When managing a Discord server, have you ever wondered: “Are moderators really necessary?” or “If we can manage it ourselves, is there really a need to have moderators?”
Indeed, for small communities or where trust has been built among members, it might be possible to operate without moderators. However, as the community grows and a diverse range of members gather, the presence of moderators becomes essential to maintain the health and safety of the server.
This article explains the role of moderators on a Discord server and the specific pros and cons of having them. If you are considering implementing moderators, or have doubts about their necessity, please use this article as a reference.
Discord Moderators: The Role of Community Guardians
Maintaining Order: A Fortress for a Peaceful Community
- Responding to Rule Violations: Moderators quickly and appropriately respond to actions that violate the server’s rules, such as spamming, defamation, and posting inappropriate content. They take measures such as warnings, mutes, kicks, and bans to maintain order in the community. For example, if there is a personal attack on a specific member or a statement that could be construed as hate speech, the moderator will take action such as warnings or mutes depending on the situation and work to prevent recurrence.
- Measures Against Trolls and Spammers: Moderators protect the server from threats to community safety, such as trolls and spam bots. They take measures such as monitoring suspicious accounts, reporting, and blocking to maintain a safe environment for members. For example, if they find a bot sending a large number of meaningless messages or an account repeatedly leading to external sites, the moderator will quickly block them and prevent the spread of harm.
Troubleshooting: Supporting Smooth Communication
- Mediation from a Neutral Position: If trouble or conflicting opinions arise between members, the moderator will mediate from a neutral position to help resolve the issue. They maintain peace within the community by calming emotional conflicts and leading to constructive dialogue. For example, if members are fiercely debating on a specific topic, the moderator will calmly assess the situation and take appropriate action, such as temporarily suspending the discussion or suggesting discussion on a different channel.
- Reporting and Collaboration with Admins: Create a system where moderators can report and consult with admins when they cannot handle cases alone or if serious problems occur. For example, it is important to promote smooth communication by creating a dedicated communication channel or holding regular meetings. By collaborating with the admins, more appropriate and effective responses are possible.
Community Revitalization: Creating a Vibrant Space
- Planning and Managing Events:
- Entertain Members with Diverse Plans: Promote interaction between members and revitalize the community through regular events and projects. Increase motivation and foster a sense of unity by planning and executing diverse projects tailored to members’ interests, such as gaming tournaments, quiz competitions, chat parties, movie screenings, and online drinking parties.
- Promote Active Participation: Actively promote event announcements and recruitment of participants to encourage many members to participate. They also play a role in enlivening events and creating a fun atmosphere.
- Information Dissemination: Promoting Smooth Information Sharing
- Easy-to-Understand Information Dissemination: Keep members informed about the latest information on the server, event announcements, and rule changes. They also respond to questions and requests from members to facilitate smooth communication. For example, create an environment where members can easily access information, such as by posting important information on the announcement channel or setting up a Q&A channel to receive questions.
- Active Communication: Build trust and foster attachment to the community through active communication with members. For example, create a friendly atmosphere by reacting to members’ posts and actively participating in conversations.
- Welcoming New Members: An Entrance to a Warm Community
- Provide a Sense of Security with Careful Handling: Warmly welcome new members and make their entry to the server smooth. Provide guidance to the self-introduction channel, explain the rules, and respond to questions. For example, when new members join, actively communicate with them by sending welcome messages and encouraging self-introductions to give them a sense of security.
- Support Integration into the Community: Actively support new members to help them assimilate into the community. For example, promote interactions with existing members and encourage participation in events to encourage an awareness of being a member of the community.
3. Reducing the Burden on Admins: Streamlining Operations and Further Development
- Sharing Server Management:
- Reduce the Burden on Admins: Moderators manage the server in collaboration with admins. This reduces the burden on admins and allows them to focus on more important tasks. For example, by having moderators handle everyday rule violations and respond to questions, admins can spend time on more creative activities such as improving the server and planning new projects.
- Provide Opinions from Diverse Perspectives: Because moderators have more opportunities to interact directly with members, they can provide admins with opinions and requests from diverse perspectives. This enables server operation that is more in line with member needs.
- 24-Hour Monitoring:
- Maintain a Safe Environment: It is difficult for admins to monitor the server at all times. By having moderators take turns monitoring the server, the safety of the server can be maintained 24 hours a day. The presence of moderators is essential, especially in communities with many overseas members in different time zones.
- Prompt Responses: When problems or violations occur, moderators can respond quickly, preventing damage from spreading and increasing members’ peace of mind.
- Gathering Members’ Voices:
- Contribute to Community Improvement: Because moderators have more opportunities to interact directly with members, they can gather members’ opinions and requests. This information can be fed back to admins to contribute to better server management. For example, moderators can regularly conduct surveys or hold opinion exchange meetings to actively gather members’ voices and use them to improve the community.
Benefits of Having Moderators:
- Improved Server Security: Prevents trolls and inappropriate behavior from occurring and maintains an environment where members can use the server with peace of mind.
- Community Revitalization: Promotes interaction between members through event planning and information dissemination, creating a lively community.
- Reduced Burden on Admins: Reduces the burden on admins by assigning part of the server management to moderators, allowing them to focus on more important tasks.
- Increased Member Satisfaction: Increases member satisfaction through prompt responses and polite communication.
- Promotion of Community Growth: The activities of moderators lead to the acquisition of new members and the retention of existing members, promoting community growth.
Disadvantages of Having Moderators:
- Need to Secure and Educate Personnel: It is necessary to find moderators who are responsible, understand the community rules, and can respond appropriately. Education is also necessary to acquire the skills and knowledge required as a moderator.
- Risks Associated with Granting Authority: Granting authority to moderators can lead to risks such as misjudgments and abuse of power. It is necessary to minimize risks through the creation of clear guidelines and regular evaluations.
- Increased Communication Costs: Communication between admins and moderators, and between moderators and members, increases, so a system for information sharing and collaboration is necessary. It is important to ensure smooth collaboration by using efficient communication tools and regular meetings.
Summary
Moderators play an important role in maintaining the health and safety of a Discord server. While small communities may be able to operate without moderators, the need for moderators increases as the community grows.
Having moderators brings many benefits, such as improved server security, community revitalization, reduced burden on admins, and increased member satisfaction. On the other hand, there are also disadvantages, such as the need to secure and educate personnel, the risks associated with granting authority, and increased communication costs.
Carefully consider the necessity of implementing moderators, taking into account the size and characteristics of your server and the operating policy. If you decide to implement moderators, you can achieve effective moderation and build a better community by creating clear guidelines and properly supporting the moderators.