Clear community guidelines underpin every successful online community. They are the basic house rules which, if followed, allow everyone to give, take, and get along. Sounds simple, but many communities create guidelines which aren’t followed, are hard to understand, or are not even enforceable. Today we’re going to share exactly how to create reasonable guidelines that are actually followed.

It’s not only possible for communities to have a clear vision and purpose which drives them forward—it’s basically essential. Without a clear purpose, your community will always struggle to grow organically and attract the right people. And if your community ever changes its direction or focus, that will be driven by its new purpose.

A lot of online communities invest time, money, and resources in reducing the number of “lurkers” in their midst. These parasitic members who consume what they want but never contribute in return—who needs ‘em! One survey found that 30% of online community managers consider lurkers an obstacle. But are they really? Is it possible that lurkers are actually an asset to the community, or that having too many active users would be detrimental to participation and growth? Let’s take a look.