Post by ~LonelyAngel~ on Jun 13, 2009 17:50:52 GMT
Running any internet forum, whether it has 100,000 members or 100 members, is not easy. Although a forum can be a rather easy website to run in terms of content, since 99% of the content will be generated for free by your members, there are always issues with the member base that an Administrator must take care of. Below are three qualities that every forum administrator should have in order to run a fair, trusted, and well kept forum.
#1 Fairness
As an admin, you must be fair. If you ban one members for a certain infraction, you must ban them all. If you start playing favorites in any argument or problem, your members will clearly see this, and likely create more problems down the road. No one wants to post in a forum, when certain individuals get preferential treatment. A good forum is an open, honest, place for members to discuss topics, without feeling like they are under communist rule.
#2 A Calm Head
A good forum admin needs to remain calm and focused at all times. You will sometimes be stuck in the middle of a dispute in which there is no winning on your part. You will need to make decisions which will anger a bunch of members no matter what you decide. Try to explain to your members why you made the decision, and never put yourself in the middle of an argument.
#3 Patience
Forums are tough. They take a while to take off, you will have many tedious tasks to complete, but in the end it will pay off. If you are persistent and patient, you will likely find success in the forum admin position. Take things one step at a time, and have a schedule for yourself to complete each day as an admin. Remember to be patient with your members as well as moderators, and also respect everyone's opinions whether you agree with them or not.
With thanks to Brian Krassenstein on Ezine
#1 Fairness
As an admin, you must be fair. If you ban one members for a certain infraction, you must ban them all. If you start playing favorites in any argument or problem, your members will clearly see this, and likely create more problems down the road. No one wants to post in a forum, when certain individuals get preferential treatment. A good forum is an open, honest, place for members to discuss topics, without feeling like they are under communist rule.
#2 A Calm Head
A good forum admin needs to remain calm and focused at all times. You will sometimes be stuck in the middle of a dispute in which there is no winning on your part. You will need to make decisions which will anger a bunch of members no matter what you decide. Try to explain to your members why you made the decision, and never put yourself in the middle of an argument.
#3 Patience
Forums are tough. They take a while to take off, you will have many tedious tasks to complete, but in the end it will pay off. If you are persistent and patient, you will likely find success in the forum admin position. Take things one step at a time, and have a schedule for yourself to complete each day as an admin. Remember to be patient with your members as well as moderators, and also respect everyone's opinions whether you agree with them or not.
With thanks to Brian Krassenstein on Ezine