The CONNECT Framework: Using the Redesigned Kajabi Communities to Build an Engaged, Profitable Community

Imagine launching an online community where members actively participate, engage with each other, and feel a true sense of belonging. You’ve put in the effort to create valuable content, and now, you’re seeing real connections forming. This is the power of a thriving online community—one where relationships drive success and members stay because they feel seen, supported, and inspired.

Courtney Click, a renowned community-building expert and Kajabi specialist, has helped countless entrepreneurs transform passive online spaces into thriving, engaged communities. Her secret? Prioritizing relationships over content.

"The number one predictor of community success is not your expertise or your content—it's the strong member-to-member relationships that you help curate." - Courtney. "If people don't connect with others, they won't stick around."

In other words, while high-quality content and resources are essential, the real key to a thriving community lies in creating deep, lasting connections between members. This sense of belonging and shared purpose is what keeps people engaged and invested in the community.

Introducing Courtney’s "CONNECT Framework"

To help community leaders cultivate a successful online space, Courtney developed the CONNECT Framework, a structured approach that focuses on five key elements:

Craft Your Community Identity

Your community isn’t just a group of people—it’s a collective movement driven by a shared purpose. To establish a strong identity, focus on these three elements:

• A Clear, Compelling Purpose – Why does your community exist? What mission unites your members?
• A Shared Identity – What common values, goals, or challenges bring your members together?
• A Journey of Transformation – What changes do your members experience, and how does your community support their growth?

A well-defined identity helps potential members instantly recognize if they belong. Instead of framing it as "I help...," shift your messaging to "We are..." to foster inclusivity and a collective purpose.

Practical Tips:

• Develop a community manifesto that clearly outlines the mission and values.
• Use a pinned post or dedicated page to display community guidelines.
• Create a welcome email sequence that reinforces community identity.
• Leverage Kajabi’s redesigned community features, such as customizable branding, to strengthen the sense of belonging.
• Utilize Kajabi’s improved navigation tools to help members easily find and engage with key identity-building content.
  
  

Create Onboarding that Inspires

First impressions matter.

"Onboarding is like love at first sight. They experience it like, 'Okay, I'm in, I'm here. You've got me.'

A well-structured onboarding experience ensures new members feel welcomed, valued, and eager to participate. Consider incorporating:

• Personalized welcome messages: Making new members feel seen and appreciated.
• Success forums: Allowing members to share goals and set expectations.
• Small group onboarding sessions: Encouraging early connections with other members.

By creating a warm and engaging onboarding process, you set the stage for long-term member retention and satisfaction.

Practical Tips:

• Set up an automated welcome message with key resources.
• Assign community ambassadors to help guide new members.
• Encourage new members to introduce themselves in a dedicated thread.
• Use Kajabi’s enhanced commenting and discussion features to make new members feel immediately included in conversations.
  
  

Nurture Your Engagement with
Network-Driven Experiences

A successful community isn’t just about consuming content—it’s about active participation and collaboration.

"We're not just going to throw more content at them. We are going to start conversations, encourage sharing, and invite members to contribute their knowledge. We'll foster collaboration, events, mentorship, peer support, and even play." 

Effective engagement strategies include:

• Co-working sessions: Virtual or in-person gatherings where members work alongside each other, fostering accountability.
• Member-hosted events: Encouraging members to lead workshops or discussions helps build leadership within the community.
• Office hours and mentorship programs: Creating spaces where members can seek advice from peers or mentors.

The goal is to cultivate an interactive environment where members actively contribute and learn from one another.

Practical Tips:

• Use gamification techniques like leaderboards and challenges to boost participation.
• Plan monthly themes or content calendars to structure discussions.
• Incorporate live Q&A sessions with experts in your community.

Take advantage of Kajabi’s larger images and better discussion features to enhance engagement and collaboration.

Expand Purposeful Value

As a community grows, it’s easy to fall into the trap of adding more—more calls, more content, more events—hoping it will drive engagement. But before making changes, take a step back and ask:

• Is it relevant? Does the topic, interest, and culture align with the community’s core values?
• Does it add significance? Does it celebrate, support, and center your members?
• Does it foster connection? Does it spark conversations, bridge gaps, and create meaningful interactions?
• Is it attuned to members' needs? Does it respond to, anticipate, or genuinely serve what they seek?

Building an engaged community isn’t just about posting content—it’s about delivering real value. The best communities provide resources that inspire, educate, and encourage participation. Here’s how you can refine your content strategy in Kajabi Communities:

1. Re-Evaluate Your Content – Assess existing content for value, quality, relevance, and organization. Encourage user-generated contributions to enhance engagement.
2. Gather Feedback & Involve Members – Use suggestion boxes, automated feedback emails, and beta testing to ensure content meets members' needs and fosters ownership.
3. Organize Content for Easy Access – Structure resources effectively with custom product themes, correct access groups, structured mini-courses, and freebies for engagement.
4. Prioritize Community Listening – Conduct weekly listening sessions, encourage member contributions, and host town halls to keep the community dynamic and responsive. 
   
