Building Sankira: Why We're Rethinking Online Communities
When we started building Sankira, the question wasn't "What's missing from social media?" It was something more specific: Why is it so hard to have thoughtful conversations online?
Social platforms have become incredibly good at keeping us scrolling. They're less good at helping us learn, discuss, or build knowledge together. Algorithms optimize for engagement—which often means controversy, not clarity. Communities get buried under trending topics. Expertise gets drowned out by hot takes.
We thought there had to be a better way.
Our Approach
Sankira isn't trying to replace Twitter, Reddit, or Discord. We're building something different: a platform where communities come first, and where the goal is depth, not just reach.
Spaces over algorithms
On most platforms, your feed is controlled by an algorithm you can't see or influence. On Sankira, Spaces are the organizing principle. Think of them as community hubs where people gather around shared interests—photography, philosophy, indie hacking, climate tech, whatever.
When you join a Space, you see what's happening there. Not what an algorithm thinks will keep you engaged. You control which Spaces you follow, and that's what shapes your experience.
This means:
- Communities can grow without gaming an algorithm
- Expertise and quality rise naturally through community curation
- You can actually find the discussions you care about instead of hoping they find you
Quality over engagement metrics
Here's something we learned early: when you optimize for engagement, you often optimize for the wrong things. Outrage gets engagement. Clickbait gets engagement. Thoughtful, nuanced discussions? Not always.
So we made a choice. Sankira doesn't show you vanity metrics like follower counts front and center. We don't have "trending" algorithms designed to push viral content. Instead, we focus on tools that help communities thrive:
- In-depth discussions where threads don't get lost in the noise
- Knowledge sharing through posts that people can reference and build on
- Community moderation where Space creators have real control over their communities
"The best online communities aren't the biggest ones. They're the ones where people feel heard, where knowledge compounds over time, and where quality matters more than virality."
What We've Learned
Building Sankira has been an education in what people actually want from online spaces.
Niche communities matter. Some of the most engaged Spaces on Sankira are tiny—fewer than 100 members. But they're active. People show up because they care about the topic and the people there.
Moderation is feature, not a burden. We've given Space creators tools to shape their communities—not just ban spam, but to set the tone, highlight quality contributions, and create the culture they want. Turns out, people want that control.
Long-form still has a place. Short posts are great for quick updates and discussions. But people also want room to think out loud, to write tutorials, to share case studies. That's why we're expanding into blog-style content—because sometimes an idea needs more than 280 characters.
What's Next
We're still in the early stages. Sankira is a work in progress, and we're building it with the community, not just for them.
Some things we're working on:
- Better discovery tools so you can find Spaces that match your interests
- Improved moderation features for Space creators
- Tools for knowledge preservation—making it easier to find great discussions from months ago
- More ways to recognize and reward quality contributions
We don't have all the answers. But we're committed to building a platform where thoughtful conversations can happen, where communities have real autonomy, and where knowledge-sharing is the point—not a side effect.
If that sounds like something you'd want to be part of, we'd love to have you. Join us on Sankira and help build the kind of online community you've been looking for.