Don't Kick Your Level 1's | Build Better Communities

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I’ve been talking about Level 1 members with my members over the past couple of weeks. After a few more conversations today and seeing Calvin post about it in Skool Games, I decided to post about it in my own community. A few members opened up about their own experiences, which just confirmed the importance of keeping Level 1s around. So, I wanted to bring the conversation here.

What are Level 1s? Level 1 members are those who haven’t engaged much in the community yet. Often seen as lurkers, they have their reasons for staying at this level.

Why People Stay at Level 1:

They may not fully understand the community vibe or feel comfortable on the platform yet, so they choose to observe.
Some prefer to quietly watch and learn rather than jump into engagement.
Others may have had negative experiences in other communities and are cautious about interacting.
They may not have the mental energy for active engagement right now.
High-profile members may want to keep a low profile while still learning from the community.
Introverts or those who feel socially awkward may take longer to feel at ease.

There’s a misconception that having Level 1 members hurts community discovery on Skool, but I reached out to Skool and Skool has confirmed this isn’t true. Active members do boost discovery, but inactive members don’t harm it. Encouraging engagement is great, but it’s not necessary to push or remove quiet members.

After sharing this, some members shared their own stories about why they started as Level 1s, and a few even mentioned stories they’d heard from their own Level 1 members. They spoke about initial uncertainty, personal challenges, and taking time to feel comfortable. These experiences reminded me that everyone has their own journey and pace.

If engagement isn’t where you want it to be, it’s a chance to adjust your strategy, not remove members. Respecting Level 1s builds trust, attracts higher-value clients, and strengthens the long-term stability of the community.

Real communities support everyone on their journey, not just for metrics.

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