Discussion

I have seem some forums manually approving topics. While posts are automatically approved, your topics will be manually approved. They say thus is to ensure that only high quality of topics are approved for discussion. Do you think thus is a good strategy to build quality content in your community. Have you tried this method? Did you get quality topics?

https://invisioncommunity.com/forums/topic/477045-when-can-we-expect-ic-5-to-be-released/?do=findComment&comment=2965674 Any guesses on the new editor? I didn't notice anything different in their tease videos

I've often thought about doing a roundup of the most interesting, most fascinating, most informative, and most bizarre support topics from IPS. To start with, here's a fun topic on the more bizarre side: https://invisioncommunity.com/forums/topic/477418-banned-account-in-the-trial/

In the real world, there is a separation of civic duties to ensure checks and balances. No one person does everything. The cops catch you, the judge gives out punishment, etc. In online communities that are small or tightly-run, there is usually only one admin or one moderator. This person does all of the above: they investigate the report, confirm the level of punishment, and doles out the punishment. While this is extremely efficient from administering all of the individual tasks, it overweights the decisions (which are can be snap judgements made in the moment). Have you thought about a separation of duties, where one person reviews the reports, but…

Starting an online community is an exciting venture, but the ultimate goal for many community owners is to turn free community visitors into paying clients. This transformation, while challenging, is essential for the community's sustainability and growth. To achieve this conversion successfully, consider implementing the following strategies: Create an Informative Landing Page: A well-structured landing page on your community website serves as a gateway to turning visitors into paying clients. This page should not only highlight the services or products you offer but also convey your community's identity, values, and mission. It's an opportunity to introduce yo…

The pratfall effect is a psychological phenomenon where blunders can actually enhance a person's (or brand's) likability. Did you used to love ordering takeout pizza from Domino's? Fourteen years ago, the CEO of Domino’s Pizza starred in their 'Pizza Turnaround' marketing campaign. The commercials embraced the criticism of their pizza at the time (it was bland! it tasted like cardboard!) and promised to fix the problem. He openly admitted their product wasn't up to par and pledged to fix it. This honesty not only humanized the brand but also won over customers. Can we apply this principle to managing our online communities? Have yo…

In today's digital world, ideas are like the building blocks of success in many areas. Even if you have the coolest idea ever, getting others on board is key for it to thrive. That's why communication skills matter a lot, not just for big CEOs, but for everyday forum leaders. They don't just talk about how important it is to connect – they're great at it, whether it's writing, speaking, or sharing. Let's look at Jeff Bezos, the mastermind behind Amazon. While he was crafting it, he knew that writing well was crucial. In 2004, he surprised his team by saying no to PowerPoint. Instead, he used "stories with clear titles and sentences" to get his message across. Ot…

Forums are often compared to social networking sites, often in the context of, "are forums dying??" There's a nuance between all of these different platforms, where: Forums are based on discussions around topics Social Networking sites are based on connections around people Social Sharing and Broadcasting is based on publishing content This is not to say that your community can't contain flavors of all three. For example, one of the strengths of IPS is it's multiple applications where you can use Pages or Courses or a third party Video app for Social Sharing and Broadcasting to publish information to others, while using Forums for social discus…

You've worked hard to create a space for people to connect, share ideas, and learn from each other. But, there's a problem - one of your members is engaging in bullying behavior, making others feel uncomfortable and unwelcome. What should you do? 1. Recognize the Problem: The first step in addressing bullying is recognizing it. Bullying can take various forms, from hurtful comments to exclusion or harassment. Pay close attention to your community's interactions, and listen to members' concerns. Sometimes, bullying can be subtle, so being vigilant is essential. 2. Gather Information: Before taking any action, gather information about the situation. Talk to the i…

So much of the inherent design of reports and member actions are punitive: they're designed to punish the user. You ban the user, you suspend the user, you send an alert. These are heavy handed actions that don't incorporate remediation. It's swift justice, without giving the user the opportunity to present their side. This is hard. A new user, or a member who is not aware of the social norms of the community, can make an honest mistake but a moderator moving fast can misconstrue a statement. It's also much easier to one-click suspend or ban than to reach out, identify specific parts of the community guidelines that were broken, and to provide a chance for a re…

Let's explore the importance of having a clear code of conduct for your online community. Think of it as your community's rulebook. Mission Statement: Your code of conduct should start with a mission statement. Think of this as your community plan. It's where you, as the community leader or owner, explain your goals and dreams for the community. This aligns with behavioral economics, which suggests that people are more likely to engage when they understand the purpose and goals. Your mission statement helps members connect with your community's mission and possibly contribute to achieving it. Expectations and Social Norms: Just like in everyday life, people in y…

In the realm of online communities and forums, the power of effective writing shines brightly. Imagine having the ability to connect with fellow members, share your thoughts, and spark engaging conversations. While some might consider great writing a natural talent honed through experience and reading, recent scientific insights are illuminating the science behind engaging online content. Advances in neuroscience and psychology show how words, phrases, and stories affect the brains of community members. And the recipe for creating captivating content is more objective than you might expect. Writing that resonates with online community members triggers a release of do…

