DISCUSSIONS

Make room for real conversations.

Kick off a discussion, ask a question, run a poll, or float an idea. It’s all built in.

• Threaded replies: Let users respond directly to specific comments so conversations stay organized and easy to follow.
• Reactions: Keep the dialogue going with emoji reactions, comments, @mentions, and private messages.
• Rich editor: Make posts more engaging with images, videos, files, and formatting in HTML, Markdown, or BBCode.

ALERTS AND ACTIVITY

Keep members connected to the content they care about.

Help members stay in the loop without needing to check in constantly.

• Activity feed: Highlight what’s happening now with a real-time feed of new posts, trending threads, and pinned content.
• Suggested content: Automatically recommend relevant categories and content based on user interests and profile data.
• Notifications: Let users know when there’s activity on topics they follow or posts they’ve interacted with via email or in-app alerts.
• Email digests: Deliver personalized roundups of top content with tracking, analytics, and your branding.

GROUPS

Give niche interests their own space.

Create subgroups for more focused conversations, whether it’s a local chapter, a product-specific hub, or just a place to geek out.

• Events: Host and manage events directly within groups, including virtual meetups or in-person gatherings.
• Privacy options: Public groups are open to all; private ones offer a more controlled space for sensitive or smaller-scale discussions.
• Permissions: Let group members run the show or assign dedicated moderators.
• Auto-invite: Automatically invite members to join relevant groups based on profile details or milestone achievements, so they’re connected to the right spaces from day one.

IDEATION

Turn community feedback into your next big idea.

Give users a space to share, discuss, and shape ideas, from feature requests to product tweaks to something totally new.

• Idea statuses: Keep users in the loop with default or custom status labels that show where each idea stands.
• Voting and comments: Let users upvote and weigh in. Set up automated flows to change the idea status once it hits a certain number of upvotes and notify a product manager when an idea gains traction.
• Built for user groups: Create a central spot for feedback and align your roadmap with what your users actually want.

Curious how we use Vanilla to collect and act on product feedback? Take a look behind the scenes at how we’ve implemented 120+ community-sourced ideas using our own ideation tools. See how it works.

EVENTS

Bring your community together live.

Host events for your entire community or targeted groups, and track what’s working with built-in analytics.

• Event widgets: Highlight upcoming events right on your community pages, so members always know what’s next.
• Zoom integration: Connect Zoom for one-click registration and seamless access—no extra forms or jumping between apps. Users get the invite straight from Zoom with calendar details.
• Public access: Open your events to non-members to increase visibility and engagement.

GAMIFICATION

Reward the behavior you want to see.

Use our reputation engine to promote good content, grant member abilities, and help automate moderation.

• Points: Users earn points for things like accepted answers and positive reactions. Customize the system to match the behavior you want to encourage.
• Ranks: Assign ranks based on points, activity, roles, or any combo you like. Use them to unlock abilities or offer perks.
• Badges: Celebrate milestones with out-of-the-box or custom badges. Award them via API based on in-app actions.
• Leaderboards: Add a little friendly competition. Show off top contributors with daily, weekly, or all-time leaderboards.