12.1 Creating & Managing Community Groups

A "Group" is the main container for each distinct community forum you build. You can create multiple separate groups within your Close Master account to serve different audiences or purposes.

Steps to Create a New Group:

  1. Navigate to Group Creation: Go to Memberships → Communities tab → Groups sub-tab.
  2. Click + Create Group. This typically launches a setup wizard.
  3. Fill in Basic Details:
    • Group Name: Enter the public, visible name for this community (e.g., "The Close Agency Team Hub", "VIP Buyer Circle - Fall 2024 Cohort", "Anytown Real Estate Investors Network"). This name appears in the Client Portal directory and at the top of the group's page. Make it clear and relevant.
    • Description: Write a concise summary explaining the group's purpose, who it's intended for, and the types of discussions or content members can expect. This appears on the group's "About" page and helps set expectations.
    • URL Slug: Define the unique web path (the part after /groups/) for this group within your Client Portal. Keep it short, descriptive, and use hyphens instead of spaces (e.g., team-hub, vip-buyers-fall24, anytown-investors). The full URL will look something like yourportaldomain.com/communities/groups/team-hub.
  4. Set Access & Pricing (Privacy & Enrollment):
    • Access Type: Choose the privacy level for the group's content:
      • Private (Recommended for most internal team or client groups): Only members who have been specifically granted access (usually via a linked Membership Offer - see 11.3, or by manual invitation/approval) can enter the group and view its content. The group might be listed in the portal directory, but non-members cannot see posts. Join requests typically require admin approval unless the user was directly invited.
      • Public: Potentially allows anyone logged into your Client Portal to view the group's content (posting might still require joining). This is less common for controlled agency or client groups where privacy is important.
      • Secret: The group is completely hidden from the Client Portal directory. Access is only possible via a direct invitation link. Good for temporary project groups or highly exclusive/sensitive discussions.
    • Pricing: Determine how users gain access:
      • Free: Access is managed either by linking this group to a Free Membership Offer (created in Memberships > Offers) or by manually inviting members or approving join requests. This is common for internal team hubs or standard client resource groups.
      • Paid Recurring: If you want to charge a recurring subscription fee for access (e.g., for a premium coaching group or mastermind):
        1. Toggle ON Paid Recurring.
        2. Select a Recurring Product from the dropdown. Note: This Recurring Product must first be created in Payments → Products (See 14.2), configured with the desired recurring price and interval (e.g., $49/month), and crucially, linked back to a corresponding Paid Membership Offer (created in Memberships > Offers). This Paid Membership Offer is what you share for users to purchase access.
  5. Customize Branding:
    • Group Logo: Upload a specific logo or icon for this group (can be different from your main agency logo).
    • Cover Image: Upload a wide banner image (check recommended dimensions, often around 1440x480 pixels) that will appear at the top of the group's main feed page. Use an image relevant to the group's theme.
    • Colors: Select Primary and Secondary theme colors to visually brand the group's interface elements (buttons, links, highlights) within the Client Portal, ideally aligning with your agency's overall branding.
  6. Click Create Group. Your new community group is now created.

Managing Group Settings (After Creation):

  • Enter the group you just created (from the Groups list).
  • Click the Settings (gear) icon, usually located in the top right corner of the group interface.
  • From the Group Settings menu, you can:
    • Edit the General info (Name, Description, Slug), Branding (Logo, Cover, Colors), and Access/Pricing.
    • Manage Channels (discussion topics - see 12.2).
    • Link Courses (from Memberships > Products) to the group's Learning tab (see 12.5).
    • Manage Members (view list, manage invites/requests, change roles, ban users - see 12.4).
    • Configure Gamification settings (points, levels, badges, rewards - see 12.6).
    • Set up Member Questions (if using a Private group with join requests - see 12.4).
    • Define Permissions (control what standard Members vs. Moderators can do, e.g., create posts, comment, invite).
    • Review Reported Content submitted by members (see 12.7).
    • Set up Webhooks (advanced feature for sending group event data to external systems).

Understanding Group Roles:

  • Owner: The user who initially created the group. Has complete administrative control, including the ability to delete the group or transfer ownership. Cannot be removed by other Admins.
  • Admin: Appointed by the Owner or another Admin. Can manage members (approve requests, invite, ban, change roles except Owner), manage content, manage channels, link courses, and adjust most group settings. Cannot delete the group or remove the Owner.
  • Moderator: Appointed by an Admin or Owner. Focuses on content management: can edit or delete any posts/comments, pin important posts, manage reported content flags. Cannot manage members or change group settings.
  • Member / Contributor: Standard participant in the group. Can view content (in channels they have access to), create posts, add comments, like content, and report inappropriate content (subject to specific group Permissions settings defined by Admins).