I’ve been asked this directly and I’ve also seen a lot of people asking it publicly. Why are the Skoolers community rules vague? Some people are totally fine with it. Others really dislike it. Both reactions are okay. Some people prefer things extremely clear with exact limits. Some are used to platforms where everything is spelled out. Others have been part of large communities before and already understand why vague rules exist in the first place. Here’s the part that matters and why I now strongly recommend vague rules… even for smaller communities. Hard rules create loopholes. Vague rules create better communities. The moment you introduce hard limits, people naturally want to reach those limits. Instead of looking at the intention of a post, it turns into “does this technically fit in the guidelines?” It even takes away from something that makes a community really wonderful. If a community like Skoolers spelled out exactly what a good post is and what a bad post is, we might never see some of the creativity that comes from someone trying something out. From experimenting. From sharing something that wasn’t done before that ends up being genuinely good. Vague rules leave room for that. They also mean that as moderators and admins, we end up having a lot of conversations. We look at patterns. We make decisions based on context instead of black and white rules. Sometimes there is a new person who is just trying to fit in. A post might technically be questionable, but the right response is to welcome them and guide them. Other times someone is new and blatantly self promoting, which clearly is not allowed. In that case, we can redirect and still welcome them without letting the behavior continue. Those situations look similar on paper but they are very different in reality. Vague rules allow for that distinction. They also protect against bad actors. An example that Andrew Kirby shared explains this well. If people were told they would not be prosecuted for stealing things under $50, you would immediately see people stealing things up to $49. The clear rule creates the behavior.

Curious to see who’s been here the longest. 👀 How long have you been on Skool, and what’s one change or feature release that you thought was a great move? There’s been a lot of updates over time, so it’ll be fun to see which ones stood out most to each of you.

Being considered a Skool "Power User", I'm in a lot of communities.. But I don't see that as a bad thing. One of the signs that someone is going to stick around on the platform is when they get plugged in and are a part of several communities! There are a mix of people in here.. some OGs, some who have been around a bit, & some brand new. I want to know how many communities you're in and what makes you join and stay in a community? Be as specific as you want to be :) This will be helpful for those who are wanting and working on creating a community worth joining and investing time to really become a member. 🫶

If you want a community where people stay, connect, and buy… this is where it starts. I really believe in the message of this video, so much so that I made this the first video in every community I own, so every owner, admin, and support role will have this vital information. So before you worry about loads of content in the classrooms or sales tactics, you need this in place first. It’s simple, but most people overlook it. And when they do, their community never really takes off. Watch this first. Use it to shape how you build and lead your community. And if your community is already running, use this as a reset to spark stronger connection and retention starting now. After you watch, tell us in the comments: Are you actively helping others make friends in your community? If so, what’s working? If not, what’s one thing you could try this week? If you want to do me a huge favor, I’d appreciate you liking it on YouTube and sharing it with another community owner or team member you know. It helps spread this message, and more communities need to hear it. 🥳 Bonus points if you tell us your thoughts on Pineapple on Pizza!🍕🍍