The invitation code is a unique code that allows access to an exclusive online community. This code must be provided in order to create an account and participate. The invitation code serves as a way to limit and control membership while maintaining privacy and security.
Why are invitation codes used?
There are several key reasons why invitation codes are commonly used for online communities:
- To limit membership to only those who are invited – Requiring an invitation code ensures that only those individuals who have been invited by existing members are able to join. This helps keep the community exclusive and manageable in size.
- To maintain privacy – Many online communities want to remain private and prevent just anyone from discovering and joining the group. Invitation codes add a layer of privacy.
- To reduce spam – Spammers are less likely to be able to access and post in private online groups that require invitation codes to join.
- To reward existing members – Providing invitation codes to existing members allows them to invite new people they think will add value to the community.
In summary, invitation codes allow online community creators to carefully control membership and maintain the intended privacy, exclusivity, and experience.
Where do I find my invitation code?
If you have been invited to join an exclusive online community that requires an invitation code, you should have received the code directly from the person who invited you. This is usually sent in a private message, email, or text. If you cannot locate the invitation code, get back in touch with the person who invited you and ask them to resend it. You will not be able to create an account and access the community without it.
What are some examples of communities that use invitation codes?
Many different types of online communities use invitation codes to limit membership. Here are some examples:
- Social networks – Exclusive social apps like Clubhouse initially grew by making access invitation-only. This created intrigue and demand to join the exclusive social experience.
- Discussion forums – Special interest and professional forums often want to carefully control who can participate in conversations. Invitation codes help maintain member quality and prevent trolling.
- Premium content sites – Some websites providing premium content or subscriptions use invitation codes to manage new sign-ups and prevent abuse.
- Referral programs – Referral and affiliate programs will provide you with a unique invitation code to share with your network to allow you to get credit for new sign-ups.
- Gaming communities – Gaming groups and guilds sometimes rely on invitation codes to make sure new members are a good fit for the existing community.
- Investing groups – exclusive investing communities such as AngelList syndicates and CoinList use invitation codes to maintain quality and trust.
Essentially any online community looking to cultivate a specific culture or experience may use invitation codes to control membership signup. This allows organic, managed growth from existing trusted members.
How do I use an invitation code?
Using an invitation code is straightforward. The usual process is:
- Visit the website or app you are trying to join and look for a sign-up form.
- Enter your basic information like email address, name, etc.
- There will be a spot to enter your unique invitation code. Copy and paste or type in the code you were provided.
- Submit the completed sign-up form.
- You should receive confirmation that your new account has been created using the invitation code.
Entering the special invitation code along with your basic registration details allows you to bypass the closed community access. Be sure to enter the code exactly as you received it since typos will likely invalidate the code.
What if I lose my invitation code?
If you misplace or lose an invitation code before creating your account, simply reach back out to the person who invited you. Explain that you have lost the code and ask them to resend it. Most of the time they can retrieve it from their history and send it again.
If for some reason the person who invited you cannot resend the original invitation code, you will need them to generate a new one for you. Existing members usually have the ability to create new codes from within their account dashboard to send out.
However, if the community only allowed for single-use codes, you may be out of luck. You’ll have to ask the existing member to contact an admin or moderator on your behalf to request a new invitation.
Can I reuse an invitation code?
Typically, invitation codes can only be used once. The code you were given is uniquely generated for your email address alone. Here are some things to keep in mind regarding reusing codes:
- You cannot use the code a second time for another account. It will come back invalid.
- You should not share your code with anyone else. The code was assigned to you specifically.
- It’s against policy to try and generate or guess multiple codes to get more people added.
Attempting to reuse or misuse an invitation code will likely result in a ban from the community. The only way to get more people added is to have existing members send out additional invitation codes responsibly.
Is buying/selling invitation codes allowed?
Most online communities prohibit members from selling, trading, or transferring their invitation codes. The codes are intended to be used to select new members based on personal connections. Any attempt to sell, gift, or misuse invitation codes will be seen as a violation of policies. If discovered, offenders may be banned from the community.
Can I request an invitation code to join a community?
If you find an exclusive online community you would like to join but do not know any existing members to invite you, you have a couple options:
- See if the community has a public waiting list you can add yourself to in order to be considered for future membership. Some may invite people from the waitlist periodically.
- Make friends with existing members in public forums related to the community and build rapport. After getting to know you, a member may be willing to vouch for you and send an invite.
- Provide value to the community by contributing content publicly on blogs, social media, etc. Community leaders may take notice and invite you in.
Essentially, find ways to stand out and get onto the radar of community members and leaders. With consistent value and relationship building, many will be willing to invite great new members in.
Conclusion
Invitation codes allow online community creators to cultivate the specific membership and experience they want to have in their private groups. While this adds a barrier to entry, it ensures the community can grow slowly and organically without being overrun.
Earning an invitation code is a privilege and they should be used appropriately by new members. If you are invited to an exclusive community, be sure to follow any rules around invitation codes so that you become a productive member.
With a little effort, you can develop connections with existing members and possibly receive an invitation code to access many great private online communities currently limited by invitation only.