Welcome to Farcaster 101, a 12 part educational series designed to introduce marketing professionals to the fundamentals of Farcaster. Presented by GM Farcaster in partnership with Snickerdoodle, this series will help you understand what makes Farcaster unique and how to grow your brand presence on the platform. Each webinar is accompanied by a blog post summarizing key insights and additional resources. Plus, we offer weekly office hours for personalized support.
Module 11: Channels
In Module 11 of our Farcaster 101 series, we introduce you to channels, give you an overview of various moderation capabilities and tools, and demonstrate how to cast in channels.
What Are Channels?
Channels on Farcaster are spaces that organize casts based on shared interests, making it easier to connect and engage with others in a focused context. Think of them as falling somewhere between hashtags and subreddits, offering structure and community without being limited to simple categorization. Channels can be cozy corners for niche interests, vibrant subcultures, or even large, high-activity spaces.
While not required for participating in Farcaster, channels offer a way to curate your experience and engage more deeply in specific topics or communities.
By the Numbers
Insights from the Snickerdoodle State of Farcaster report:
~13,000 channels created as of September 2024. However, most channels are quiet with less than 5 casts in them
Less than 1% of channels are at "stadium" level with large audience, high cast volume and engagement
11% of channels act as a friendly public group chat, with high engagement across a smaller number of casts
How to Find Channels
You can find channels through search or by browsing your navigation bar. Channels you follow will appear on the left-hand side, with favorited channels pinned at the top for quick access. On the mobile app, tabs at the top provide another way to navigate between trending and favorite channels.
Exploring channels is easy—whether or not you’re a member, you can view the public content within any channel.
How to Cast in Channels
Casting in a channel is simple. When creating a cast, use the dropdown menu in the Cast Composer to select your desired channel. If you’re not a member of the channel, you won’t be able to cast there, but you can still follow along with its content.
Channels also display a small tag next to a cast, indicating where it was posted. Clicking on this tag brings you directly to the channel, where you can explore more related content.
Creating a Channel
Creating a channel requires 2,500 Warps per year (a subscription fee). From the bottom-left navigation, select Create a Channel, choose a unique name, and customize it with a logo, banner, description, and links. Once set up, you can manage your channel’s profile, invite members, and assign moderators.
Moderating Channels
Moderation tools allow you to set rules for participation and manage members effectively. Options include:
Invite-Only Membership: Limit who can join and cast by sending invites directly.
ModBot Integration: Automate moderation rules, such as requiring token ownership or other criteria for membership.
Casting Permissions: Choose between “members-only” or “everyone” for who can cast in the channel.
These tools are especially useful for reducing spam and creating tailored environments for specific groups, such as DAOs or brand communities.
Types of Channels
Channels on Farcaster tend to fall into different categories based on their purpose and/or size. Some examples of types of channels we've seen include:
Public Channels: Open spaces where anyone can cast and reply, acting as distribution tags for broader visibility. Examples: Food, Memes
Brand Channels: Managed spaces for organizations to share announcements and updates, like a modern mailing list, or for providing customer support and to engage directly with your users and audience. Examples: Neynar, Paragraph, Base
Community Channels: Interactive spaces for like-minded groups to connect, including existing communities migrating from platforms like Discord or Telegram, and new ones formed directly on Farcaster. Examples: Purple, FarcastHER, Higher
Channels are not limited to these uses. Be creative and experiment!
What's Next
Channels are a flexible feature designed to fit a variety of use cases, from casual group chats to structured community spaces. They continue to evolve as part of Warpcast’s progressive decentralization approach, ensuring they meet user needs before being fully integrated into the protocol.
Take some time to explore, cast, and create your own channels. Have questions or feedback? Join our weekly office hours or tag us in your casts. We’re here to help!
More Resources
The Snickerdoodle State of Farcaster 2024 report
Warpcast's documentation about channels
Warpcast has a no squatting policy for channel names until they become part of the protocol.
