Understanding Activity Feeds: The Heart of Your Study Hall
The Activity Feed is the central hub of every Study Hall—where conversations happen, content is shared, and community comes to life. This guide will help you teach your Campus members how Activity Feeds work and how to create engaging spaces.
The Feed is where transformation happens. It’s where members move from passive observers to active participants and peer teachers.
What Is an Activity Feed?
The Activity Feed is the main content stream in a Study Hall displaying all member activity in chronological or algorithmic order. It shows:
- Member posts and discussions
- Poll questions and voting
- Shared media (images, videos, links)
- Comments and reactions
- Member milestones and achievements
Teaching Tip for 45+ Audience: Think of the Activity Feed like a Facebook Group timeline or email discussion list—but focused on your specific Study Hall topic. Everything important flows through this central space.
How Activity Feeds Work
Feed Display Options
Your campus platform typically offers multiple ways to display feed content:
1. Recent Activity (Chronological)
- Shows newest posts first
- Simple, predictable ordering
- Great for time-sensitive content and announcements
2. Popular Posts (Engagement-Based)
- Surfaces posts with most comments and reactions
- Highlights active conversations
- Encourages participation on trending topics
3. Recommended (Algorithm-Based)
- Platform suggests relevant posts based on member interests
- Balances new content with popular content
- Helps members discover discussions they might have missed
Campus Map Context: In Phase 3 (Engagement Ecosystem), algorithm-based feeds keep members engaged by surfacing relevant content they might otherwise miss in busy Study Halls.
What Appears in Activity Feeds
Guide members to understand the content types they’ll see:
Standard Posts
Text-based discussions, questions, or announcements. These are the foundation of Study Hall conversation.
Media Posts
Posts with embedded images, videos, GIFs, or other visual content. Higher engagement than text-only posts.
Link Shares
Posts containing external links with auto-generated previews. Great for sharing resources and articles.
Polls
Interactive voting questions. Appear in-feed with voting buttons and real-time results.
Member Announcements
System-generated updates like "New member joined" or "Member achieved milestone" (if enabled).
Pinned Posts
Important posts that Study Hall admins pin to the top of the feed, staying visible above regular content.
Feed Permissions and Visibility
Help members understand who can post and what they can see:
In Public Study Halls:
- Non-members: Can view all feed content but cannot post or react
- Members: Can view, post, comment, and react to all content
- Admins/Moderators: Can manage all content, pin posts, delete as needed
In Private Study Halls:
- Non-members: Cannot see feed content (see lock screen instead)
- Members: Full access to view, post, comment, react
- Admins/Moderators: Full management capabilities
In Secret Study Halls:
- Non-invited users: Cannot see that the Study Hall exists
- Invited members: Full access to feed content
- Admins/Moderators: Full management capabilities
Posting Restrictions
Study Hall owners can restrict posting permissions in Settings:
- Open Posting: All members can create posts
- Restricted Posting: Only Admins and Moderators can create posts (members can still comment)
Use Case for Restricted Posting: Announcement-only Study Halls, curated resource libraries, or high-signal communities where quality control matters.
Feed Organization Features
Teach Study Hall owners how to keep feeds organized:
Pinned Posts
Admins and Moderators can pin important posts to the top of the feed:
- Welcome messages for new members
- Study Hall guidelines and rules
- Important announcements
- Frequently referenced resources
How to Pin: Click the three-dot menu on any post → Select "Pin Post"
Best Practice: Limit to 1-2 pinned posts maximum. Too many pinned posts push regular content down and create clutter.
Post Categories or Tags
Some platforms allow tagging posts with categories:
- Questions
- Wins/Celebrations
- Resources
- Introductions
- Feedback
Benefit: Members can filter the feed to see only posts in categories they care about.
Search Functionality
Teach members to use feed search to find:
- Past discussions on specific topics
- Posts by specific members
- Content with specific keywords
Teaching Tip: Archive-minded 45+ members often worry "What if I need to find this later?" Show them the search feature to ease this concern.
