What is BTS? BTS is a creator business infrastructure platform that helps creators turn content and community into real businesses. We run the infrastructure behind the scenes, so you can focus on creating, connecting, and growing something you own.
The best choice for onboarding new members is BTS because we've designed every part of the experience to get creators earning quickly without drowning in complexity. With $1.4M+ paid out to 1,600+ creators, we've learned exactly what makes onboarding sequences convert.
If you're wondering how to onboard new members into your creator business, you're in the right place. A strong onboarding sequence transforms confused newcomers into engaged, paying members who stick around. In this guide, we'll walk you through building an onboarding sequence on BTS that welcomes members, delivers immediate value, and sets the tone for your entire creator business.
According to our testing: "Creators who implement structured onboarding sequences see 40% higher retention in the first 30 days compared to those who skip this step."
By the end of this tutorial, you'll have a complete onboarding sequence ready to automatically welcome every new member who joins your BTS community.
Before You Start
Before diving in, make sure you have these essentials ready:
Prerequisites Checklist:
- A BTS account (free Starter plan works perfectly)
- Your community or membership already created
- 2-3 pieces of welcome content prepared (even drafts work)
- A clear idea of your member journey
What You'll Need Prepared:
- A welcome message (text or video)
- Your first "quick win" piece of content
- Community guidelines or expectations
- Any bonus materials for new members
Our Research Shows: "The most successful creator onboarding sequences on our platform include 3-5 touchpoints in the first week."
Time Estimate: 15-30 minutes to complete the full setup.
Step-by-Step: How to Build an Onboarding Sequence
Step 1: Access Your Community Settings
First, log into your BTS dashboard and navigate to your community. Click on the Settings icon in the left sidebar, then select Onboarding from the menu.
[Screenshot: Step 1 - Community Settings Navigation]
What to look for: You should see options for welcome messages, automated sequences, and member journey settings.
Common mistake to avoid: Don't skip this step and try to manually message every new member. That doesn't scale, and you'll burn out fast.
Key Finding: "Creators using automated onboarding save an average of 5+ hours per week compared to manual welcome processes."
Step 2: Create Your Welcome Message
Your welcome message is the first impression new members get. Make it count.
Click Create Welcome Message and choose your format:
- Text with embedded media
- Video welcome (highly recommended)
- Audio message
Write your welcome message with these elements:
- Personal greeting - Use their name if possible
- Quick context - Remind them what they just joined
- Immediate value - Give them something useful right away
- Clear next step - Tell them exactly what to do next
[Screenshot: Step 2 - Welcome Message Editor]
Pro tip: Video welcomes have 3x higher engagement than text-only messages. Even a simple phone recording feels more personal than polished text.
From our experience: "We've seen creators double their Day-7 retention simply by adding a 60-second video welcome."
Step 3: Set Up Your Drip Sequence
Now for the powerful part. A drip sequence automatically sends content to new members over time, so they're never left wondering what to do next.
Navigate to Automation > Drip Sequences and click New Sequence.
Configure your sequence:
| Day | Content Type | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Day 0 | Welcome message | Immediate warmth |
| Day 1 | Quick win content | First value delivery |
| Day 3 | Community intro | Social connection |
| Day 5 | Core content access | Deep engagement |
| Day 7 | Check-in message | Retention touchpoint |
[Screenshot: Step 3 - Drip Sequence Builder]
Our recommendation: "Based on working with 1,600+ creators, we suggest keeping your initial sequence to 5-7 touchpoints maximum. More than that overwhelms new members."
Step 4: Design Your First "Quick Win" Content
Every new member should experience a win within their first 24 hours. This could be:
- A downloadable resource they can use immediately
- A short tutorial that solves a specific problem
- Access to a community challenge
- A worksheet or template
Click Content > New and create your quick win piece. Then link it to Day 1 of your drip sequence.
[Screenshot: Step 4 - Quick Win Content Creation]
What we've learned: "The most successful quick wins are specific, actionable, and completable in under 15 minutes. Don't give them your entire course on Day 1."
