For those who may have missed my post in Skoolers, here is my interview with the legendary Sam Ovens. Having an opportunity to sit down and chat with Sam about Skool was a real gift, and some of the things he said around the topic of community building and the early internet really struck me. He's a thoughtful guy with deep insights around how online community has evolved. For those who responded to my earlier post asking for questions for Sam, I did end up asking him all of your questions! They just didn't make it into the final edit. I will post them here when the time is right so stay tuned! If you haven't seen our interview yet, check it out! 👇

In this week's episode with Koston Williams he talks about how he STOPPED using a VSL (video sales letter) on this About Page. The reason he did this was because his audience is plumbers who often have a sceptical view of online education. This is a market who might be nervous of wasting money on programs that don't work, or even getting scammed. Another way that Koston overcame this was by offering a 7-Day free trial (which I haven't seen many communities using, often because people are afraid of bots and scammers taking advantage of it). So my question to you is this: 👉 How sceptical is your market?

This is the place to find the latest interviews with your fellow Skoolers - from community owners, to admins and operators. Please introduce yourself below! p.s. How many communities have YOU made on Skool?

Copywriting might not be the first skill that comes to mind when building an online community, but on Skool – the growing community platform – it can become a powerful tool for success. Bijan has seen this firsthand with his "Copywriting Secrets" community, which has grown to over 700 members. In a recent conversation, he shared how understanding the fundamentals of copywriting has shaped his approach to building his Skool community and how these same principles can help others create more engaging spaces on the platform. Understanding Copywriting for Your Skool Community When asked to define copywriting for beginners on the Skool platform, Bijan offered a clear perspective: "Copywriting is everywhere. It's on every product that we consume daily." He explained that copywriting goes beyond simply writing words and hoping people will buy. Instead, it involves creating an entire ethos using only words. For those new to Skool who may be unfamiliar with copywriting, Bijan emphasized the importance of understanding what the market wants: "You gotta look at all the questions people are asking. Become obsessed and consume a lot of questions that people have about products." This market research forms the foundation of effective copywriting that resonates with potential community members. The core principle, according to Bijan, is to develop an intimate knowledge of the problems people in your niche are facing. "Use Vid IQ and flip the comments so it's questions first. Go deep down YouTube rabbit holes. Look up every possible way to talk about the problems," he advised. By understanding these specific problems, you can position your Skool community as the solution. Crafting Your Skool Community's First Impression For those starting a fresh Skool community, Bijan highlighted two crucial elements: "The about page is super important. The graphics on the about page and the writing on the description." When creating copy for your Skool community, Bijan recommends not judging yourself too harshly at first: "Don't judge yourself for sounding stupid. Just write some terrible stuff on your about page and then come back to it tomorrow." He emphasized that the iterative process of writing, evaluating, and rewriting is essential for developing strong copywriting skills.

In the crowded landscape of online fitness communities, standing out requires more than just workout tips and meal plans. Enter Stevie Deal, a fitness coach who's captivating a growing audience by blending practical fitness advice with fantasy book references—and she's building this unique community on Skool, the digital community platform that's changing how creators connect with their audiences. Merging Fantasy with Fitness on a Digital Community Platform "If you are constantly restarting your fitness goal, the first thing you can do that's going to improve your success rate by 65 percent is tell somebody your goal," Stevie explains to her community members. This philosophy of accountability forms the foundation of her Skool community, where fantasy book lovers come together to get fit enough to "survive" in their favorite fictional worlds. What makes Stevie's approach unique is how she seamlessly weaves fantasy references into practical fitness advice. Rather than focusing solely on traditional workouts like weightlifting or running, she breaks down the specific types of fitness her community members would need to thrive in a fantasy setting—from cardio endurance for those long walks through mystical forests to muscular endurance for wielding swords and staying on dragons. "In a fantasy world, we all know that they follow a similar pattern in similar tropes, one of the first things we see is the long walk to somewhere. Your cardiovascular endurance is super important," she tells her community, referencing characters like Nesta from A Court of Silver Flames who struggled with the 10,000 steps in the House of Wind. Building Community Through Skool's Engagement Features Stevie's approach to community building on the Skool platform centers around accountability and themed challenges that keep members engaged and motivated. Her 10-day challenges run back-to-back, creating continuous engagement while allowing members to set and achieve realistic goals. "One of the things I do with my clients is we have a 10-day challenge that just runs back to back for accountability. And every start of the 10 days, they tell me their goal, what it is they want to achieve, and what their habits are," she explains.