In the age of social networks and internet access, everyone feels called to give their opinion and even exaggerate in all this. The free expression of some people is like permission to say what someone will prevent them from living, insult, to be insolent and rude, especially because they are not facing to face with the person to whom the insult is directed.
With the rise of social media marketing, the problem with these people has become even more pronounced. They take it upon themselves to comment on someone’s appearance, behavior, not to choose words of insult, or even to threaten. This is why there is a need for someone to manage comment sections and moderate forums.
For some of these reasons, many companies need to hire an outsourced company, individuals, or even hire a few people to manage these things properly.
Although we described a very specific situation at the beginning, community moderation can refer to a much wider range of online content, not just comments and forum discussions. But, in a narrower sense, communities are exactly those readers, followers, and commentators who create some interaction with the published content.
Many companies choose to approach this approach with outsourcing services that offer moderation services, such as https://chekkee.com/comment-and-forum-moderation-services/.
Before moving on to the pros and cons, let’s define community moderation. It is a process of monitoring content generated by users of digital platforms. The purpose is to verify that the code of conduct is being followed, to approve a comment, to modify, or even to ban a user who is constantly breaking the rules.
This is really a lot of work, especially on websites that have a lot of comments, Facebook groups with a lot of members and a lot of activity, and especially on forums.
Here are some reasons why it’s good to do this through an outsource company:
1. You can give clear directions
External companies would focus strictly on the instructions you give them and will not make any compromises. In this regard, you will be spared discussions because of content that only partially meets the criteria and rules.
It is very important to always work in accordance with the set tasks and rules. This is why an outsource company can be a better option for those who want to keep the community under control.
2. Your employees will not waste time with comments
Managing comments and user content can be a daunting task. The energy of your employees should be focused on crucial things and it is really not good for a journalist or a writer to have to deal with all that. The big media companies have long had entire departments of several employees, working in shifts to be able to control it all. Therefore, outsourcing companies are a better solution if you can not afford to hire people for this purpose.
3. Expert solutions and advanced moderation tools
External companies that deal with community management also have advanced methods and tools, with which their work is much faster and easier. Many of these tools can be a serious expense for companies, but if one is doing just that, then one would expect them to have them and use them.
This approach saves time and resources and therefore it is worth considering giving a chance to outsource companies.
4. Efficient and economical
Knowing that you are saving time, you can focus on the innovative part of your work. This makes you more efficient as a company, but at the same time, you maintain your reputation among customers and competitors. Indeed, community management can be overwhelming and boring at the same time, so the solution is more than obvious.
However, there are some downsides, including:
1. It takes more time to explain your goals
One of the most common challenges, and disadvantages of working with outsourcing community management services, is that it takes more time and effort to explain what your goals and expectations are. However, it can easily happen that you do it in a short time or change them if you can not find yourself in a similar place with the interests.
2. A lot of time is spent on communication and management
In the early stages, you may lose more time on phone calls and emails with corrections. This phase can take some time, which is a technical waste of time. Be prepared for a micromanagement period or hire staff to lead the whole process.
3. Expensive mistakes can happen
Communication is key, but when someone is not used to your way of working, bigger mistakes can happen. Sometimes such mistakes can be costly and ruin your business or at the very least, bad for your reputation. Because of this, think carefully about which option is best for you. In the end, the decision is yours. Just make sure you manage the whole process at the initial stages, to prevent those expensive mistakes.
4. There is a danger for bad reputation
Let’s be realistic, no one wants to attract a bad reputation. Most of the time, outsourcing moderation services know how to handle critical situations, but mistakes can surely happen, as we explained in the previous paragraph. So, you must take a long period to control the way they work, or you can determine a budget to hire a person to do that inside the company. No one wants a bad reputation, but preventing it is very challenging. Sometimes, people just let that happen and then fix the outcome. You have options, and it’s on you to decide what to do in cases like this.
Conclusion
User-created content is something that can increase the reach and engagement rates but also can lead to irreversible damages. We have presented you with several possible options, so we hope you will be able to make the right decision. Consider all the pros and cons before making a final decision. This will help you to make sure that you have made the right choice and that there will be no mistakes in the future.
