(Oops I just posted this as a reply…)
From what I see online, most forum posts are one of two things:
A) A question seeking an immediate answer to a personal problem
B) A statement about something someone feels to be true
Neither inspires much engagement, unless someone enjoys solving others’ problems all day with the former or feels strongly enough to debate opinions with the latter. This structure tends to build low-quality interactions.
So… there is only really one rule for the new community I launched:
NO “I, ME, MY” POSTS.
This prevents posts falling into either of the above problems.
The reason I “imposed” this rule is:
-
If you have a problem you want to solve, you must ask how others solved it for themselves, not how they can solve it for you.
-
Instead of stating “I think this about this”, you have to ask what others think. You can then share your opinion in the comments the same way as they are.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE:
How do I do achieve X?
How did you achieve X?
OR
I think Y.
What do you think about Y?
It’s also helpful that most people are using their real face and name, creating a sense of cordiality and respect that seems more rare in anonymous forums.