Address frequently asked moderation questions

“Why is my comment stuck in pending?”

“How do I contact a moderator about my comment(s)?”

“Why are comments closed for this discussion?”

If those are questions you often hear from your readers, address them in your Comment Policy. It will save you lots of emails and tweets to respond to later.

Let your community know about it

Consider sharing an update with your readers when you publish or update your Comment Policy. If you want your readers to get behind it, proactively let them know and encourage them to share feedback and ask questions. It’s important to establish the right tone that resonates with them and that they can understand. Here’s a good example from A VC when they updated their comment policy for the first time in five years.

How Disqus Publishers Use Comment Policy

The 100+ most frequently Comment Policy keywords (See high-res. image→) Created via WordClouds.

Here are some of our favorite comment policies that publishers have created so far on Disqus. Don’t see yours below? Post a comment with a screenshot and we might feature yours too!

Spoiler TV: We pride ourselves here with the quality, friendliness and respectfulness of our community (aka don’t be a dick!)

Inside Higher Ed: Comments are reviewed prior to publication. Comments must contribute to the discussion; debate an opinion, not a person.

MSPowerUser: We welcome relevant and respectful discussion, but rudeness and personal attacks will not be tolerated.

Bulldawg Illustrated: Comment as though you were face to face. Be civil – leave out personal digs. Don’t curse.

Let us know how you’re using Comment Policy on Disqus. Post screenshots of your Comment Policy below and share any feedback you would like to discuss with the community in the comments below.