 <!-- google_ad_section_start -->Administrator Tips (Staff Selection and Forum Management)<!-- google_ad_section_end -->
I have made my way around several admin forums, and regardless which forum you are at, you see the same concerns being posted all the time. How do I control a problem member? How do I find a moderator/Staff Member? My moderator/Staff Member is inactive, what do I do? My moderator/Staff member is disrupting my forum, what do I do?
The most important thing is choosing staff members and Moderators wiseley. The actions of these people can make or break your forum. Here are some things I have learned and applied, maybe they will help you. Moderators
- Add moderators only when necessary
If you have less than 100 members, and half of them are not active, you don't need a moderator. You should be able to easily handle monitoring the activity yourself. 1 moderator for every 50 - 100 "active" members is plenty. As that number gets higher, that ratio can be further dropped to around 1 moderator for every 150-100 moderators if you choose your moderators carefully. - Have Moderator Rules and Guidelines
This removes any doubt in regards to what a moderator should and shouldn't do. It also gives you something to point to whe the time comes to correct or remove a moderator. - A Moderator is not a Promoter
You chose the moderator to moderate your forums. Their job is not to become a promoter unless you specifically made that clear in the application. Generally, if you added moderators to generate activity in your forum, you did it for the wrong reason. - Choose your moderators carefully
An active poster isn't necessarily a good candidate to be a good moderator. Just because he/she posts alot doesn't mean he/she is capable of handling the responsibility of moderating. Below are some guidelines I follow on my forums:- Don't ask people to be a moderator unless you are very sure they will be perfectly honest with you, and you know them well
A majority of the time, when you ask someone to be a moderator, they will accept either because it sounds like a cool idea to be a moderator, or because they are not good at saying the word "no". This is one of the best ways to end up with a moderator that does absolutey nothing. Or worse, it turns and active member into someone who drifts away from the forum because they no longer feel comfortable. - Create a Moderator Application Form
You can be fancy about this and install an actual form, or you can simply have a list of questions and information to be answered. If the applicant is truly interested in being a moderator, they won't mind answering these questions. This also gives you something in writing if problems arise in the future. - Monitor your members activity and actions
Keep a list somewhere of people who you think would do well as a moderator. This way, when they do approach you about becoming a moderator and fill out the above form, you don't have to start researching your forum to learn something about the person who is applying.
- Don't let things get carried away
If you see a moderator no longer doing their job, abusing their position, or anything else that can create a negative environment, handle it immediately.- 1-2 warnings in a relatively short priveledge of time is more than enough. After that, it is time to remove the moderator.
- If a moderator is drifting away from the forum, remove them if it continues after contacting them. Sometimes, a simple and friendly PM to the moderator is all you need to get them back and focused. No need to threaten removing them, just ask them if everything is OK. There may be something going on that is preventing them from being active. Consider the situation when deciding on how lenient to be.
- Removing a moderator is not the end of the world
It is much better for the long term success of your site to risk losing a problem moderator and possibly losing a few followers, rather than riskig losing many members and potential members by keeping the problem around.
Members - Create a simple set of rules, and be consistent with them
An active poster is not above the rules. Believe it or not, other members notice when favoritism exists, and that often drives future active members away. - Don't create a rule unless you plan on it being followed
If you are going to create it, enforce it. Think about it before you create it though. - Don't try to run a military boot camp with your rules
All forums need organization of some sort, but don't take the fun out of the community. At some point, too many rules creates and empty forum. - It is not a crime to ban someone
If a member is not following the rules, and becoming disruptive, give them the proper warnings. Be consistent, and when they cross the line, ban them. I never do permanent bans, usually just a 24 hour ban or a 2-3 day ban. The highest I have ever done is a 3 month ban (and the member anxiously waited and returned with no problems). I am not saying get "ban happy", but dont let things constantly slide either. - Are you consistently correcting or banning people?
Maybe you need to re-evaluate your rules and/or your role as an admin. It is possible that it is you, your moderators, or your rules that are the problem, not the members. Dont be afraid to adjust the rules if needed, they are not set in stone.
These are the guidelines I try to follow when running a community. I have been moderating, administrating, owning, and co-owning communities for 12 years and have learned alot of this the hard way. I have seen successful forums suddenly fail due to a simple change in administrators/owners and I have seen struggling forums succeed due to change.
Some of these things you may agree or disagree with, this is simply the mold that I have developed and learned to follow. And remember - BE PATIENT! Forums are not built overnight in most cases. Sometimes it take over a year before your work starts paying off. Sometimes not that long, sometimes longer.
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