Why the first minutes matter
Most people who leave do so in the first minutes. Someone joins, doesn't understand where they are, sees no activity — and leaves. Good onboarding turns a random visitor into a member.
What onboarding includes
- Welcome message — who you are, what the chat is about, what to do next.
- Pinned rules and navigation — channels, formats, useful links.
- A nudge to introduce themselves — a simple first action breaks the barrier.
- Verification — filters bots without annoying real people.
Make it personal, but automatic
A welcome should be warm, not manual. Mod Assistant Bot sends a customizable welcome to every newcomer (with their name), shows the rules and runs verification — with no admin involved.
Don't overload
One screen, one clear next step. Walls of rules and ten links scare people off. A short, warm message and an invitation to post first works better.