Creating an Engaging Activity Feed
Help Study Hall owners build thriving feeds:
1. Post Consistently
Recommended Cadence:
- New Study Halls: Daily posts for first 2 weeks
- Growing Study Halls: 3-4 posts per week
- Mature Study Halls: 2-3 posts per week minimum
Why: Regular posting creates the expectation of activity and trains members to check back frequently.
2. Use Varied Content Types
Mix it up to maintain interest:
- Questions that invite discussion
- Polls for quick engagement
- Resource shares (articles, videos)
- Celebration posts highlighting member wins
- Behind-the-scenes content
- Challenges or prompts
3. Respond to Member Posts
When members post, Study Hall owners should:
- Respond within 24 hours
- Ask follow-up questions
- Thank members for contributing
- Tag other members who might be interested
Transformation Insight: In Phase 4 (Transformation Engine), owner responsiveness creates psychological safety that enables vulnerable sharing and peer teaching.
4. Encourage Member-to-Member Interaction
The best feeds have members talking to members, not just members talking to the owner:
- Ask members to help each other
- Highlight great member comments
- Create buddy systems or accountability pairs
- Use @mentions to pull specific members into conversations
5. Set Feed Norms Early
In the first pinned post or About section, establish:
- What topics are on/off limits
- How to ask questions effectively
- Celebration culture vs. complaint culture
- Response time expectations
Feed Moderation Best Practices
Teach Admins and Moderators how to maintain healthy feeds:
Light-Touch Moderation
Do:
- Redirect off-topic posts to appropriate Study Halls
- Remove spam or promotional content
- Address guideline violations quickly but kindly
- Edit posts only to fix formatting issues (with permission)
Don’t:
- Over-police every conversation
- Delete posts just because you disagree
- Moderate based on personal preferences vs. guidelines
Handling Conflict in the Feed
When disagreements arise:
- Let members work it out if discussion remains respectful
- Step in if conversation becomes personal or heated
- Remind members of Study Hall guidelines
- Move heated discussions to private messages if needed
- Remove members who repeatedly violate guidelines
Teaching Tip for 45+ Audience: Compare moderation to hosting a dinner party. You want lively conversation, but you’ll redirect if someone monopolizes discussion or gets inappropriate.
Feed Activity and Campus Transformation
Strategic feed management drives transformation:
Phase 2 (Community Building):
- Active feeds create sense of life and connection
- Member posts create belonging and identity
- Consistent activity reduces "ghost town" perception
Phase 3 (Engagement Ecosystem):
- Varied content types keep members returning
- Notifications of new activity drive repeated visits
- Member-to-member interaction builds retention
Phase 4 (Transformation Engine):
- Vulnerable sharing in feeds enables peer teaching
- Celebration posts reinforce progress and wins
- Question-answer loops transfer knowledge at scale
Common Feed Challenges and Solutions
Challenge: "My feed is dead—no one posts"
Solutions:
- Post provocative questions, not just announcements
- Create posting templates for nervous members
- Recognize and celebrate early posters
- Start a daily/weekly prompt series
- Personally invite specific members to contribute
Challenge: "A few members dominate the feed"
Solutions:
- Privately thank prolific posters, then ask them to create space for others
- Implement a "No consecutive posting" norm
- Create specific threads where everyone contributes
- Highlight and respond enthusiastically to quieter members
Challenge: "Feed moves too fast—members feel overwhelmed"
Solutions:
- Create weekly digest posts summarizing key discussions
- Use categories/tags so members can filter
- Consider splitting into multiple specialized Study Halls
- Implement themed posting days (Monday Questions, Friday Wins)
Next Steps: Learn how members interact with the Activity Feed in our Activity Feed View Guide.
Need Help? If you have questions about creating engaging Activity Feeds, contact our support team.