Last edited:
September 1, 2022
Congrats on becoming a SPACES Host! You have built a community that will help queer people connect with each other in a safe way, with those who understand and validate our lives. You’re literally bringing the queer community together!
So you’re a SPACES Host. Now what?
We’ve put together this Playbook to help you make the most of your new Space and your role as a Host.
First things first: When you are creating a Space, you’re asked to choose a Space name, a profile photo, a description and some hashtags. Make sure you do all these things! (And they’re all editable, so feel free to update these if you ever need to.)
Make sure the name of your Space conveys what your Space is about! While a clever name is fun, you don’t want users to be unsure what sort of community you’re creating.
In your description, say a bit more about who your Space is for. Be clear and concise about what topic(s) you intend to be up for discussion. Let users know WHO your Space is for — all queer people? only queer women? only the trans community? — and try to lay down a few ground rules for your Space if you think that will help ensure the type of interactions you want.
Last, remember, only Spaces with well-crafted profiles get promoted on the app’s Explore page, which is a great way to reach other users and increase your Space’s relevance!
So you’ve created your new Space. Congrats! Now before you do anything else, start off by inviting your own network — friends, family, followers, fans — into your Space.
This is easy to do. While in your new Space, click the “share” icon in the top right corner. Follow the instructions to “copy” the link to your Space, and then feel free to share via social media, email, text message, or “paste” it anywhere you like!
Inviting your own network into your new Space right off the bat is the best way to ensure your Space becomes — and remains — successful.
Trust us: Engaging with your Space’s newest members as soon as they join is the best way to make them feel like you’ve created a welcoming community in the app. It’s also a great way to make them feel like they can contribute to making your Space a vibrant, fun and safe place.
In addition to welcoming your newbies, go a step further and ask them a question! Some new members will want to sit back and take in their surroundings at first, while others will jump at the chance to start engaging immediately.
Engaging with your Space’s members to chime in and contribute is the name of the game, and the best way to do that — especially in the early stages of your Space — is to experiment with different content formats. Add some visuals to your Space’s chat by sharing the occasional photo or meme; share article links and YouTube links; and of course spark chat conversations among the group.
As the Host of your Space, you’re also able to create Polls that encourage members to weigh in about whatever topic or issue you wish. Use the Events functionality to share all the relevant details for an upcoming digital or IRL event, to which your Space’s members can RSVP.
Also, try encouraging the use of Threads in your Space, which can help keep your Space free from clutter and become more vibrant.
After you’ve had some time to get a feel for the new community you’ve created, it’s worthwhile to start thinking about adding a Co-Host or two!
Feel free to reach out to a few of your Space’s most engaged members — either via DM or right there in your Space — and see if they’d like to become a part of your Space by taking on the Co-Host role.
You’ll want to explain to them what “Co-Hosting” will entail: namely, helping you welcome new members, assisting in getting rid of bad actors, responding to Space join requests (if your Space is private) and helping to drive the conversation. Let them know there’s no pressure, but ultimately, having Co-Hosts who feel invested in the success and growth of your Space will only help make your Space better!
If you have questions about any of these tips or other topics not discussed here — or if you want to share something that has worked great for you with other SPACES Hosts — please feel free to do so in the “Hosts Only” Space. We’ll see you there!
