Creating a Mighty group

How to start a new group about a topic of your choice

C
Written by Carla
Updated over a week ago

There are many groups on The Mighty, covering a variety of topics. If you have interest in a particular topic and you don't see an existing group, you can create one. As the creator of that group, you will also be its first leader. You'll need to do some initial setup to help other Mighty members find the group.

A group is a type of community on The Mighty, and the terms "group" and "community" are sometimes use interchangeably.

Getting Started

Before creating your group, make sure you have a clear idea about the scope and purpose for the group. The following questions are good to consider:

  • Is there an existing Mighty group on the exact same topic? If so, consider joining that group and contributing to those conversations instead. For a list of some current groups, see The Mighty Group Directory.

  • Is the topic focused enough? Don't be afraid to get specific. It's okay if you're not an expert on the topic.

  • Is the topic appropriate for The Mighty? Groups do not need to be explicitly health-focused, but remember that The Mighty is a safe, supportive community for people facing health challenges and the people who care for them.

Group creation walkthrough and tips

Once you're ready to go, you can find the "Create New Group" button in the Groups section of the app or website. You can also use the "plus" button found in the top right corner of the app's Group section. You'll be taken through a quick tour to help set you up for success, and then you can get going!

  1. Select "Groups" from the menu. In a browser this is at the top of a page, and in the mobile app this is at the bottom.

  2. Begin the creation process, depending on device:

    1. In a browser, select the "Create New Group" button at the top of the page.

    2. On the mobile app, select the plus sign at the top-right of the page.

  3. Fill in your group information and select your desired settings. More information on these options are in the sections below.

  4. Create your new group, depending on your device:

    1. In a browser, click "Submit" at the bottom of the page.

    2. In the mobile app, select "Save" at the top-right of the page.

Your group is now created! You can find it in the "Groups" section under "My Groups". See below for more options and tools for your Mighty group.

Group Name

Give your group a clear and concise name, in 30 characters or less. This may be expanded to 60 characters in the future.

Tips: For groups about a specific condition, we suggest not using just a condition name for the group name. Adding "support" to the name, such as "[condition name] support", is good for a general support group for people with the condition, or "Life with [condition name]" is good if it's about living with a condition. Feel free to get creative!

Join Statement

Create a Join Statement, which can start with the phrase "Join this group if..."

This could describe the type of people who will be interested in the group, or it could describe the topic of the group. This statement should be short (120 characters or less) and can add some detail to what the title already conveys.

Group Description

Write a Group Description. This will appear on the Group's main page and About page. It's fine to use similar wording as the Join Statement, and this can give even more detail about the types of conversations you expect to see happening in the group. This can be up to 1000 characters in length.

Not sure what to write? Here are some things to consider for a Group Description:

  • What is the group about?

  • If the group is about a specific condition, include the full condition name in the description. This will help potential members find the group.

  • What can group members talk about?

  • What can the group offer members?

  • What can users expect from the group?

Welcome Message

The Welcome Message will be the first thing a new member sees after agreeing to the group guidelines. This message can prompt the new member to do specific things, such as read recent posts or make an introductory post of their own. The message can also be more general encouragement that reiterates the topic and appeal of the group.

Related Topics

Setting up a list of Related Topics will help your group be discovered by other Mighties. These should be words or terms that someone might type into search. As you create this list and add to it in the future, think about what you were looking for when you decided to create the group.

Adding Custom Graphics

There are two images that will represent a group to both members and potential members. The group leader has the ability to replace or remove those at any time, but it's important to remember that these images may serve as important visual cues/reminders about the group.

The avatar image should be square (600 x 600px is sufficient). This will represent the group in most places on The Mighty. In many cases, the avatar image will be small, so using small text on this image is not recommended.

The banner image should be a wide rectangle, the ideal size is 1025 x 300px. This will display across the top of your group's home screen. This can be a single image or a collage, and can include text.

Both images can be uploaded during initial setup of the group, or added and updated later. Default images will be used if nothing is uploaded during setup.

Unique images created by you (or someone involved with the group) are most ideal.

Advanced settings

The other settings are mostly explained during the setup process, and it's typically best to leave them on their recommended defaults. Except for the option to make a group private, these settings can be changed later.

Setting

Description

Recommended

Application questions

Ask potential members questions when they request to join the group.

Disabled

Make group private

If enabled, the group will be private and only group members and staff will see posts made to the group. Once enabled, this setting cannot be changed; private groups cannot be made public. If left disabled, the group is public, and it can be made private later.

Disabled (keep group public)

Hide group from search

Your group will not come up in search results, so it is unlikely to get new members. This option is currently only available to private groups, and it may be disabled entirely in the future.

Disabled

Auto approve join requests

When enabled, members requesting to join will be automatically approved once they agree to the group guidelines.

Enabled

Utilize Moderation by The Mighty

The Mighty Moderation Team can help with your group, but your group must have the standard guidelines and keywords used on The Mighty.

Enabled (unless your group needs custom Guidelines or Keyword Management)

Group Guidelines

Members should follow these guidelines while participating in the group.

Default

Keyword Management

Blacklisted terms

Default

More Options and Tools

After the initial setup process, these settings can be found and modified via the "About" screen for a group. Group leaders will see an "Edit" button in the upper-right corner of that screen.

See the following articles for more information about configuring and leading a group:

For more resources, to ask questions, and to engage with other group leaders, join this group on the Mighty:

Did this answer your question?