I recently sat down with @Karl Bro, who runs two Skool communities and has built one of them to 1,100+ members. His journey from YouTube creator to community owner reveals some critical insights most people miss. Her's a link to the video - https://youtu.be/dcdjWCTOTG4?si=YfDoyAD28AB7UPRX The Problem With Courses Alone Karl started with a successful YouTube course teaching new creators how to get monetized. It was selling well, but something was broken. Without a two-way conversation, members struggled to get feedback, ask questions, and stay accountable. YouTube felt like shouting into the void. That's when he discovered Skool—and everything changed. His Simple 3-Step Funnel YouTube videos → Free community (nurture + accountability) → Paid mastermind (monetization strategies) The key? He doesn't just say "join my community." He speaks to the transformation they'll get. For YouTubers, that's escaping the lonely grind, seeing others push past fear, and getting real feedback on their videos. Why 1,100 People Joined Karl converts 25-30% of visitors to his About page. How? He delivers on the promise. The more value members get, the more they tell their friends. Word-of-mouth does the heavy lifting. His CTAs are everywhere - end of videos, descriptions, consistent mentions. "Tell people more than you think you need to," he says. "They're worried about themselves, not you. Give them a reason to move." Monetization: Sell the Beach, Not the Flight Karl doesn't sell tactics. He sells transformation. You don't want to hear about flight times and layovers - you want to picture yourself on the beach with a cocktail. His free community teaches how to get views. His paid mastermind teaches how to monetize those views. Two different problems. Two different solutions. Clean separation. His Biggest Regret?

Your community metrics reveal who's engaging, how you're growing, and where to focus your time. If you're treating your community as a business (and you should be), these numbers matter more than vanity metrics. Here's exactly how to find them: Here's the video - https://youtu.be/9-BobqIZ55U?si=7_PS-nRQGDosZUX6 Step 1: Navigate to Your Community Log into Skool and select the community you want to review. If you manage multiple groups, choose the one you're actively monetizing. Step 2: Access Settings Click the gear icon (⚙️) in the bottom-right corner of your screen. This opens your community settings panel. Step 3: Find the Metrics Dashboard On the left-hand sidebar, click "Metrics." This is where Skool stores your growth and engagement data. Step 4: Review Your 30-Day Snapshot By default, Skool shows the past 30 days. You'll see: - Total group growth (net new members) - New member additions - Basic engagement trends What to Do With This Data: Don't just glance at the numbers—use them to drive revenue decisions. If you're stuck at 25-50 members but revenue is flat, your problem isn't growth. It's monetization. Track these metrics weekly. When you see engagement dip, create a value post. When growth stalls, activate your referral system or run targeted outreach. Bottom line: Metrics tell you where you stand. Action tells you where you're going. --- Want more monetization strategies? 🆓 Free Community: Join 300+ community owners in Content Revenue Lab 💰 Paid Community: Turn 25-50 members into $1K-$5K/month → Skool Monetization Lab Connect with Des: LinkedIn • Facebook • Instagram • Instagram 2 • Substack

Your discovery rank determines where your community appears in Skool's discovery feed. High rank = more visibility = more potential members finding you organically. How to Check Your Rank 1. Navigate to Your Community Click on the community you want to check. 2. Access Settings Click the Settings icon (gear icon) in the bottom right corner. 3. Click on Discovery On the left sidebar, click Discovery. 4. View Your Rank You'll see: - Whether you're showing in discovery (Yes/No) - Your category - Your current rank - The language your community is ranked in That's it. Why This Matters Skool ranks communities based on engagement, not member count. A community with 50 active members can outrank one with 500 inactive members. If you're ranked in the top 10-20 in your category, you're getting organic traffic. If you're ranked 50+, most people will never see you. How to Improve Your Rank Your rank isn't fixed. Here's what moves the needle: Post consistently Aim for 3-5 valuable posts per week, not daily low-effort content. Drive engagement Comments and replies matter more than likes. Ask questions, respond to members, create discussions. Get members active early New members who engage in their first 48 hours are more likely to stay active. Send a personalized welcome, point them to high-value content. Focus on retention Skool rewards communities where members stick around. If people join and leave within days, your rank drops. When Should You Care About Discovery Rank? If you're running a free community, discovery rank is critical. It's your primary growth channel. If you're running a paid community, discovery rank matters less. Most paid members come from external traffic (YouTube, ads, referrals), not Skool's discovery feed. But a high rank still builds credibility. One Thing Most People Get Wrong Checking your rank obsessively won't help you grow. What matters is the activity driving that rank: consistent engagement, valuable content, and active members.

