • Connect peers to each other
  • Add members to relevant chat spaces

Private messaging:-

Private messaging allows members of a community to communicate with each other one-on-one. This can be a good way for members to have more personal conversations or to ask for help with specific problems.

Event spaces:-

Event spaces allow members of a community to gather together for virtual or in-person events. This can be a great way for members to learn from each other, network, and build relationships.

Create immersive live video experiences right inside your Circle community.

  • Use live streams and live rooms to engage your members
  • Offer workshops, coaching sessions, live AMAs, weekly office hours, and more.
  • Repurpose event recordings as content for other spaces to increase ROI.

 

All in one place
Host your events, community, and content on the same platform for higher engagement.

– Create live rooms for Zoom-like calls of up to 30 participants
– Use live streams to broadcast big events to up to 1,000 people
– Enable your members to attend live events on mobile (iOS and Android)

Event management, simplified
Less event-related headaches, more time actually connecting.

– Start an event right away or schedule it for later
– Create recurring events and display them in event spaces
– Send push notifications when events are about to start

Real engagement in real-time
Foster meaningful connections by making events the heartbeat of your community.

– Display upcoming events and enable RSVPs
– Get to know participants better through detailed rich member profiles
– Enable members to watch live, on the go, or catch up with recordings

Get more out of your content
No need to download, edit, and re-upload your live recordings.

– Record your live stream or live room
– Share your content with a click
– Repurpose recordings for other segments and spaces

Live streams:-

Live streams allow members of a community to watch and interact with live video broadcasts. This can be a great way for members to learn from experts, participate in Q&A sessions, and get involved in the community.

Weekly digests:-

Weekly digests are email newsletters that are sent out to members of a community on a weekly basis. These newsletters can be used to share news and updates about the community, highlight member contributions, and promote upcoming events.

Automated check-ins:-

Automated check-ins are messages that are sent out to members of a community on a regular basis to ask them how they are doing and if there is anything the community can do for them. This can be a great way to stay engaged with members and to identify and address any problems that they may be having.

Gamified rewards:-

Gamified rewards are rewards that are given to members of a community for completing certain tasks or achieving certain goals. This can be a great way to motivate members to become more engaged in the community. Gamified rewards on Circle.so enhance user engagement and community participation by integrating game elements into the platform. Users are incentivized to contribute through points, badges, and leaderboards, fostering a competitive spirit. These rewards boost member activity, encourage collaboration, and create a vibrant community atmosphere, ultimately enriching the overall user experience on Circle.so.

Bulk DMs:-

Bulk DMs are messages that can be sent to multiple members of a community at the same time. This can be a good way to send announcements, reminders, and other important messages to members. Bulk DMs on Circle.so allow you to efficiently reach multiple community members at once. With this feature, you can send direct messages to a large group, enhancing communication and engagement within your community. Streamlining interactions, Bulk DMs make managing your Circle.so community easier and more effective.

 

MONETIZE

Paid memberships:-

Paid memberships are a great way to monetize your community by providing your members with exclusive content, features, and benefits. You can offer different membership tiers with different levels of access, or you can offer a single membership tier with all the bells and whistles.

Keep your payments where your content and members are.

  • Skip the hassle of integrating with other payment providers.
  • Create a smooth, transparent subscription experience.
  • Full control over how you gate and charge for access.

One payment provider to rule them all

  • Manage everything in the same place, under your brand.
  • Monitor member subscriptions and transactions
  • Alert members to try again when a payment fails
  • Issue refunds, cancellations, or resume subscriptions

Goodbye complexity, hello frictionless checkout

Set up membership tiers and paywalls to start accepting payments in minutes.

  • Set up one-time payments
  • Offer monthly, bi-weekly, quarterly, or annual subscriptions
  • Choose from USD, CAD, AUD, EUR, or GBP currency options
  • Offer full or prorated refunds

Earn more money
Support a growing business that will go the distance by providing your members with upsell opportunities.

  • Set up free trials
  • Create promotions and discounts
  • Offer one-click upsells and cross-sells

Customization:-

Set up your community exactly how you want it.

  • Build your community with flexible spaces.
  • Customize your community to match your brand.
  • Craft the ideal experience for your members.

Build your community, your way
All the building blocks you need in one place, under your brand.

  • Mix and match post, event, chat, and course spaces
  • Set spaces as Open, Private, or Secret and adjust notification preferences
  • Engage through live streams, masterclasses, coaching, and more.

Apply your branding in just a few clicks
Easily tailor the look and feel of your community to match your brand.

  • Choose your community name and URL
  • Customize your logo, imagery, and color palette
  • Provide one easy login for your members for everything

Make a lasting impression through personalized onboarding
Add a personal touch that sets you apart and watch engagement soar.

  • Collect important information and segment members accordingly
  • Add newcomers to relevant spaces and connect them to peers from the start
  • Customize onboarding messages, nudges, and event invitations

With Circle, you’re always in control
Create a safe, distraction-free online environment for your members.

  • Free yourself from ads, spam, and random censorship
  • Own your domain, data, and content
  • Keep your data private and secure with industry-grade encryption

One-time payments:-

One-time payments are another great way to monetize your community. You can sell digital products, such as eBooks, courses, and templates; or you can sell physical products, such as merchandise, t-shirts, and hats.

Recurring subscriptions:-

Recurring subscriptions are a great way to generate recurring revenue from your community. You can offer subscription boxes, monthly membership plans, or annual subscriptions. Recurring subscriptions on Circle.so offer a hassle-free way for communities to sustain themselves financially. With this feature, community organizers can set up automatic payment plans, ensuring a steady income stream. Members enjoy uninterrupted access to premium content, exclusive discussions, and special events, creating a win-win situation. It’s a simple and effective solution for building thriving online communities.

