Moderating a special interest group within a Social Network is can be an honourable and fulfilling task but also a very challenging one. Below we’ve created a basic checklist of the do’s and dont’s to consider when moderating groups within social networks.
10 things moderators should NOT do
- See it as a “pass by” work – it takes time and effort
- Link yourself with everyone – you won’t be able to handle it
- Dismiss people without warning them clearly beforehand (a “3 strikes and your out” system is preferable depending on the severity of the violations)
- Move, edit or delete articles without communicating, with a valid reason, to the thread starter or the members (depending on the importance for the members) – and always take a screen-shot beforehand
- Accept sexual harassment, defaming, racism or anything else which is clearly criminal
- Allow directly selling of ‘anything’
- Spam members with mass messages or dump large quantities of (irrelevant) content
- Force your views, beliefs, points
- Appear defensive in your posting style
- Appear emotional
10 things moderators should DO
- Clearly state the groups rules, atmosphere and style on your “About this Group” page and the “Welcome-Message”
- Be there (responsibilities during holidays?) and be reachable (allow the members to send you personal messages)
- Check your guestbook entries, your contact requests and your private messages regularly (You wouldn’t believe where you can find urgent information!)
- Be quotable (otherwise the members react negatively)
- Look after your network – figure out VIP members, link yourself with core connectors – and inspire them to support you
- Develop knowledge about your group – otherwise people won’t build up trust in you and your role
- Ensure it’s all about people (passion and emotions), not about profiles or virtual lives
- Be neutral in conflicts – if you are not, ask another moderator to intervene
- Use verbal communication (i.e. phone) to solve conflicts especially when dealing with problematic members
- Allow criticism and discussions about you, set the limits though
0 Responses to “20 Do’s and Dont’s of successful Group Moderation”