In the fast-paced world of online communities, where trends come and go like fleeting tides, how can you create content that stands the test of time? How can you ensure that your community remains a valuable resource for years to come? Understanding Evergreen Content Before we dive into the strategies, let's understand the concept of Evergreen Content. Evergreen content is content that remain relevant, valuable, and timeless. Unlike news articles or trending topics that are in the moment, evergreen content continues to attract readers, spark discussions, and provide value long after it's published. The Power of Evergreen Content Why is evergreen conte…

So many community builders either plan to do everything themselves or hire a community manager. Instead, you should first clarify your strategy. Yes, having someone to help you moderate and handle mentorship is excellent. But if you don’t know how the community will support your strategy, or if you don’t have any objectives yet, it may be too soon to know exactly what that support should look like or whether you need any. Sometimes when several people are involved, distractions increase and break the focus needed to strategize. A client I worked with had challenges in this area. While developing her strategy, she attempted to onboard her team, confusing everyone. A…

When you enforce your community's rules and guidelines, you are not only upholding the values of your community but also creating a safer and more trustworthy environment for all members. The consistent enforcement of rules builds trust, deters inappropriate behavior, and helps your community flourish. Ignoring these issues, on the other hand, can lead to legal problems and harm the reputation of your community. Here are 3 concepts related to online behavior: Norms and Social Behavior: Just like in the physical world, online communities have norms and rules that guide acceptable behavior. In the realm of behavioral economics, we learn that people often follow…

Starting an online community is an exciting venture, but it requires careful planning and strategic thinking to ensure its long-term success. Whether you're aiming to build a professional network, foster a shared interest group, or create a platform for discussions, here are five crucial tips to consider before embarking on your online community journey: 1. Define Your Purpose and Value Proposition: Clarity Is Key: Begin by clearly defining the purpose and value your online community will offer to its members. Ask yourself what unique benefits members will gain from participating. Identify Your Niche: Determine your community's niche or focus. A well-de…

As a dedicated forum owner, launching your platform and nurturing a growing community can be both exciting and worrisome. While you envision your community thriving and flourishing, there's often a lurking concern: the unauthorized use and theft of your valuable content. Content theft can undermine the hard work you put into building your online space. In this article, we will explore how to address content theft within your online community effectively. Dealing with Content Theft: Speak to the Member in Question: Your first course of action when you suspect someone is stealing your content should be to approach the member directly but professionally. Politenes…

Maintaining the quality and originality of content is vital to fostering a healthy and engaging environment. Unfortunately, forum owners and community managers often encounter members who engage in a detrimental practice: copy-pasting identical content across various forums in quick succession. Not only does this behavior compromise the uniqueness of discussions within the community, but it can also harm the forum's search engine optimization (SEO) efforts. To combat the issue of members copying and pasting the same content across multiple communities, it is imperative to establish clear guidelines within your terms of service and community rules that explicitly pro…

Building an online community is only half the battle; the other half is keeping it active and engaged. An active community not only benefits its members but also adds value to your brand or organization. Here are five easy ideas to generate activity within your online community: 1. Host Regular Themed Events: Virtual Gatherings: Organize regular virtual events or webinars around specific themes or topics relevant to your community. These events can include expert panels, workshops, or Q&A sessions. Scheduled Calendar: Create an events calendar, so members know when to expect these gatherings. Consistency helps build anticipation and ensures a steady f…

Some things that I personally found interesting about BlueSky in my onboarding: Content moderation is in the hands of the user: you can choose in your Moderation settings what you want for content filtering. Do you want to see hate group iconography, or do you want to be warned? Do you want to see spam, or show all spam? (What I didn't see, however, is who defines hate group iconography and what that covers) Discovery is in the hands of the user: during the onboarding, I was asked to select one or several types of discovery feeds. Some are reasonable and default such as Following and Discover, but you can also choose more unique feeds such as Quie…

As a website owners, you are probably already promoting your website and web pages on various social sites? Which social site has been most valuable in terms of bring traffic to your website? Do you have a dedicated social media page for your website or do you promote on your personal page? For me, Facebook has been the most valuable site for bringing traffic. After Facebook, the most use social site is Twitter.

Do you send newsletters to your registered users? What mass email service do you use for sending your newsletters? How big is your email list? Do you just send newsletters about your site or do you also promote other products and services through your newsletters? Do you get a good conversion rate? Well, I tried and I failed because my list was very small, it did not even have 1000 emails.

Have you done video marketing for your website? Did you manage to bring users and traffic on your site through video marketing? Which video sharing site did you use for your video marketing campaign? Did you just promote for free or did you also boost your videos through ads? I have done video marketing for my sites on various sites but it did not help me to bring users and traffic.

Are you an inflluencer? Or you work with an influencer? Have you done influencer marketing? What platform did you choose for influencer marketing? Did you have a good conversion? What kind of products and services were you promoting through your influencer marketing campaigns? I have worked with Twitter influencer and managed to build sales and also traffic.