# How to write social media community guidelines

> Good guidelines are short, specific & written in plain language: what's welcome, what isn't, & what happens when a line is crossed. Publish them where people can see them & apply them evenly.

Updated: 2026-10-05.

## What guidelines are for

Community guidelines tell people how to behave in your spaces & tell moderators what to enforce. They're different from an internal content policy, which governs what your team posts.

Their main value is fairness. When a rule exists beforehand, enforcing it looks like a rule, not a mood.

## What to include

- What the space is for
- What's welcome: questions, feedback, sharing work
- What isn't: harassment, hate, spam, private information
- What happens next: a warning, then removal
- How to contact someone if they think a call was wrong

Five or six short points are enough. A wall of legal text won't be read.

## Write in plain language

Use direct sentences & concrete examples. "Don't post other people's personal details" is clearer than a clause on privacy obligations.

A friendly tone makes rules feel like a welcome, not a warning.

## Publish them where people see them

Link them in your profile, a pinned post or the description of a group or channel. On Discord or Slack, put them in a welcome message.

Mention them when you enforce a rule, so it's clear the decision wasn't personal.

DunSocial can schedule a post that links the guidelines, DunSocial can schedule a recurring post that links the guidelines, so new followers keep seeing them. you can schedule it again later so newer followers see it too.

## Where DunSocial helps

DunSocial can schedule the posts that share & remind people of your guidelines, including to Discord & Slack channels, so a pinned rules post goes out consistently rather than once & forgotten.

It doesn't moderate for you & has no inbox, so enforcement happens on each platform by whoever manages it.

## Review them

Revisit guidelines every six months or after an incident. If a situation wasn't covered, add it.

DunSocial's roles help here: decide who can publish & who manages connected accounts, so changes to how you moderate & what you announce stay with the right people.

## Related guides

- [Should you delete negative social media comments?](https://www.dunsocial.com/hub/social-media-community-and-reputation-management/should-you-delete-negative-social-media-comments.md)
- [What should a social media content policy include?](https://www.dunsocial.com/hub/social-media-compliance-and-brand-safety/what-should-a-social-media-content-policy-include.md)
- [How to build an engaged social media community](https://www.dunsocial.com/hub/social-media-community-and-reputation-management/how-to-build-an-engaged-social-media-community.md)
- [How to handle negative comments on social media](https://www.dunsocial.com/hub/social-media-community-and-reputation-management/how-to-handle-negative-comments-on-social-media.md)

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