The WordPress community is constantly growing. This means that there are more newbies needing help. Aside from the newbies, there are seasoned users, designers, and developers that all look for help. Aside from the official WordPress Support forum, there are groups all over the place just brimming with people either needing help, or people wanting to give help.
However, sometimes help seems to take on new meanings and people get hurt. WordPress help isn’t suppose to be a big drama. It’s suppose to hopefully allow people to learn from one another, and then let everyone’s happy… or somewhat pleased. 😉
So, here are some pieces of WordPress support etiquette I’ve picked up along the way. I’ve made a list for both the person asking, and for the person answering.
WordPress Support Tips for the Person Asking
- Be as specific as possible. If you need to give a link to your site, do so. Not everyone is a mind reader.
- If the plugin or theme you’re using looks to have a developer that is actively giving support, try them first. They know their theme or plugin best.
- Posting your issue in EVERY group and forum all at once in hopes to get an immediate response seems convenient for you, but annoying for those who are members of most of those groups… we end up seeing them more than 3 times, and sometimes up to 10. It’s not the end of the world… stay calm and be patient for a response. If the group isn’t active, remove your question and take it to a more active one.
- Don’t expect everything to be done for you.
- While it’s not about the money, don’t expect people to take time to troubleshoot a problem for free that takes from their own work and family.
- “Google is your friend.” As funny as that sounds, it’s the honest truth. Try it! You might be amazed at what you learn.
- Be aware that not everything is WordPress. Sometimes it’s a plugin. Sometimes it’s a theme… and sometimes it could be your web host.
WordPress Support Tips for the Person Answering
- If you’re not going to explain out your answer or give a good resource, don’t bother answering.
- If another person answered the question, repeating it is not necessary. However, if the previous person’s answer needs to be clarified, you should do so.
- Don’t give up so soon an insist on getting a login. Let the question lay for a bit. Someone may come along and answer it. Sometimes the answer can be simple, but you just aren’t good at explaining out the solution.
- If you’re answer is wrong, don’t get flustered. Also, don’t get stupid or arrogant. Just admit you were wrong and open the floor for someone else to answer. If you come up with the correct solution, you can always come back to answer. We’re all human beings, so don’t worry about not being perfect or correct all the time. Even seasoned WordPress users, designers, and developers have been wrong from time to time.
- Don’t slave away all day on a support question unless you’re getting paid. While someone else may need help, you’re not obligated to spend your time on them. However, if you like providing help for free all day, every day and it doesn’t effect your livelihood… then so be it.
- Don’t be afraid to delegate support where it needs to be. If the plugin or theme being asked about has active support, try getting the developer involved or refer the asker to go directly to the developer.
The WordPress community is pretty friendly, so above all, never be afraid to jump in and ask or answer questions any time.
Do you have any other WordPress support etiquette you’d like to share? Have any horrifying experiences helping others, or asking for supporting?
Hi Nile,
I’ve seen many users who repeat the correct answer, though it’s not required but still they do. When you don’t know the answer its better to be quite then giving the wrong answer. Community is about give and take, stop spamming so that it can prove helpful for every needy person.
Google is indeed your friend! I have found probably about 95% of the solutions to my WordPress problems thanks to a quick search on Google, and a lot of those searches actually led me to WordPress support threads which contained the answer!
Hi Nile,
Etiquette is the key here. Don’t bother people or expect them to troubleshoot for you. I’m a user and if I have a problem I do expect to pay to have it fixed. My WordPress blog is part of my business and I do take that seriously. I rather hire someone to take care of things because I’m focused on other things. Hey, there’s no free lunch! We gotta pay to play! Live by these two sayings and Etiquette is possible. 🙂
-Donna
Hi Nile,
Thanks for sharing. I like the way you have given pointers for both the person giving the help and the one receiving the help.
Have a great day. Monna
Great tips Nile, most of bloggers join the blogger community groups in facebook and we happen to ask or respond queries. These tips are surely gonna help me next time I post a query..
Nile,
well, I must say it openly.. THANKS so much for making this difficult task (for me) so simple to understand…
yes, I am one who has no idea how to ask a question and never mind be clear.. so after reading your pointers, it made me reflect back and I tell you, I must drove crazy many people who had good intention to help but I could not clearly say what i needed haha 🙂
Thanks for making it easy for me..
_nickc
I agree 100% on first trying to solve the problem using a Google search – looking through the FAQ if it’s a theme or plugin can be helpful too.
The biggest complaint I hear from developer friends who have created plugins and themes is that “no body reads the FAQ or instructions”
I also think it would be really helpful if theme developers and plugin developers gave an indication of whether the install and subsequent updating or configuring is only suitable for advanced/experienced users, intermediate or beginners. One of the problems I see a lot is when developers are not completely transparent about the skill level needed to complete an installation, or configure it or customize it – I think they’re just looking for problems
I remember the time when I have invested handful of time in growing such Facebook Groups to help other fellow bloggers, but after maintaining the community of 10k people. It just forced me to push some rules in the community that includes “get help using Google Search first”. Now, whenever, someone posts anything for help, he/she also includes what he/she learned from searching on Google before asking in the group.
So far each and every problem I got it solved with information from Google. If I won’t find the answer I will pay to get it done fast and move on.
So far each and every problem I got it solved with information from Google. If I won’t find the answer I will pay to get it done fast and move on.
One should always do the secondary research before posting in to a community or blog. Because repeated questions become dragging for vigilant users.
Hello Nile,
Great WordPress tips..!!
I Specially like WordPress Support Tips particularly for the Person Answering. Actually i am gone through entire topic but that point is appreciable.
Loved this “Google is your friend.” As funny as that sounds, it’s the honest truth. Try it! You might be amazed at what you learn.
Am a newbie who is still trying to learn to walk as far as blogging is concerned. Such an advice is very encouraging to me.
The greatest grievance I get notification from designer companions who have made plugins and topics is that “no body peruses the FAQ or directions”