How to Pick the Right Platform for Your Community Strategy

In 2025, choosing a community platform is no longer just a technology decision. It's a strategic move that can impact customer experience, brand loyalty, and business growth. With dozens of community platforms on the market, each promising engagement, scalability, and monetization, how do you know which one is right for you?

This guide will help you break down the key factors to consider when selecting a community platform. Whether you're just starting or scaling an enterprise community, we'll cover what you need to know to make the right choice.

Why the Right Platform Matters

Online communities have become core to modern business strategies. According to Forrester, businesses that actively invest in customer communities see measurable improvements in retention, satisfaction, and innovation. Communities allow you to gather feedback, scale support, foster loyalty, and activate advocates.

But not all platforms are created equal. Some excel in user experience, while others focus on monetization or advanced analytics. The right choice depends on your business goals, community vision, and long-term plans.

Key Factors to Consider When Choosing a Community Platform

1. Define Your Community Goals

Start by asking: what do you want your community to achieve?

Common goals include:

• Customer support and self-service
• Product feedback and ideation
• Brand loyalty and ambassador programs
• Learning and development
• Peer-to-peer networking
• Event engagement and follow-up

Your goals will influence which features matter most. A support community will prioritize knowledge bases and ticket integrations. A learning community might need course hosting and cohort management.

2. Platform Customization and Branding

Your community is an extension of your brand. Look for platforms that allow for white-labeling, custom themes, and control over navigation and layout. The best tools let you customize every touch point from color palette to domain name.

Platforms like LoftOS, Bevy and Bettermode offer strong customization through drag-and-drop editors and visual builders. This enables you to reflect your brand identity without needing developers.

3. Engagement Features

Engagement is the lifeblood of a successful community. Look for tools that support:

• Discussion forums and threads
• Reactions, upvotes, comments
• Direct messaging and group chats
• Gamification (leaderboards, badges, points)
• Events and live streams
• Polls and surveys

Gamification alone can boost engagement by up to 30 percent. Swarm and Skool stand out for real-time interaction and asynchronous video replies that create a more human connection.

4. Video Capabilities

Video is no longer optional. Communities that support native video uploads, live streaming, and video replies outperform static text-based forums. Platforms like Swarm put video at the center of the experience, allowing members to engage in asynchronous, face-to-face interactions.

When evaluating video support, consider:

• Can you record directly in the platform?
• Is video threaded into discussions?
• Are captions and transcripts supported?
• Can you stream events natively?

88 percent of video marketers report that video increases user engagement, making this a critical feature.

5. Analytics and Insights

Measuring community health is vital. Your platform should offer dashboards with:

• Member growth and retention metrics
• Post and content engagement
• Event attendance and participation
• Behavior-based segmentation

Some platforms like LoftOS and Bevy integrate with tools like Google Analytics, Amplitude, and Mixpanel to provide deeper insights. Knowing which content drives interaction and which members are most active helps refine your strategy.

6. Monetization Options

If your community strategy includes revenue generation, choose a platform that supports:

• Paid memberships and subscriptions
• Donations or tipping
• Event ticketing
• Gated content or courses

Circle, Mighty Networks, and Uscreen offer built-in payment processing and monetization workflows. Swarm integrates with Stripe to start collecting payments immediately.

7. Integration Capabilities

Your platform should connect with your existing tools. Look for integrations with:

• CRM (HubSpot, Salesforce)
• Email marketing (Mailchimp, Klaviyo)
• Support platforms (Zendesk, Intercom)
• Automation tools (Zapier, Make)
• Analytics platforms (Google Analytics, Fullstory)

Strong integrations reduce friction and improve the flow of data between your systems.

8. Scalability and User Management

Can the platform grow with you? Look for:

• Tiered access levels (admin, moderator, member)
• Enterprise-level security (SSO, 2FA, GDPR compliance)
• Custom roles and permissions
• Advanced user segmentation and tagging

Platforms like Hivebrite and Vanilla Forums are well-suited for larger organizations, offering granular access control and enterprise-grade compliance.

9. Mobile Experience

Communities need to be accessible on the go. Consider:

• Native mobile apps (iOS and Android)
• Mobile-responsive design
• Push notifications

Mobile-first platforms like Disciple and Mighty Networks offer a better experience for both admins and members who want to engage anytime, anywhere.

10. Onboarding, Support, and Learning Curve

Even the best platform is useless if your team cannot use it effectively. Evaluate:

• Onboarding resources and setup wizards
• Documentation and learning hubs
• Access to customer success managers
• Availability of free trials or demos

User-friendly interfaces, no-code builders, and intuitive admin panels lower the barrier to entry. Swarm and Circle are known for their ease of use and helpful onboarding.

Budget Considerations

Pricing varies widely. Some platforms charge per user, others by feature tiers. Always evaluate:

• Free vs paid plans
• Transaction or platform fees
• Cost of integrations or add-ons
• ROI based on engagement or revenue

A small team might be fine with Softr or a Facebook group. An enterprise SaaS company may require the customization and compliance of LoftOS.

Red Flags to Avoid

Avoid platforms that:

• Limit your data ownership or export options
• Lack robust security and compliance standards
• Don’t update features regularly
• Have hidden fees for integrations or scaling
• Are slow to load or buggy

If the platform cannot grow with your strategy, it will become a bottleneck.

Conclusion: Build With Strategy, Not Just Software

A great community platform is more than a set of features. It’s the foundation of your engagement, support, education, and growth strategies. As you evaluate platforms, align your choice with your business goals, audience expectations, and brand experience.

Ask yourself:

• Does this tool help us create meaningful interactions?
• Can it support our growth over the next 3 to 5 years?
• Will our team and members enjoy using it?

If you want more than just discussion threads—if you want to create real connection and measurable impact—platforms like Bevy offer the flexibility and power you need.

Ready to scale your community strategy? Talk to the Bevy team and discover how we help enterprise brands grow smarter, more connected communities that drive long-term value.

Looking for a detailed platform comparison? Check out our full guide to the best community platforms in 2025.