Best Of

A general end user experience after announcements are posted is a new ability to dismiss on the discussion list(s) where it may be announced.

All users can dismiss announcements from their own personal view, but only after they have read it (this action is unique to each user and does not affect what other users see).

Learn more HERE

You’ve just wrapped up a massive update. You’ve written the perfect discussion post: crisp, clear, and maybe even a little witty. You hit “Publish” and sit back, imagining the flood of likes, comments, and GIFs of confetti that are sure to follow.

Then you log back in the next morning and… it’s gone.

Well, not gone gone. It’s still there, technically. But it’s now sitting three scrolls down, buried under bug reports, “how do I?” questions, and someone’s off-topic debate about the merits of light vs. dark mode (again).

The big post that was supposed to drive excitement has quietly slipped into the background noise.

Enter Announcements - your secret weapon for keeping the spotlight exactly where it needs to be.

🧷 The Power of the Pin

Every community has cornerstone conversations that you want and need members to see. With Vanilla, you can feature a discussion so it’s highlighted prominently at the top of Discussion pages, and even showcase it through the Announcements Widget on your homepage.

Think of it like pinning a note on the office corkboard — except your entire community can’t miss it.

You can use Announcements to:

• Announce new product releases or roadmap updates
• Highlight upcoming events or webinars
• Showcase member spotlights or success stories
• Reinforce onboarding or community guidelines

Unlike a fleeting banner or temporary post bump, featured discussions stay visible until you decide it’s time for a change.

🧭 A Quick How-To

You can make a discussion an announcement two different ways:

• When creating a post - Select one of the radio buttons shown below to either limit the announcement to just the Category or also include it on the Recent Posts page.

• Edit an existing post via its (...) menu - Select Announce to display a dialog where you can select the same options shown above.

🌟 Pro Tip: Rotate and Refresh

Don’t let your Announcements become part of the furniture. Rotate and/or change them up regularly to keep your homepage dynamic. Whether that’s every couple of weeks or in sync with product release cycles, keeping things fresh will draw eyes.

Even better, create a simple “Featured Content Calendar” to remind yourself (or your team) when it’s time for a refresh. Communities thrive on activity, and your featured posts can subtly set that rhythm.

🧩 Why It Matters

Featuring content isn’t just about visibility. It's also about direction. It helps guide members toward the conversations that matter most, reinforces your community’s purpose, and keeps engagement flowing in the right places.

So the next time you publish that can’t-miss post, don’t let it drift away into the feed.

Give it a pin, and let it shine.

And I know how we all love documentation, so read more here about our Announcements feature!