   

Celebrate Member Milestones

Recognition is a powerful motivator.

"A great community isn't just about learning; it's about surrounding yourself with the right people at the right time. We can create moments that feel significant—milestone moments, recognition events, and celebrations that keep members motivated." 

To achieve this, consider:

• Public shoutouts: Acknowledging members’ achievements in group meetings, newsletters, or social media.
• Digital badges and leaderboards: Offering virtual rewards for participation and contributions.
• Celebration meetups: Organizing virtual or in-person gatherings to commemorate achievements and foster camaraderie.

By implementing these practices, community leaders reinforce a sense of belonging and commitment.

Practical Tips:

• Create a “Member of the Month” program with special perks.
• Design a badge system that rewards engagement levels.
• Share member success stories in a community newsletter.
• Leverage Kajabi’s enhanced member recognition tools to track and highlight active members more effectively.
  
  

Track Progress & Adapt

Continuous improvement is essential for sustaining a successful community.

"Every community should track progress. The larger the community, the more important these metrics become."

Key metrics to monitor include:

• Engagement levels: Tracking comments, likes, and participation in discussions.
• Financial performance: Analyzing revenue sources, subscription rates, and in-community purchases.
• Community health indicators: Assessing retention rates, feedback, and overall satisfaction.

Regularly reviewing and adapting based on these insights ensures that the community remains relevant and continues to provide value.

Practical Tips:

• Set up monthly engagement reports to track trends and member participation.
• Use Kajabi’s community analytics dashboard to measure content effectiveness and engagement levels.
• Schedule regular feedback loops through polls or direct member check-ins.
• Adjust your strategies based on Kajabi’s enhanced tracking features, ensuring your community evolves to meet members’ needs.
  
  

Leveraging Kajabi’s Redesigned Community Features

Kajabi’s recent updates introduce exciting enhancements to optimize community engagement and user experience, including:

• Cover Photos: Upload custom cover photos for feed to totally transform how your members see the community.
• Expanded Search: Quickly find posts, members, recordings, and meetups with an intuitive search bar now easily accessible at the top of your community.
• Branded Colors: Customize your community’s color scheme to reflect your brand and deliver a visually cohesive experience.
• Light/Dark Mode: Members can switch between light and dark themes, ensuring readability and comfort no matter the setting.
• Streamlined Navigation: The updated sidebar and menus make it easier than ever to navigate and find what you’re looking for.
• Recording Library: Save and access all live session recordings in one place, perfect for creating an evergreen content library.
• Updated Notification Center: Keep members informed with clear, categorized notifications that ensure no update goes unnoticed.
• Access Group Leaderboard: Encourage engagement with leaderboards that showcase top contributors in each Access Group.
• Performance Improvements: Enjoy faster load times and smoother interactions for seamless engagement.
• Reorder Access Group: Easily organize your Access Groups by dragging and dropping them into the order that works best for you. By leveraging these features, community leaders can create a more personalized and intuitive experience for their members.
• Custom Icons: Enhance your community's branding by uploading custom icons for different sections, making navigation more intuitive and visually aligned with your brand identity.
• Gamification: Boost engagement with gamification elements like badges, points, and rewards for active participation, encouraging members to interact more and stay involved.

By leveraging these features, community leaders can create a more personalized and intuitive experience for their members.

Want to see these community upgrades in action? We’ve put together a detailed guide on Kajabi’s redesigned community features—check it out here. Discover how these changes can enhance engagement and elevate your community experience!

Diversifying Revenue Streams

While membership fees are a core source of revenue, Courtney encourages exploring additional monetization strategies, including:

• In-community purchases: Offering exclusive content, courses, or merchandise.
• Affiliate partnerships: Collaborating with relevant brands to provide value while generating revenue.
• Sponsorship opportunities: Partnering with businesses that align with your community’s interests.
• Community-based services and events: Hosting premium workshops, masterminds, or networking events.

"We want to move beyond just memberships. Partnerships and additional revenue streams are an untapped resource for many communities."

Ready to Build an Engaged, Profitable Kajabi Community?

By applying Courtney’s strategies and leveraging Kajabi’s latest features, you can build a thriving, profitable online community that fosters deep connections and transformation.

Interested in learning more? Connect with Courtney or join her upcoming "Community in a Week" workshop to take your Kajabi community to the next level!