[FAQ]

Hey,

My channel is at a point where I definitely can’t handle the chat all by myself anymore, especially on really busy nights. It’s time to get some mods, but I’m honestly super nervous about this. This is my community, and I’m worried about picking the wrong person who might be on a power trip or just not a good fit.

How do you even find people you can trust? Do you just ask your most active viewers? Are there things I should be looking for in them, like specific personality traits?

And once I do pick someone, what’s the next step? Do I just give them the mod sword and hope for the best? Or should I have some kind of ‘training’ document with rules, or a private chat with them? Any advice on this whole process would be amazing.

Thanks.

[Jeff Bullas]

This is one of the most important decisions you’ll make for your community.

Short Answer: The best practice is to select moderators from your most trusted, long-standing viewers who are helpful and level-headed, and then train them with a clear, text-based document of your channel’s specific rules and escalation procedures.

This process is about identifying the right people and then empowering them with the right content.

First, your selection process must be observational and patient. You are looking for individuals who are already pillars of your community; they are consistently present, they are positive, they welcome newcomers, and they help answer questions in chat without being asked. The worst choice is someone who asks to be a mod, as this often signals a desire for power. Your best choice is a person who is already doing the job without the title. Second, you must train them with a clear, text-based guide, often in a private Discord channel. This document is your most critical training asset. It must explicitly define your channel’s culture and list what is and is not acceptable. More importantly, it must outline a clear escalation ladder for their actions: for example, you might instruct them to first issue a verbal warning for a minor infraction, then delete the offending text message, then issue a 10-minute timeout, and only issue a permanent ban for severe, hateful conduct. This text-based guide removes guesswork and ensures your entire team moderates your community’s content consistently.

Cheers,

Jeff

[Author]

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