Before You Start: Read This First
Be honest with yourself: You're going to lose members. Most migrations see 40-60% of members make the jump initially. Some will join later, but many won't come at all. That's normal and it's okay.
The members who DO migrate will be more engaged, and if you're charging on Skool, you'll probably make more money with fewer people. Quality over quantity.
What You'll Need
Skool Account
$9/month. Set this up before announcing anything to your Facebook Group.
30 Days Minimum
Don't rush this. Give people time to adjust and migrate gradually.
Email List
If you have member emails, you can remind stragglers outside of Facebook.
Tutorial Video
Record a quick Loom showing exactly how to join. Makes it way easier.
The Complete Migration Timeline
This is what works. Don't try to do it faster.
Set Up Skool
Do this before announcing anything to your Facebook Group. You want Skool looking good and feeling alive before anyone sees it.
- Create your Skool account and community
- Set up categories that mirror your Facebook Group structure
- Write a welcome post explaining what the community is about
- Import your best 10-20 posts from Facebook (manually copy/paste)
- Upload any guides, resources, or files you reference often
- Set up your pricing if you're going paid
- Test everything yourself - join as a member to see what they'll see
Announce the Move
Be honest and clear about why you're moving. People hate surprises and vague explanations.
- Make a pinned post in Facebook explaining the move
- Include specific reasons (better organization, courses, paid model, etc.)
- Give a clear timeline (moving in 4 weeks)
- Address the obvious objection: "Why can't we just stay here?"
- Record a video explaining how to join (Loom works great)
- Answer questions in the comments - expect pushback
Early Access
Let your most engaged members join first. They'll create content and make the space feel alive for everyone else.
- Post the Skool link with "Early Access" messaging
- If going paid, offer a discount for early joiners
- Personally message your top 20 most active members
- Welcome each new member with a comment on their intro post
- Ask early members to start posting questions and content
- Keep posting in Facebook too - don't abandon it yet
Goal: Get 50-100 members on Skool before the main launch. They become your ambassadors.
The Main Launch
Now you invite everyone. Make it as easy as possible to join.
- Post the Skool link in Facebook (Facebook will suppress it, so post multiple times)
- Email your list if you have one
- Create a simple graphic with the Skool URL
- Post daily reminders in Facebook for a week
- Share screenshots of what's happening in Skool to create FOMO
- Go live in the Facebook Group and walk through how to join
Run Both Platforms
This is the awkward middle phase. You're managing two communities. It's exhausting but necessary.
- Post unique content in Skool first, then share to Facebook
- Gradually reduce Facebook posting frequency
- Respond to Facebook comments with "We're discussing this in Skool"
- Keep reminding stragglers to join Skool
- Share Skool wins in Facebook (testimonials, results, engagement)
- Make Skool clearly better by being more active there
Archive Facebook
Time to close the old house. Make Facebook read-only but keep it accessible.
- Post a final announcement: "We've moved to Skool"
- Change Facebook Group settings to require admin approval for posts
- Pin a post with the Skool link at the top
- Stop approving new posts (or approve very rarely)
- Keep the group open for search and reference
- Occasionally remind stragglers about Skool
Success: Your active community is now on Skool. Facebook is just a reference archive.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
⚠️ Pitfall 1: Moving Too Fast
You announce on Monday and try to shut down Facebook by Friday. Members feel rushed, confused, and abandoned.
Solution: Give people at least 4 weeks notice. Humans hate change and need time to process it. The slower you go, the more people will actually migrate.
⚠️ Pitfall 2: Empty Skool on Launch Day
You send everyone to Skool but it's a ghost town with no content. First impressions kill communities.
Solution: Seed Skool with your best content before inviting anyone. Get 50-100 early members posting before the main launch. Make it look alive.
⚠️ Pitfall 3: Not Explaining Why
You just say "We're moving to Skool" without explaining the benefits. People resist change without clear reasons.
Solution: Be specific about why. "Skool lets us host courses, has better organization, and we can actually monetize this community properly." Give real reasons they can understand.
⚠️ Pitfall 4: Facebook Link Suppression
You post the Skool link once and wonder why no one joined. Facebook actively suppresses external links in Groups.
Solution: Post the link multiple times in different formats. Create an image with the URL. Go live and speak it out loud. Email it. Don't rely on one Facebook post.
⚠️ Pitfall 5: Shutting Down Facebook Too Early
You close the Facebook Group after 2 weeks because you want everyone on Skool. You lose the stragglers who would've joined eventually.
Solution: Keep Facebook open for 2-3 months. Make it read-only but accessible. Some people need that extra time to make the switch.
⚠️ Pitfall 6: No Tutorial Video
People say "I don't know how to join" or "It's too complicated" when it's really just unfamiliar.
Solution: Record a 3-minute Loom video showing exactly how to create an account and join. Walk through every click. Make it brain-dead simple.
Set Realistic Expectations
Initial Migration Rate
If you have 1,000 Facebook members, expect 400-600 to make the jump initially. Some will join later, many won't join at all.
Minimum Timeline
Don't try to do this faster. People need time to adjust, and you need time to build momentum on Skool.
Engagement Increase
The members who DO migrate will be more engaged. Expect higher quality discussions with fewer but better people.
Setup Time
Properly setting up Skool, migrating content, and managing the transition takes real time. Don't underestimate this.
Pre-Launch Checklist
Don't announce the migration until you've done all of this:
Categories, welcome post, branding, settings all configured
Your most valuable content is already on Skool
Shows exactly how to join - send to a friend first to test
Stripe connected, pricing tiers configured, discount codes ready
Clear reasons, timeline, and instructions prepared
You'll personally message these people for early access
You'll need this for reminders outside Facebook
What Successful Migrations Look Like
"Started with 2,400 people in Facebook. After the migration, 900 joined Skool. Felt like a failure at first. Six months later, those 900 are 10x more engaged, we're making $8k/month in membership fees, and I actually have time to focus on content instead of managing chaos."
— Jessica T., Business Coaching
"Took us 6 weeks to fully migrate. Week 1 felt slow, week 2 people started joining, week 3 momentum kicked in. By week 6 we had 60% of our Facebook members on Skool and way better discussions happening. The key was not rushing it."
— David M., Fitness Community
"The tutorial video was the game changer. Once I made a 3-minute Loom showing exactly how to join, sign-ups tripled. People weren't lazy, they were just confused. Make it stupid simple."
— Alicia R., Marketing Community
After the Migration: First 30 Days
Once your community is on Skool, focus on these priorities:
✓ Welcome Every New Member
Comment on every intro post. Tag them in relevant discussions. Make them feel seen. First impressions lock in retention.
✓ Post Daily for the First 2 Weeks
You need to create momentum. Daily discussion prompts, questions, or content keeps the feed active and shows people this community is alive.
✓ Celebrate Wins Publicly
When someone posts a win or achievement, make a big deal about it. This creates culture and shows new members what's valued here.
✓ Use Skool's Gamification
The leaderboard actually works. Recognize top contributors. People will post more to climb the ranks.
✓ Fix Issues Fast
If people report problems accessing content or logging in, fix it immediately. Early frustrations can cause permanent drop-off.
Automate Your New Skool Community with StickyHive
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✓ Automated welcome sequences for new members
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