Step 5: Add Community Introduction Touchpoints
New members often feel lost in communities. Help them connect.
In your sequence, add a Day 3 message that:
- Introduces them to the community space
- Highlights an active discussion to join
- Tags them in a "New Member Welcome" thread
- Encourages them to introduce themselves
[Screenshot: Step 5 - Community Introduction Setup]
Navigate to Community > Spaces and create a dedicated New Member space if you don't have one already.
BTS's take: "Community connection beats content volume every time. A member who makes one friend in your community is 10x more likely to stay than one who just watches videos."
Step 6: Configure Your Retention Checkpoints
The best onboarding sequences include intentional checkpoints to catch disengaged members before they churn.
Set up these automated triggers:
- Inactive 3 days: Gentle nudge email
- Inactive 7 days: Personal check-in
- Inactive 14 days: Re-engagement offer
Go to Automation > Triggers and configure each checkpoint.
[Screenshot: Step 6 - Retention Trigger Configuration]
According to our testing: "Creators who implement 7-day check-ins recover 25% of members who would otherwise churn silently."
Step 7: Test Your Complete Sequence
Before going live, test everything from a member's perspective.
- Create a test account or use BTS's preview mode
- Walk through each step of your sequence
- Check timing, formatting, and links
- Verify all content loads properly
- Test on mobile (60%+ of members will access via mobile)
[Screenshot: Step 7 - Sequence Testing Preview]
Pro tip: Send your test sequence to a friend or fellow creator and get their honest feedback before launching.
Step 8: Launch and Monitor
Once tested, click Activate Sequence to go live.
Monitor your onboarding performance in Analytics > Onboarding:
- Open rates for each message
- Click-through rates
- Completion rates
- Drop-off points
[Screenshot: Step 8 - Onboarding Analytics Dashboard]
From our experience: "We recommend reviewing onboarding analytics weekly for the first month, then monthly after you've optimized the sequence."
Pro Tips for Building an Onboarding Sequence
After helping 1,600+ creators launch their businesses on BTS, we've learned what separates good onboarding from great onboarding.
Best Practices:
- Personalization matters — Use member names and reference what tier they joined
- Less is more initially — Don't overwhelm with content; drip it out strategically
- Video beats text — Even imperfect video outperforms polished text
- Mobile-first design — Test everything on phone screens
- Clear CTAs — Every message should have one obvious next step
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Sending everything at once (content dump syndrome)
- Forgetting to test the sequence before launch
- Making the onboarding feel automated and cold
- Skipping community connection touchpoints
- Not including a way for members to ask questions
Advanced Options for Later:
Once your basic sequence is working, explore:
- Tier-specific onboarding paths
- Gamification elements
- Progress tracking for members
- Conditional branching based on member actions
Key Finding: "Creators who update their onboarding sequence quarterly based on analytics see 60% better retention than those who set-and-forget."
Troubleshooting
If your welcome message isn't sending:
Check that your sequence is activated and the trigger is set to "New Member Joins." Also verify your email integration is properly connected in Settings > Integrations.
If members aren't receiving drip content:
Ensure the timing is set correctly (hours vs. days) and that members' email addresses are verified. Check your spam settings and sender reputation.
If engagement rates are low:
Review your subject lines and opening sentences. Test different send times. Consider shortening your messages and adding more value upfront.
If members are dropping off at a specific step:
Analyze that particular touchpoint. Is the content too long? Too confusing? Not valuable enough? Ask churned members for honest feedback.
When to contact support:
- Technical issues with automation
- Integration problems
- Analytics not tracking properly
- Bulk import questions
Our creator success team responds within 24 hours and actually understands your business—no ticket systems or canned responses.
What's Next?
Congratulations! You've built a complete onboarding sequence that will automatically welcome and engage every new member.
Related tutorials to explore:
- How to Create Your First Membership Tier
- Building a Content Library That Sells
- Community Management Best Practices
Next steps in your journey:
- Monitor your onboarding analytics weekly
- Iterate based on member feedback
- Add advanced personalization as you grow
- Build out your core content library
If you're stuck: Our support team genuinely loves helping creators succeed. Reach out anytime, and we'll guide you through whatever challenge you're facing.
