The Community Audit Checklist Every Founder Should Use

The biggest mistake founders make is either throwing money at a community hire without knowing what's broken, or giving up on community entirely because “it didn't work.”

This checklist is the exact framework we use for every community audit. Each section scores 0-10, giving you a total health score out of 40.

Section 1Score 0-10

Engagement Health

How active and healthy is your community today?

DAM/MAM ratio — Daily active / monthly active members. Below 15% = background noise. 15-30% = healthy. Above 30% = exceptional.Messages per active member/week — Below 3 = low engagement. 5-10 = strong. Above 15 = check if a small group is carrying the load.New member retention (Day 7) — What % of people who join are still active 7 days later? Most communities lose 70-80% in the first week.New member retention (Day 30) — Same metric, longer window. Below 10% means your onboarding is fundamentally broken.Response time to questions — Under 2 hours = great. 2-8 hours = acceptable. Over 24 hours = your community is functionally dead for Q&A.

Section 2Score 0-10

Structure & Setup

Is the foundation solid?

Channel/room organization — Fewer than 8 active channels? Clearly named? Logical flow for new members?Onboarding flow — What happens when someone new joins? Is there a welcome message? Do they know where to go first?Rules & guidelines — Visible, clear, and actually enforced? Not just a copy-paste template?Roles & permissions — Clear hierarchy? Can members earn roles or badges for participation?Pinned resources — Are key links, FAQs, and guides easily findable within 30 seconds?

Section 3Score 0-10

Content & Programming

What keeps people engaged?

Recurring events — At least one weekly recurring event or ritual?Member vs. team content ratio — What % of valuable posts come from members? Below 40% = broadcast channel, not community.Content variety — Mix of support, discussion, sharing, celebration, and feedback? Or just one type?Member spotlights/recognition — Are active members recognized and celebrated?Event attendance — If you run events, what % of active members show up?

Section 4Score 0-10

Strategy & Ownership

Who's actually running this?

Dedicated owner — Does one person own the community? Or is it “everyone's job” (which means nobody's job)?Written strategy — Is there a documented community strategy with goals and KPIs?Regular reporting — Is someone reviewing community metrics weekly?Feedback loop to product — Does community feedback actually reach the product team and influence decisions?Budget & resources — Is there a realistic budget for community (events, tools, people)?

How to interpret your score

30-40

Excellent

Your community is in great shape. Focus on optimization and scaling.

20-29

Good foundation

Clear gaps exist. Prioritize the lowest-scoring section.

10-19

Needs work

Significant effort needed. You probably need a dedicated community person.

0-9

Triage mode

Don't invest in growth until retention and engagement are fixed.

What to do with your score

20+

You probably don't need external help. Focus on the 2-3 weakest items and iterate.

10-19

Consider dedicating 10+ hrs/week yourself, hiring part-time, or using a fractional community service.

<10

Pause and decide if community is a real priority. If yes, get dedicated help. If not, redirect people to where they can get value.

Want the full DIY version of this audit?

The $19 Blueprint expands this checklist into a full launch playbook with templates, chapter-by-chapter guidance, and the exact metrics to watch.

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The Community Audit Checklist Every Founder Should Use

Engagement Health

Structure & Setup

Content & Programming

Strategy & Ownership

How to interpret your score

What to do with your score

Keep reading after framework.

The 30-Day Community Revival Playbook: From Ghost Town to Thriving

How to Turn Your Discord from a Support Channel into a Real Community

The 5 Community Metrics That Actually Matter (and the Ones That Don't)

Want the full DIY version of this audit?