Want to declutter your Skool community and focus members on what matters most? Customizing your Skool tabs is one of the fastest ways to improve member experience and streamline navigation. You can watch the video here - https://youtu.be/s6vyzcs27Yo?si=35_xZtk9EiHIMnuY Why Hide Skool Tabs? A cleaner community layout helps members focus on the content and features you actually use. If you're not running events, hide the Calendar. If your leaderboard isn't active, remove it. Fewer tabs = less confusion = better engagement. How to Show or Hide Tabs in Skool (Step-by-Step) 1. Navigate to Your Community - Log into Skool - Click on the specific community you want to customize 2. Access Settings - Click the Settings icon (gear icon) in the bottom right corner 3. Open the Tabs Section - Select Tabs from the left sidebar menu 4. Toggle Tabs On or Off - You'll see toggles for: Classroom, Calendar, Map, Leaderboard, and Members - Click any toggle to hide a tab (turns it off) - Click again to show a tab (turns it back on) 5. Changes Apply Instantly - No need to refresh—tabs appear or disappear immediately - Go back to your community to see the updated navigation Which Tabs Should You Hide? Hide the Map if: - Your community isn't location-based - Members don't benefit from seeing where others are located Hide the Calendar if: - You're not hosting regular events or calls - You use external scheduling tools instead Hide the Leaderboard if: - You're not running engagement competitions - You prefer a less gamified community experience Keep tabs visible if you're actively using those features to drive engagement and value. Pro Tip for Skool Community Owners Your tab setup should reflect your monetization strategy. If you're focused on course delivery, keep Classroom prominent. If you're building a high-touch community, Calendar and Members matter more.

Want your Skool community to grow on autopilot? The Skool referral system pays your members up to 50% commission for bringing in new paying members - turning your community into a self-sustaining growth engine. Why Use Skool's Built-In Referral System? Most community owners struggle with member acquisition. But what if your existing members did the marketing for you? Skool's affiliate program incentivizes members to share your community with their network. They earn lifetime recurring commissions (not one-time payments), it's built directly into Skool (no third-party tools), and you only pay when it converts. The best part? Members promote authentically because they're already experiencing value. They're not just sharing a link—they're vouching for you. Important: Skool Pro Plan Required This feature is only available on Skool Pro, not the Hobby plan. If you're serious about scaling your paid community, you'll need to upgrade. How to Enable Skool Referrals (Step-by-Step) 1. Access Skool Settings Click the Settings icon (gear icon) in your community dashboard. 2. Navigate to Affiliates Select Affiliates from the left sidebar. By default, this feature is turned OFF. 3. Set Your Commission Percentage You can choose rates from 10% to 50%. Most successful communities use 40% commission because it balances member motivation with profitability. That's what I use in my communities. 4. Preview the Member Experience Click the eye icon to see what members will see. Navigate to Community, then Invite People. Members will see their unique referral link and commission rate. 5. How Members Use Their Referral Links Members copy their unique link and share it via posts, DMs, emails, or social media. When someone joins through that link and pays, the member earns their commission - for life. What Do Members Earn Commission On? Your members earn their commission percentage on: - Paid community memberships (recurring revenue) - Membership tier upgrades (Standard to Premium to VIP) - Classroom product purchases (courses, templates, etc.)