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Slack plan: Works on any plan, including Free.

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Create channels in Slack

1

Create a new channel

  • In your Slack sidebar, click the + icon next to Channels
  • Name your channel using lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens (e.g. welcome-start-here, general, help)
  • Select privacy:
    • Public: Anyone in the workspace can find and join
    • Private: Only invited members can access. Private channels can have a Tightknit feed, but its posts stay restricted to the feed’s members. See Private channels and feeds
  • Click Create, then Done
Creating a new Slack channel

Creating a new Slack channel

2

Set posting permissions

  • Open the channel and click the channel name at the top
  • Go to the Settings tab
  • Under Posting permissions, select:
    • Everyone: All members can post (default)
    • Admins only: Restrict posting to admins and owners
3

Add a description and topic

  • Open the channel and click the channel name at the top
  • Click Edit next to the description field
  • Add:
    • Description: Permanent explanation (appears in channel browser)
    • Topic: Dynamic updates or current focus (appears below channel name)
Channel description and topic fields

Channel description and topic fields

4

Set up default channels

New members are automatically added to default channels when they join. Set these now so every member lands in the right place from day one.In Workspace settings, find Default Channels and click Expand.
Default channels settings

Default channels settings

Not sure which channels to create? Start with these four:
  • #welcome-start-here — onboarding, community norms, first post
  • #announcements — admin-only updates
  • #general — open conversation
  • #help — questions and support

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Description template

Purpose: [One sentence explaining what this channel is for] Post here: [Types of content that belong] Don’t post here: [What to avoid or where to go instead] Example — #welcome-start-here: Purpose: Your first stop in this community. Post here: Introduce yourself, ask how things work. Don’t post here: Support questions (use #help).

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Activate channels and create feeds

Activating a channel enables Tightknit to track activity, provide analytics, and use Slack features (polls, anonymous posting, etc.) in that channel. The channel content stays in Slack only. Creating a feed connects an activated channel to your community site, syncing messages to the web where members can view and engage outside of Slack.
1

Activate a channel

  • Open the Tightknit app in Slack
  • Go to the Home tab and scroll to Feed Setup or Channels
  • Click + Add Channel and select your channel
  • Click Submit
Activating a channel in Tightknit

Activating a channel in Tightknit

2

Create a feed

Connect your channel to the community site:
  • In the Tightknit app Home tab, scroll to Feed Setup
  • Click Create Feed and select an activated channel
  • Name your feed (this appears in your site’s navigation)
  • Configure settings:
    • Community site access: Who can view the feed on your site. A feed that Tightknit created for you starts at Disabled, so nothing reaches the site until you change it. See Feed visibility
    • Message sync: Sync all messages or manually select
    • Display mode: Blog view or discussion view
    • Posting permissions: Enable posting from site if needed
  • Click Continue and verify the feed on your community site
Feed setup configuration

Feed setup configuration

Important notes
  • Private channels can be activated and can have feeds. Their posts are only ever visible to the feed’s members, never publicly. See Private channels and feeds
  • Announcements channels: Set posting permissions to “admins only” before activating
  • You must activate a channel before creating a feed for it
  • Feeds appear in your site’s navigation sidebar using the feed name you chose

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Quick reference

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Private channels and feeds

A private channel can have a feed. The difference from a public channel is who can read the feed’s posts on your community site: only the feed’s members, never anonymous visitors and never every logged-in member.
1

Add the Tightknit app to the channel

Tightknit cannot sync a private channel it has not been added to. @mention the app in the channel, or add it from the channel’s Integrations tab.
2

Activate the channel

Activate it the same way as a public channel. Tightknit creates a feed for the channel automatically.
3

Set the feed to Feed members

Open the feed’s settings and set Community site access to Feed members. Until you do, the feed stays Disabled and none of its posts appear on your site.
Feed members is the only setting that puts a private channel’s posts on your site. Public and Authenticated only are never offered for a private channel’s feed. A feed’s member list mirrors the Slack channel and stays in sync as people join and leave it. To give access to someone who is not in the Slack channel, such as a site-only member, add them to the feed from Studio. See Managing feed members.
If Feed members is not offered when you edit the feed, the advanced access options are not switched on for your community yet. Contact [email protected].
Activating a channel ingests its messages into the Studio, including for private channels. Studio access is governed by Studio user roles, not by Slack channel privacy or the feed’s community site access. Only activate private channels whose content is appropriate for your Studio team to see.