MODULE 12: Community Building & Engagement

Overview

Community building transforms a passive audience into an active, interconnected group where readers engage not just with you, but with each other. This module covers the distinction between audience and community, Substack’s community features (threads, chat, polls, surveys), comment section management, building superfans, and retention strategies.

All statistics and case studies drawn from 2024-2025 data.

Critical Reality Check: Community building is hard, time-consuming work that cannot be automated or outsourced. 69% of creators cite community growth as their biggest challenge. Empty discussion threads and polls with 5 votes feel worse than not launching community features at all. This module documents what actually works when you have the patience and commitment to do it right.