Kevin

Thanks for the mention. I really don’t like seeing posts that say things like, ‘Use the search’ etc – they are unfriendly and leave the member with a hugely negative impression of the community. If the question is common, then perhaps the community can make the answer a little more prominent? (I like that you use community guides to help address this issue).

If not, is it really more difficult to copy and paste the actual answer rather than telling a member to use the search facility?

Keeping a community close-knit is a challenge when it grows. However, it is still important to ensure that all members feel valued. One way of doing this is through member awards, but the best way is to ensure that members feel welcomed and valued regardless of whether they ask a question that has been asked a thousand times before, or whether they are the member who spends six hours a day in the community and has made 100,000 posts.

When it comes to online community, it is easy to be distracted by technology. This is a mistake. The most important element of a successful community is the relationships that are formed there. In this respect, online communities are no different to offline communities.

- Martin