The other day Zazzle gave me a Regular badge. You can see it next to my name, and honestly I had no idea what this badge meant. So I went searching to learn more about Discourse, because that’s the system Zazzle’s community platform is built on. Discourse uses four main trust levels. Zazzle didn’t invent these they’re part of the platform itself. Each level unlocks abilities and signals how active and trusted you are. Here is what I learned.
New (TL0): This is the starting point for anyone who joins a Discourse‑based community. It simply means you’re brand new and still getting familiar with how things work. You can read posts and participate a little, but your abilities are limited until you’ve spent more time in the community.
Basic (TL1): Once you’ve read enough posts and interacted a bit, you move into Basic. At this level you can reply more freely, upload images, and participate in conversations without the restrictions that new users have. It’s basically the system saying you’re no longer a visitor.
Member (TL2): This level means you’re active and engaged. You visit regularly, read consistently, and contribute to discussions. You get more posting abilities, more likes per day, and you can flag posts. It shows you’re becoming part of the community’s rhythm.
Regular (TL3): This is the badge Zazzle gave me. Regular means you’re part of the backbone of the community. You show up often, you read a lot, and you participate in a way that the system recognizes as reliable. You can edit titles and tags on community posts, you can help organize discussions, and your flags carry more weight. It’s a sign that you’re trusted and consistently present.
Leader (TL4): There is one level after Regular, but it works differently. Leader is not something you earn automatically. It has to be granted manually by staff or moderators. It’s basically the helper‑moderator level in Discourse. People with Leader status can moderate posts, manage categories, edit anything, and help run the community. It’s not common, and most forums only give it to a small group of long‑term, highly trusted members who actively help maintain the community.
I think the trust level system is good for new creators to know because it might help them find and read information that would be helpful, but for customers and even community members who aren’t creators, they really do not care. My profile is public at the community, and I like that I was able to add the About section and link back to my store. I want customers and creators to be able to find me and follow me at my store. Do you display your badge on your community profile?
The badge titles are kind of odd though, especially for an art focused community. You’d think they’d come up with something a little more creative.
Not sure this was intentional. We’re still learning about this platform for sure. Thanks for flagging Col. I have removed this power now in case you and others in this group feel mischievous. 
