Subsplash is a complete platform for churches and nonprofits, offering mobile apps, online giving, church management, and a drag-and-drop website builder. The website builder lets you build pages from sections and blocks, including a code block where you can add your own HTML. However, it does not include a built-in community forum or discussion feature.
That's where Website Toolbox comes in. You can embed a fully featured discussion forum directly into your Subsplash website, or simply link to your forum from your site's navigation. Either way, you get user accounts, moderation tools, and real-time conversations.
This works really well for:
- Church member communities
- Small group discussions
- Prayer request boards
- Youth group forums
- Volunteer coordination
- New member welcome areas
- Event follow-up discussions
This step-by-step guide walks you through the process:
Step-by-Step: Add Your Forum
Option A: Embed the Forum
- Log in to your Website Toolbox account or create a new forum if you don't already have one.
- Go to Integrate → Embed → Embed your forum, and copy the embed code.
- Log in to your Subsplash dashboard at dashboard.subsplash.com.
- Select Websites in the menu, then open the site where you want to add the forum.
- Select Pages in the site editor and edit the page where you want the forum, or create a new Forum page.
- Add a Section to the page where you want the forum to appear.
- Add a Code block to the section. Click Create New to add a new code snippet and name it (for example, "Forum Embed").
- Paste your Website Toolbox embed code into the code block.
- Click Save, then click Publish to deploy your changes to the live site.
- Copy the URL of your published Forum page.
- Go to your Website Toolbox embed settings and paste the URL into the Where is the forum embedded? field to complete the configuration.
Option B: Link to the Forum
- Log in to your Website Toolbox account or create a new forum if you don't already have one.
- Copy your forum URL from the Integrate → Embed page.
- Log in to your Subsplash dashboard at dashboard.subsplash.com.
- Select Websites, open your site, then select Pages and edit the page where you want the forum link.
- Add a Button or Text block to the page.
- Set the button or text link to your forum URL.
- Click Save, then click Publish to deploy your changes.
Single Sign On
Website Toolbox offers a custom SSO integration service starting at $199.
How to purchase custom SSO integration:
- Log in to your Website Toolbox account.
- Go to Integrate → Single Sign On.
- Under Your Website Builder, select Other from the dropdown.
- Follow the prompts to complete your purchase.
What Your Members Can Do
Members
- Create discussion topics
- Reply to existing threads
- Like and react to posts
- Search the forum
- Receive notification alerts
- Edit and delete their own posts
Admins
- Moderate all content
- Ban or suspend users
- Create and manage categories
- Customize the forum appearance
- Set user permissions
- Access analytics and reports
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Subsplash have a built-in forum feature?
No, Subsplash does not include a native forum feature. However, you can easily add a forum to your site using Website Toolbox, either by embedding it directly into a page or by linking to it from your navigation.
Should I embed the forum or link to it?
Both work well. Embedding keeps users on your Subsplash site and integrates the forum seamlessly into your page layout. Linking is simpler to set up and opens the forum in its own page, which can be a better experience on mobile devices. Choose whichever fits your workflow.
Can I customize the look of my embedded forum?
Yes. Website Toolbox provides a theme editor with a variety of themes you can choose from to match your Subsplash site's design. You can customize colors, fonts, layout settings, and more to create a seamless look.
Can I make the forum private or members-only?
Absolutely. You can restrict forum access to logged-in users, create invite-only communities, or charge for access with subscription plans. Combined with the SSO integration, you can seamlessly connect your church's member system with the forum.
Do I need to know how to code?
No. Subsplash uses a visual, drag-and-drop editor. You add a Code block and paste the embed code from Website Toolbox, and the forum appears on your page. No programming skills are required.
Will the forum work on mobile devices?
Yes. Website Toolbox forums are fully responsive and work great on phones, tablets, and desktops. If you embed the forum, the iframe adapts to the container size automatically. Website Toolbox also offers a mobile app so your members can participate from their phones.