Guide · Published 5 Jun 2026 · 7 min read
Communities fail moderation twice: once because rules and staff tools were never configured, and again because nobody documents how moderators should use them.
Use this checklist on ForumForge before launch and revisit it monthly during your first quarter.
Community rules and visibility
Publish clear rules in a pinned, easy-to-find forum. Link them from welcome threads and registration messaging.
- —Acceptable use and prohibited content
- —How members report problems
- —Consequences for repeated violations
- —Appeals or escalation contact path
Staff roles and permissions
Separate administrators, global moderators, and forum-specific moderators. Give each group the minimum access needed to do their job.
- —Who can ban, warn, or edit any post
- —Who can access member billing or private data
- —Who handles spam and new account review
- —Backup coverage when primary moderators are offline
Moderation tools configured
ForumForge includes reports, warnings, bans, and saved moderator actions. Configure them before public launch, not after the first incident.
Escalation and documentation
Write a one-page moderator playbook: how to handle spam, harassment, duplicate accounts, and edge cases specific to your community.
Post-launch rhythm
Review report volume weekly, audit moderator actions monthly, and update rules when the same questions repeat. Good moderation is operational, not heroic.