Gate access:-

Gate access is a great way to monetize your content by restricting access to certain members of your community. You can gate access to articles, videos, podcasts, and other resources. Gate access on Circle.so allows you to control who enters your online community. With this feature, you can set up specific criteria for members to gain access, ensuring a secure and exclusive environment. Whether it’s through approval processes, membership fees, or specific qualifications, Circle.so empowers community owners to manage their gates effectively, fostering a safe and engaging space for members to interact and collaborate.

Free trials and upsells:-

Free trials and upsells are a great way to convert potential customers into paying members. You can offer free trials of your membership or product, and then upsell your members to a paid plan at the end of the trial period.

Payment installments:-

Payment installments are a great way to make your products and services more affordable for your members. You can offer payment plans for memberships, digital products, and physical products.

Coupons and discounts:-

Coupons and discounts are a great way to incentivize your members to purchase your products and services. You can offer coupons and discounts for new members, returning customers, and members who purchase multiple products or services

Subscription renewal reminders:-

Subscription renewal reminders are a great way to remind your members to renew their subscriptions before they expire. You can send out email reminders, in-app notifications, and even snail mail reminders.

MANAGE

Thousands of integrations:-

Connect your community with the tools you already use, including Zapier, Integromat, and Slack. Connect Circle with thousands of popular apps, so you can automate your work and have more time for what matters most—no code required.

Automated workflows:-

Automate tasks such as sending welcome messages to new members and sending reminders about upcoming events.

Circle’s automated workflows free you up to:

  • Save time, energy, and money on repetitive tasks and managing your community
  • Personalize interactions and help members feel more connected
  • Make your community and content as fun and interactive as possible

Personalize member experiences
Create consistent, hyper-segmented onboarding flows.

 

  • Send 1:1 welcome messages
  • Connect like-minded members
  • Add members to relevant spaces right away

Boost engagement
Share timely information and custom offers to the right people, at the right time.

  • Send gentle nudges to encourage participation
  • Award your most engaged members with badges
  • Re-engage inactive members before they churn

Deliver personalized communication at scale
Get back hours in your day so you can focus on the things that matter most.

  • Automate time-consuming and repetitive tasks
  • Send subscription renewal reminders with ease
  • Save money on outsourcing administration work to contractors

Personalize member experiences
Create consistent, hyper-segmented onboarding flows.

  • Send 1:1 welcome messages
  • Connect like-minded members
  • Add members to relevant spaces right away

Boost engagement
Share timely information and custom offers to the right people, at the right time.

  • Send gentle nudges to encourage participation
  • Award your most engaged members with badges
  • Re-engage inactive members before they churn

Deliver personalized communication at scale
Get back hours in your day so you can focus on the things that matter most.

  • Automate time-consuming and repetitive tasks
  • Send subscription renewal reminders with ease
  • Save money on outsourcing administration work to contractors

Custom profile fields:-

Learn more about your members and their interests by adding custom profile fields. Custom profile fields on Circle.so allow users to personalize their profiles by adding specific information beyond the standard details. These fields can include unique identifiers, interests, or any other relevant data, enabling community members to better connect with one another based on shared characteristics. Custom profile fields enhance user engagement, making interactions more meaningful and tailored to individual preferences within the Circle.so community.

AI activity scores:-

Identify your most engaged members and focus your efforts on keeping them active. AI Activity Scores on Circle.so provide valuable insights into user engagement and interactions within online communities. By leveraging artificial intelligence, these scores measure the frequency and quality of member contributions, helping community managers identify active participants and content that resonates with the audience. This data-driven approach enables community leaders to enhance user experiences, foster meaningful discussions, and ultimately, build thriving online communities.

Bulk actions:-

Save time by performing actions on multiple members at once. Bulk actions on Circle.so empower community administrators with efficient management tools. Whether it’s approving multiple posts, welcoming new members, or organizing events, Circle.so simplifies tasks. With just a few clicks, admins can streamline processes, saving time and ensuring a seamless community experience.

Single sign-on:-

Allow your members to sign in to your community using their existing accounts from providers like Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Single sign-on (SSO) on Circle.so simplifies user access by allowing members to log in using their existing credentials from other platforms. With SSO integration, Circle.so enhances user experience, eliminating the hassle of remembering multiple passwords. This streamlined process boosts convenience, security, and engagement within online communities, making it easier for users to participate and connect without any login complexities.

Roles & permissions:-

Assign roles and permissions to your members to give them the level of access they need.

Roles and permissions on Circle.so are essential features that enable efficient community management. In Circle.so, administrators have the ability to assign different roles to members based on their responsibilities within the community. These roles, such as moderators, editors, and members, come with specific permissions. Moderators can moderate discussions, manage content, and ensure community guidelines are followed. Editors have the power to edit posts and assist in content curation. Members, on the other hand, participate in discussions and engage with the community content. By defining clear roles and permissions, Circle.so provides a structured environment where community members can collaborate, share, and contribute effectively while maintaining a respectful and orderly atmosphere.

Auto-remove churned members:-

Automatically remove members who have been inactive for a certain period of time. Auto-remove churned members on Circle.so is a feature that automatically removes inactive or disengaged members from your online community. This tool helps community managers maintain an active and engaged user base by eliminating members who have stopped participating or interacting within the community. By removing churned members, Circle.so ensures that your community remains vibrant, relevant, and conducive to meaningful discussions, fostering a positive user experience for active members.

Overall, Circle.so is an online community platform designed to help businesses, creators, and other groups create their own branded communities. It offers a range of features aimed at facilitating discussions, engagement, and collaboration among community members. Users can customize the look and feel of their communities, create discussion topics, share files, and integrate various third-party tools.