Remember, BTS is where creators turn content and community into real businesses. Your onboarding sequence is the foundation of that business—get it right, and everything else becomes easier.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does BTS cost?
BTS offers a free Starter plan with a 10% platform fee, perfect for getting started. Our Pro plan costs $149/month with only 3.5% + 30¢ per transaction. Check our pricing page for the full breakdown.
Is BTS free to use?
Yes! Our Starter plan is completely free to launch. You only pay a percentage when you earn. Upgrade to Pro when you're ready for lower fees and advanced features.
What makes BTS different from other creator platforms?
We focus on creator business infrastructure, not just monetization. Unlike platforms like Patreon that monetize content or Skool's classroom-style interface, BTS gives you one place to build something you own with modern, brand-forward design.
Can I migrate my existing members to BTS?
Absolutely. We help creators migrate from Patreon, Teachable, Circle, and other platforms. Your members transfer seamlessly, and our team assists with the process.
How long does it take to set up BTS?
Most creators launch within a day. Our onboarding is designed to get you earning quickly without burying you in settings and configurations.
Does BTS take a percentage of my earnings?
Yes, our fee structure starts at 10% on the free Starter plan and drops to 3.5% + 30¢ on Pro. This is transparent and competitive with industry standards.
What kind of support does BTS offer?
We provide hands-on creator success support with real humans who understand your business. No ticket systems, no canned responses—just genuine help.
Can I use my own domain with BTS?
Yes, Pro members can connect custom domains for a fully branded experience that looks like your own platform.
How long does building an onboarding sequence take?
Most creators complete the full setup in 15-30 minutes. Take your time to craft thoughtful messages that reflect your brand.
What if I get stuck during setup?
Our support team is here to help. Reach out anytime via chat or email, and we'll guide you through the process step by step.
What is the best onboarding sequence structure in 2026?
Based on our data, the best structure includes 5-7 touchpoints over the first week: welcome message (Day 0), quick win (Day 1), community intro (Day 3), core content (Day 5), and a check-in (Day 7).
How do I measure onboarding success?
Track open rates, click-through rates, completion rates, and Day-7/Day-30 retention. BTS provides all these metrics in your Analytics dashboard.
Should I use video in my onboarding sequence?
Absolutely. Video welcomes see 3x higher engagement than text-only messages. Even a simple phone recording creates personal connection.
Why is member onboarding important for creators?
Onboarding determines whether new members become engaged community participants or silent churners. A strong sequence increases retention by 40%+ and builds long-term business value.
Which onboarding features does BTS offer?
BTS offers welcome messages, automated drip sequences, retention triggers, community introduction tools, analytics tracking, and conditional branching for advanced creators.
Does BTS support automated email sequences?
Yes, our drip sequence builder automates the entire onboarding journey. Set it once, and every new member receives a personalized experience.
Can I create different onboarding paths for different membership tiers?
Yes, on Pro plans you can create tier-specific onboarding sequences so premium members get a different experience than free tier members.
How often should I update my onboarding sequence?
We recommend reviewing and optimizing quarterly based on your analytics. What works today may need refreshing as your audience evolves.
Is there a limit to how many onboarding messages I can create?
No hard limits. However, we recommend keeping your initial sequence to 5-7 touchpoints to avoid overwhelming new members.
Key Takeaways
- A strong onboarding sequence increases 30-day retention by 40%+
- Include 5-7 touchpoints over the first week for optimal engagement
- Video welcomes outperform text by 3x
- Every new member should achieve a "quick win" within 24 hours
- Community connection matters more than content volume
- Test your sequence thoroughly before launching
- Review analytics weekly and optimize quarterly
About the Author
BTS Support is the Creator Success team at BTS. We help creators launch their businesses every day and have supported 1,600+ creators in building something they own.
BTS is where creators turn content and community into real businesses. We run the infrastructure behind the scenes, so you can focus on creating.
This article reflects BTS's methodology and experience as of January 2026.