It has been the topic of discussion many times - why did my blog get deleted? Why do we have to be monitored? Isn't this censorship? I don't think it's fair...and so on and so forth.
To set the record straight once and for all, I thought I would write and post a 'guide' of sorts to help everyone understand why we do the things we do and to avoid the inevitable backlash of blog deletion. Because I will delete a post if I have to, no matter how much people throw a fit about it.
So, here it is in black and white.
Why would your post be deleted?
The Point of Stage it Forward is posted at the side of the page for all of to read and understand the purpose of this group. It states:
HOME STAGERS, this is an informational and networking community that believes the Home Staging Industry will grow and mature by reaching out to and sharing with other Stagers. This one FREE site allows Home Stagers to connect and share with their colleagues and clients. Our diverse background is our strength. By respectfully sharing and helping each other, we can all grow and develop so that ultimately the consumer is educated on the benefits of Home Staging and enjoy the benefits of quality service.
So, if it is not clear enough, let me explain. The purpose of this group is to move the industry forward through communication with each other, the RE industry and the general public about the concept and benefits of STAGING. It is also our purpose to elevate the professional image of our industry by working together to that end and doing so RESPECTFULLY. Therefore, posts should be limited to the subject matter of staging and concepts we can all apply to our staging businesses for healthy growth.
So, if your post does not fall into that category by any stretch of the imagination, it will be deleted. Period.
Why do we have to be monitored?
Last time I checked, SIF had in excess of 2400 members. Not all are active members as many have joined so that they can use our group as a resource to learn more about what we do. That is the point of the group, so that is why they click over to read what we have written about staging. They do not come to read about family events, dance lessons or general pointlessness. There are other groups for that and that is why they join those groups as well. AR has set up the group features to seperate posts into categories, like online file folders. Would you look in the photography group for a post about home inspections? No. Unrelated posts clutter up the group and make it hard for outside readers to wade through the junk to get to the gems underneath. Isn't that the heart of what staging is all about? Our group should be staged for effect, no?
Is it Censorship?
No. If it were, we would rewrite your posts to make them completely acceptable to everyone and that is not the case. There are many posts that I personally have found offensive that have been left up because they do apply to the staging industry, no matter how insensitively the writer crafted their thoughts. WE do not have the capability of picking and choosing what parts of your blog will stay in the group, just whether the whole thing will and there is only on criteria for that - Does it apply to the staging industry or our individual staging businesses or blogs?
I don't think it's fair.
Simply put, that's too bad. We are all adults who are capable of following a few simple rules and if you do not agree with the rules as they are written or enforced, well, I can't do anything about that. There are so many groups where your unrelated - to- staging post would apply that you really are missing out by not seeking those groups out. I have found some excellent recipes in the recipes group and have learned loads of personal things about other stagers in the Stagers Coffee Clutch that makes me feel close to them, even if we have never met. I would never have done those things if I had not ventured away from SIF. Broaden you horizons.
There are a few other reasons to be deleted that you should be aware of:
1. Multiple posts. Sometimes you may accidentally post a blog multiple times. We will delete the excess, if you don't do it yourself.
2. Clear violation of AR Community guidelines.
3. Inappropriate photos within the post. We are about professionalism, people, semi naked people don't really project that image. (It has happened)
4. Inappropriate content, even if it is somehow made to look staging related. Again, professionalism.
Now, on to the last item relating to deletion:
The moderators are human. Sometimes we miss things. When the AR guys feature a post on the main page, it changes its position within the group listing and can sometimes lead to our having missed a post or two. If you point out that one post was deleted while others weren't, it may just lead to the deletion of all of the other posts you have mentioned. Or, maybe the other posts could have some small nugget within the content that can be applied to the criteria mentioned above while the deleted post didn't. It's a judgment call. Please trust our judgment.
So, if you want to continue to post whatever you like with total disregard to the focus of the group, we can't stop you. But, we can delete you. The good news is that we cannot delete it from your personal blog or any other group you may have posted it in. That is up to the moderators of that group, so you may want to check their guidelines as well.
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