Forums, boards, and blogs…oh my! For small business owners who spend a lot of time behind the computer keyboard and not that much time in the “real” world, industry forums and boards serve as a sort of virtual “water cooler.” For many of us, particularly artists who spend a lot of time editing (whether you’re editing photos or video), online boards, blogs, and forums are your most frequent connection to the outside world. Your best source of social interaction. Ostensibly, they should be used strictly for sharing and gaining valuable information about your industry. Don’t know how to do that latest cool visual trick in Final Cut Pro? Go to the boards. Starting out in the photography business and need a good DSLR recommendation? Find it on the forums. Want to find out if it’s better to edit on a Mac or PC? Edit on a Mac. Er, I mean, go to the boards. However, there’s one flaw when it comes to this simple formula for using forums and boards. They’re populated by people. Infallible human beings who have feelings, egos, agendas, etc. So, inevitably, what should be an educational resource often turns into drama.
As The Forum Turns
“Like sands through the hour glass, so are the days of our lives…” Those are the famous opening words to one of the longest running soap operas on television (don’t ask me why I know that). But, if you frequent any number of industry related boards, you may feel like you’re taking part in your own soap opera. I suppose there’s nothing anyone can really do to permanently terminate the drama that can often unfold on forums. But, here are a few tips I’ve picked up along the way that can help.
- Don’t write anything you don’t want the world to see: the best advice I can give someone is never, ever write anything you wouldn’t want the world to read. Some boards are for members-only, so it’s easy to get lulled into an artificial sense of security. You’ll let your guard down then write things you think only a limited number of people are reading. But, things have a way of getting out. This recently happened on a private forum I visit. Someone made a comment just meant for the members, one that out of context in the real world could be taken wrong. Obviously, a member of the forum leaked what was said to someone else, someone who just happens to run a provocative, tabloid style blog. The comment got posted and feelings were hurt. Earlier this year I was reading in Wired Magazine about an employee of a major Fortune 500 company writing a blog about things happening in the company. And I’m sure we’ve all heard about emails by upper Microsoft management that incriminated them in their anti-trust case. I don’t care if you’re behind the most technologically advanced firewall in the world. If you write anything that goes over the Internet (or an intra-net), assume that one day, it will be posted for the world to see. Use that knowledge to dictate what you decide to write, or not to write.
- Don’t rely strictly on “emoticons”: Often, people will try to use emoticons to soften a board post or email message. You know, those combinations of characters to make a face that depicts a particular emotion, e.g.
for happy or 
for sad, etc. While these do help, they’re not foolproof. Remember that voice inflections and body language are a huge part of communication. Emails or board posts which “sound” one way to you in your mind, may be interpreted entirely different by the receiving party. Their current mood or state of mind will have a lot to do with how they receive a comment. So, if at all possible, avoid highly charged or provocative comments. Keep it as professional and objective as possible. - Don’t write posts in anger: this goes for email too. Never use this medium to communicate anger, or if you’re upset about something. If at all possible, call the individual and settle it over the phone. If that’s not possible, send a PM (private message) to the individual, and have a third, objective party read it before hand.
- Don’t hijack posts: If someone starts a thread about how to effectively use a widget, don’t start a tangential post to that thread about why you don’t like using widgets because Widget Inc. pollutes the environment. If you don’t use Widgets, don’t reply to the thread. If necessary, start a separate thread about your tangential topic.
- Keep it professional: when you post on an industry forum or board, you are a representative of your company. Whether or not you’re the owner. Keep that in mind. How do you want colleagues and/or potential clients to view your company? Pretend the PR Police for your company are standing over your shoulder watching everything you write. Would they approve of the post before you hit that “submit” button.
- Remember what mama used to say: “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” I guess when all is said and done, the best advice is always the “old school” advice.
If you have any tips on how do avoid forum drama, or if you have your own horror stories, share it with us in the comments. The more we can all learn to be better Internet citizens, the better all of our experiences will be when using forums and boards.
