What makes a Great Forum?

[Lori]

Great Members – without members you have no forum
Good Content – without good content you will get no members
Courteous Staff – without courteous staff you will lose members



What makes great forum staff?
1.    Share Knowledge
   If you post information from a source, include the link to the source.
2.    Expand on Content
3.    Be willing to help others
   To do this, all you need to do is reflect back in your own life, and remember in the beginning, how lost, forsaken, and perhaps even abandoned you felt.   That is usually enough to remind you to reach out to someone else and give them a hand up.
4.    Making other members feel welcome
   Here again, reflect in your own past, and it will help you welcome someone new on board.
5.    Join in on conversations
   As stated above, you have to have members to have a forum, and you have to have conversations as well.  Take as long as you want to take the plunge for your first post, but MAKE your first post!   We do not bite.  There are no dumb questions.   
6.    Ask quality questions
7.    Give quality answers
8.    Start good conversations


What makes a good member?
A good member adds to the content of the forum. Regardless of how little you think you know even if you only know a few basic things; it may be more than someone else knows. You should share your knowledge regardless of how little you feel it is. Sharing knowledge and experience is how we all learn.
1.    Share Knowledge
2.    Expand on Content
3.    Willing to help others
4.    Making other members feel welcome
5.    Join in on conversations
6.    Ask relevant questions
7.    Give relevant answers


We all learn from questions asked and answered regardless of how trivial it may seem to you, it may be of great help to others. Not everyone will have the same amount of experience and knowledge as you. When you ask a question it does not have to be a long drawn out question. Short and to the point is acceptable.

When you answer a question, please try to give as much information as you can without sending them to an outside source for an explanation. Do however give them an outside source if you feel they can benefit from it as much as they can from your answer.

If someone has helped you on the forum, say thank you for the help, you could expand it more by stating how that member has helped you. A little praise and encouragement can go a long way toward making a great member.



Copyright RebelRose Networks ©2006 All rights reserved
Source: http://www.rebelrosenetworks.com/forum/index.php?page=14
as seen on ezinearticles.com

Thought this was a great little piece to help folks understand the purpose of forums. Hope ya'll enjoy it too. Gentle hugs. Lori