Inner Circle · Members
Why we’re moving from WhatsApp to the app
What changes on Friday 9 October
On Friday 9 October we’ll mute all the WhatsApp groups, both the community groups and the dinner groups. Muted means only admins can post. The groups stay, so you can still scroll back for old photos and messages.
From then on, everything lives in the app:
- Community chat and announcements
- The Square
- Your dinner group
- Your circle’s chat
- Talking to one person
- Direct messages
- Experiences
- On the experience itself, where you can say “I’m in” and ask questions
You can of course keep messaging the friends you’ve made on WhatsApp. Those friendships are yours. We’re only moving the community groups.
Two minutes to set up
Install the app
Allow notifications when it asks
That’s how you’ll know when someone posts, replies or invites you.
Stuck? Message Bolu or Valerie and we’ll set it up with you in five minutes.
Why we’re doing this
WhatsApp is designed for messaging. We don’t want to give you yet another app to scroll, we’re tired of those too. We want a community of people who meet in person regularly, and everything in the app is there to make that easier.
More details about why
Names. Think of scrolling through our WhatsApp community. You mostly see messages from numbers, because you don’t have them saved. It’s hard to be friends with people if you don’t know their names. In the app you see the name of everyone who posts, so you get to know people quickly. Your phone number stays private: only you and our team can see it.
Meeting the same people. We’ve built circles around where you live and what you’re into, and you can create your own. When you join, you’re added to the circle closest to home, so the people you meet are easy to see again. You can see how often you’ve met someone, where you met them, and whether they’re going to another experience you could join. Starting a circle also sets up its first meetup, so it doesn’t stall after hello.
One place. Right now our community lives in two places, WhatsApp and the website, so you end up checking both. Someone asks a question about an experience in the comments on the website, then the plans get made in the WhatsApp group. Two different places for the same experience. In the app, the messages and the plans live together.
Less back and forth. When someone creates an experience, you’re told in the right chat and you say “I’m in” with one tap. No link to copy, no sign-up page. Group polls let you decide when to meet, and once it’s decided it goes into your calendar. Small things, but they make it much easier to meet, and WhatsApp can’t do them.
Groups that keep going. WhatsApp groups go quiet when nobody remembers to suggest the next meetup, and that someone is usually us. We’re a small team, and we can’t give every group the care it deserves. So we’re building the app to notice when a group hasn’t met in a while, give it a nudge, and suggest what to do next. That part isn’t live yet, but it’s on its way.
Questions you might have
Will I miss things?
Not if you’ve allowed notifications or emails. That’s how you’ll hear about new posts, invites and replies.
What if I’m running late on the day?
Post in your circle’s chat, or message the host directly.
Can I still use WhatsApp with people I know?
Yes. We’re only moving the community groups.
Is this for good?
We’ll ask everyone how it’s going at the beginning of January and tell you what we’re changing as a result.
What if something’s broken or confusing?
Tap Give feedback in the app, or message Bolu or Valerie. We read everything.
We know this is a big change
We’ve put a lot of love and care into the app to make it easier to enjoy fun experiences with people. We understand this transition is going to be difficult, as we’re all used to WhatsApp. There is no community without you. You breathe life into it, and it’ll be great to get through this change together.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please message Bolu or Valerie. We’re trying to build the very best community for you.