fdk
Contributor
Hello all,
Thought I'd make a thread to share one of my own personal tips from many years of running a successful forum, with relatively few moderation issues in comparison and a generally happy memberbase.
So, a member posts a new thread, but there's just one problem - they've posted a thread on a topic that's already being discussed elsewhere, potentially multiple times. In such a situation, many moderators or admins resort to locking the newer thread, and directing the member to the existing thread.
Why do I consider this to be (generally) bad practice?
Simply put, taking moderation action like this against members feels punitive in nature, despite your best intentions and despite what you may say in the post you make when locking the thread. A member seeing the thread they took time (however little) to make being locked is discouraging, and is more likely to dissuade them from posting another thread or adding another contribution in the future.
OK fdk, that means sense. But what's the alternative? Just let all these threads pile up?
No, absolutely not! Take advantage of the "merge" feature that is built into all (if not almost all) major forum software packages. Instead of locking the newer thread, merge the thread into the existing thread. Perhaps consider leaving a temporary redirect in place in case the poster of the newer thread goes back to look for it. Alternatively, consider sending them a PM informing them gently that there was already a topic about what they posted on, so you've merged the topics together, and send them a link.
In my experience, this greatly increases the chance the member will continue to contribute to your forum, it greatly reduces the chance they will be unhappy with moderation action taken on their post, and while it may be just a few extra seconds work for your moderator/admin team, it's absolutely worth keeping your memberbase happy in my opinion!
Please feel free to share your own thoughts, and look out for more short fdk topical tips in the future.
Thought I'd make a thread to share one of my own personal tips from many years of running a successful forum, with relatively few moderation issues in comparison and a generally happy memberbase.
So, a member posts a new thread, but there's just one problem - they've posted a thread on a topic that's already being discussed elsewhere, potentially multiple times. In such a situation, many moderators or admins resort to locking the newer thread, and directing the member to the existing thread.
Why do I consider this to be (generally) bad practice?
Simply put, taking moderation action like this against members feels punitive in nature, despite your best intentions and despite what you may say in the post you make when locking the thread. A member seeing the thread they took time (however little) to make being locked is discouraging, and is more likely to dissuade them from posting another thread or adding another contribution in the future.
OK fdk, that means sense. But what's the alternative? Just let all these threads pile up?
No, absolutely not! Take advantage of the "merge" feature that is built into all (if not almost all) major forum software packages. Instead of locking the newer thread, merge the thread into the existing thread. Perhaps consider leaving a temporary redirect in place in case the poster of the newer thread goes back to look for it. Alternatively, consider sending them a PM informing them gently that there was already a topic about what they posted on, so you've merged the topics together, and send them a link.
In my experience, this greatly increases the chance the member will continue to contribute to your forum, it greatly reduces the chance they will be unhappy with moderation action taken on their post, and while it may be just a few extra seconds work for your moderator/admin team, it's absolutely worth keeping your memberbase happy in my opinion!
Please feel free to share your own thoughts, and look out for more short fdk topical tips in the future.
