1. Make the discussion title descriptive
A good discussion title is a short preview of your post and is what gets people to click and read. A well-written title is also going to help search engines better index your post which will bring more people into the discussion. For example, instead of ‘Best Feature ever’, try "SecuriAlert is such as useful and effective feature" or instead of "App doesn’t work" try "Help, I’m having problems getting the My Journeys feature to record my trips ."
2. Proof read
Spelling mistakes, typos, and bad grammar will distract readers from the point you’re trying to make. If you’re writing a long post, save it as a draft and come back to it after a few minutes or as long as it takes your brain to forget what you had written.
3. Use minimal formatting
Overly formatted posts can also distract from the message and it encourages others to do likewise and you end up with a hard to read thread.
4. Put your post in the right category
The right category can be the one that has a relevant category name or it can be a category where this kind of post is often made. If there is no appropriate category, it might be worth considering if your post is appropriate for the community at all.
5. Use tags
Tags are helpful for others to find keyword related posts. It also helps the site admins get a sense of what topics are popular.
6. If you want responses, ask for them
If you want others to comment, you can encourage them by asking them to do so. If your post is just an FYI (for your information) then don’t.
7. Go easy on the insider jargon
Inside jokes and inside references can be fun and make the community unique but too much of it can turn off new members.
8. Add an image
Images add visual interest and make your post look great.
9. Mention others
Credit other members if you are building off their previous comments or if you want to draw them into the discussion (use @ to include them).
10. Own the discussions you've created
Respond to comments promptly and thoughtfully. Thank others for commenting on your discussion and helping with moderation if things get heated.
Creating great forum posts helps to ensure quality discussion and better engagement. If you are a member of a community and you want it to be vibrant and a great place for others, the above rules will ensure it's a great experience for everyone.
Community Moderator
