The Community Roundtable

Empowering global community leaders with research-backed resources, training, and tools.

  • Who we are
    • Our Values
    • Our Team
    • Our Clients
      • Client Success Stories
    • Community Leadership Awards
      • Community Leadership Awards 2022
      • Community Leadership Awards 2021
      • TheCR Awards 2020
      • TheCR Awards 2019
      • TheCR Awards 2018
      • TheCR Awards 2017
    • Careers
      • 2022-23 Community Management Fellow
  • What we do
    • Benchmarking and Audits
      • Community Performance Benchmark
      • Community Readiness Audits
      • Community ROI Calculator
      • The Community Score
    • Models and Frameworks
      • Community Maturity Model™
      • Community Engagement Framework™
      • Community Skills Framework™
      • Community Technology Framework™
      • The Social Executive
    • Research
      • The State of Community Management
        • SOCM 2022
        • SOCM 2021
        • SOCM 2020
      • Community Careers and Compensation
      • The Community Manager Handbook
        • 2022 Edition
        • 2015 Edition
      • The Social Executive
      • Special Reports
    • Training and Events
      • Upcoming Events
      • Data-Driven Community Management Workshop
      • Connect
        • Connect 2023
        • Connect 2022
      • Community Technology Summit
      • Training
      • Resource Bundles
    • Resources
      • Vendor Resource Center
      • Community FAQs
      • Community Management Podcasts
        • Community Conversations
        • Lessons From The NEW Community Manager Handbook
      • Community Management Jobs
        • Job Board
        • CMGR Profiles
      • Community 101
        • Community Management Glossary
        • Community Management FAQs
      • Case Studies
      • Community Webinars
  • Who we serve
    • Resources for Community Managers
    • Community Program Owners
    • Community Executives
  • TheCR Network
    • Member Login
    • Join TheCR Network
    • Roundtable Call Library
  • TheCR Library
    • Subscriber Login
    • Subscribe to TheCR Library

Best Practices for Community Posting Guidelines

April 26, 2023 By Shannon Abram

One of the hardest aspects of community management is the negative energy that can be directed your way when a member is unhappy. It’s common to grow weary and frustrated with the unwelcome behavior of many users, and it can feel like there is nothing you can do about it.

Luckily, there are proven tools and approaches that allowed you to proactively create a constructive environment. Community posting guidelines help you proactively create a constructive environment.

Your first order of business is to write (or revise) your community posting guidelines. Guidelines are often viewed as a secondary task in a community, but research and practice show that well-formulated guidelines are the difference between mayhem and harmony.

Below is a list of four prompts for positive community participation, along with a list of behaviors that will not be tolerated. Use these are a starting place for drafting community posting guidelines that work for your specific use case.

Getting the most out of your community experience:

  • Read and learn! More than anything, this community exists to be an interactive and ever-growing resource.
  • Ask questions! It can be to satisfy your own needs for knowledge or to propel a conversation further.
  • Answer questions! Think you know the answer to a peer’s question? Give it a shot and share your experience.
  • Encourage others! Be free with ‘thank you’, ‘good job’, and kudos.

The following behaviors are not acceptable and may result in content removal or being banned from the community:

  • Posting messages that are inflammatory, unconstructive or at odds with the aims of the community.
  • Posting messages that contain offensive language or references or personal attacks against other forum participants, including staff and moderators.
  • Posting messages that advocate illegal actions.
  • Posting the same message in multiple threads or forums.
  • Posting unconstructive messages about the company and/or other products and services.
  • Promoting or soliciting for your own business
  • Posting unsolicited messages (including “spam”).
  • Posting irrelevant or off-topic subject matter.
  • Posting to 3rd party websites outside of official sources.

Want even more advice for using policies and guidelines to build a thriving community? Check out this podcast featuring community expert Melissa Westervelt.

About Shannon Abram

I love dogs, drinks, and the oxford comma. Writing from the great commonwealth of Massachusetts, I almost definitely need a nap.

comments powered by Disqus
Community best practices

Resources for the people who build online communities.

ABOUT US
Our Values
Our Team
Our Clients
Careers

RESOURCES
Vendor Resource Center
Podcasts 
Job Board
Community 101
Case Studies
Webinars
Upcoming Events

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
Benchmarking and Audits
Models and Frameworks
Research
Training and Events

RESOURCES BY AUDIENCE
Community Managers
Community Program Owners
Community Executives

QUICK LINKS
Blog
Newsletter
About TheCR Network
About TheCR Library
About TheCR Academy

LOGIN
TheCR Network
TheCR Library
TheCR Academy

Contact
Support
Partnership
Inquiries
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter