Discover,the,Forum,Moderating, DIY Discover the Forum Moderating Tips Pros Use to Build Huge Fo

When starting a new work at home business it is very easy to become consumed by it. We spend so much time trying to get the business up and running that we may end up becoming burned out and lose our motivation. There is so much to learn and Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in

Beforeyou open the doors to invite guests and prospective members toexplore your new forum, the rules of engagement should be somewhatestablished. We say somewhat because they'll probably change overtime as others contribute to the management and growth of yourcommunity. ForumRulesWhilethe details will probably evolve, you'll want to implement a basicframework of rules as soon as possible. Getting people to agree toguidelines as they join will be far easier than imposing new rules onan established community down the road. Below is a short list ofsuggestions to get you started:Rudeness,insulting others, personal attacks, threats or inflammatory postsshould not be toleratedRepeat,redundant posting to increase post counts should be discouragedNoadvertising, spamming, solicitation or commercial self promotionshould be allowedProhibitdiscussing any illegal activitiesNoposting of lewd comments, language or photosNoposting of misleading or irrelevant comments, stay on topicNoposting of disturbing material (benign images that suddenly changeto a screaming face)Limitingmembers to a single forum account is advisedWhilethis list is by no means all-inclusive, it will hopefully provide anoverview of the types of forum behavior that should be monitored andcontrolled. For additional ideas, try Googling the term “sampleonline forum rules.”RecruitingModeratorsAsyour forum community grows, so will the need for additionalmoderators; you'll know when you need help. It will be that momentwhen you've reached your limit on how many threads you can monitor,questions you can answer, and squabbles you can defuse. Recruitingmoderators is a natural progression in the growth of every healthyforum community.Whilechoosing the right moderators is good for everyone, empowering thewrong personality can wreak unimaginable havoc. Below are a few keypoints to consider when selecting candidates:Hasthe user contributed regularly over a period of time? Are theyknowledgeable?Dothey have good grammar, spelling and syntax skills? Doesthe user have the right personality? Are they even tempered,likable, and fair minded?Dothey have the time to commit to being a moderator?Whenextending invitations to prospective moderators, try approachingusers who post a high number of quality posts and appear to becommitted to the forum. Approaching candidates can be as simple asprivate messaging them and asking them to become a moderator. Explainwhy you've considered them and clearly define their role.ModeratorResponsibilitiesClearlydefining moderator responsibilities is of utmost importance. Theymust know what's expected of their position as well as whichdecisions and activities are assigned to others. Moderators aretypically assigned a particular discussion forum or user group andare expected to perform the following functions:Visitthe forum at least once each dayKeepposts clean and move off-topic posts to appropriate categoriesCommunicatewith unruly members and advise them of the consequences ofdisruptive behaviorEditpostings when necessary so that they conform to the forum's contentguidelines.Deleteor move single posts or entire threads when necessaryLockor unlock posts as requiredSupportingyour volunteer moderators once they've assumed their new roles isalso critical. Be sure to communicate frequently with them,recognize and reward their contributions and give them some time offoccasionally so they don't get burned out.ModeratorConductTopromote cohesiveness and decorum, moderators should be responsiblefor their own “code of conduct.” While similar to general forumrules, moderator codes of conduct are intended to preserveneutrality, authority and confidentiality. Below is a list ofsuggestions for your consideration. Prospective moderators shouldagree to:Berespectful of all members, each other, and represent your forum withprofessionalismBediscreet and maintain confidentiality regarding moderator activitiesand member informationConsidermember feelings before hitting the submit button, both in publicforums and private Deletingmember posts should be done only after conferring with the forumadmin or other moderatorsResignfrom moderator duties if there is a breach of confidentiality or thecode of conduct is not followedModerationTipsBecauseeach forum and its audience are unique, moderation styles andguidelines will differ. Consequently, you'll want to craft your ownstrategy as it applies to your community. As a general overview offorum moderation practices, the list below provides a starting point.Beprofessional: Personality is good but don't take liberties or getlazy. Try to use correctgrammar, punctuation and capitalization when you're typing. How youpresent yourself reflects upon your forum and people's perceptions.Watchout for trolls and spammers. Always be vigilant and proactively seekthem out and take action to minimize their annoying posts. Watchfor members abusing other members. Don't tolerate flaming;disagreementsare fine but any more than that will discourage guests from joiningand drive quality members from your forum. Make sureeveryone has a chance to participate.Chooseforum staff carefully. Make sure the people you choose lead byexample and are patient and fair. Toexpand on the previous point; watch for troublesome forum staff.Don't let moderators intimidate other members or dole outunnecessarily harsh penalties for infractions. Conversely, timidmoderators can be just as harmful to the health of your forum.SummaryAsyour forum community grows and more people participate in thediscussion, you'll most likely be amazed by the things people say.You're the host, so the responsibility for maintaining a functionalenvironment falls to you. A good moderating strategy will help thatgoal immensely. Hopefully this article has provided a solid referencefor establishing a moderating plan for your community. For more tips,tricks and strategies on building your forum, please refer to ourprevious articles in this series. Thanks for reading!