Features: A-Z Index

A

Administration Zone

Administration Zone

B

Banners

Banners

C

Calendar

Calendar

Catalogues

Catalogues

Chatrooms and IM

Chatrooms and IM

Community features

Community features

Content Sharing

Content Sharing

Conversr Forums

Conversr Forums

Conversr Topic Polls

Conversr Topic Polls

D

Design without barriers

Design without barriers

Downloads

Downloads

E

Ease of Use

Ease of Use

eCommerce and Subscriptions

eCommerce and Subscriptions

Extendable

Extendable

F

Featured Content

Featured Content

G

Galleries

Galleries

I

Installation

Installation

Integration

Integration

L

Localisation

Localisation

M

Membership

Membership

N

News and Blogs

News and Blogs

Newsletters

Newsletters

P

Parental Controls

Parental Controls

Performance

Performance

Points

Points

Privacy Tools

Privacy Tools

Q

Quizzes and Surveys

Quizzes and Surveys

R

Rich Media

Rich Media

S

Search Engine Optimisation

Search Engine Optimisation

Searching

Searching

Security

Security

Spam Protection

Spam Protection

Stay on Top

Stay on Top

Structure / Navigation

Structure / Navigation

Support Tickets

Support Tickets

T

Template Programming Language

Template Programming Language

Testing tools

Testing tools

Themeing tools

Themeing tools

Third party integration

Third party integration

W

Warnings / Moderation

Warnings / Moderation

Web Pages

Web Pages

Web standards

Web standards

Website Polls

Website Polls

White-labeling (Debranding)

White-labeling (Debranding)

Wiki+

Wiki+

Newest 10 Entries

Question What are the different ways to track events in Composr?
Answer Composr offers various methods for tracking events:
  • Inbuilt events: Automatically recorded for actions like form submissions, purchases, newsletter signups, etc.
  • Tempcode symbol: Use the {$LOG_STATS_EVENT,event} symbol within your templates to track events when the template is displayed.
  • JavaScript function: Employ the $cms.statsEventTrack JavaScript function to track events from within your JavaScript code.
  • HTML data attribute: Add data-click-stats-event-track="{ category: 'some event', nativeTracking: true }" to HTML elements. This method acts as a wrapper for the JavaScript function.
  • URL wrapping: Wrap URLs in links using the {$STATS_TRACK_URL,URL,event} symbol. This approach records events via a redirection script and doesn't rely on JavaScript.

The JavaScript and HTML data attribute methods can also be integrated with Google Analytics events.

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Question How do I install geo-location data for Composr statistics?
Answer Geo-location data installation is usually automatic during the Composr installation process. If not, you can manually install it by navigating to Admin Zone > Audit > Site statistics > Install geolocation data. This action will reschedule the installation task. If you don't see this option, the geo-location data is already installed.

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Question What are the key differences between Google Analytics and Composr statistics?
Answer While there is some overlap, Composr statistics and Google Analytics are complementary tools.

Google Analytics Pros:
  • Offers sophisticated functionality for professional marketers.
  • Integrates with other Google products like AdSense and Search Console.
  • Provides insights based on Google's marketing data, such as visitor demographics.

Google Analytics Cons:
  • Limited to web visit data unless custom programming or complex configuration is implemented.
  • Relies on JavaScript for tracking, which can be blocked by users.
  • Uses tracking cookies, raising privacy concerns and potential GDPR compliance issues.
  • Data is potentially sold to third-party data brokers or used for targeted advertising by Google.
  • Closed-source platform.

Composr Statistics Pros:
  • Server-side tracking, independent of JavaScript and browser configurations.
  • Contextual information and graphs for data beyond web visits (e.g., sales).
  • Enhanced privacy as it only uses IP addresses, session IDs, and member IDs.
  • Complete data control as it is hosted on your website.
  • Open-source addon, fully customizable.

Basic users may find Composr statistics sufficient, while expert marketers might prefer the power of Google Analytics.

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Question What tools and strategies can be used for staff training and development?
Answer While Composr itself doesn't provide built-in training features, several approaches can be used for staff development:
  • Documentation & Tutorials: Utilize the extensive Composr documentation and tutorials available online to familiarize staff with the platform's functionalities.
  • Mentorship: Pair experienced staff with newcomers to provide guidance and support during the initial learning phase.
  • Private Forums & Chat: Create dedicated communication channels where staff can exchange knowledge, ask questions, and share best practices.
  • Regular Meetings: Conduct regular staff meetings to discuss updates, share information, and address any arising challenges.
  • External Resources: Leverage external resources like online courses or workshops focused on relevant skills, such as content management or community moderation.

By investing in ongoing staff training and development, communities can ensure their teams possess the necessary knowledge and skills to perform their roles effectively and contribute to the platform's overall success.

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Question How can potential conflicts between staff members be avoided (regarding content moderation)?
Answer Composr incorporates "conflict detection" features to prevent staff from accidentally overwriting each other's work. When multiple staff members attempt to edit the same resource simultaneously, a warning message appears, prompting communication and coordination.

Open communication and transparency are crucial. Encourage staff to share their ongoing tasks and plans with each other to prevent overlaps and potential conflicts. Utilizing shared tools like the staff checklist and private forums can further facilitate coordination.

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Question What should be considered when assigning roles and responsibilities to staff?
Answer When assigning roles, it's recommended to start new staff with limited responsibilities and gradually increase their authority based on performance and dedication. This fosters a sense of progression and prevents discouragement among existing staff.

Always consider the individual's skills and interests when assigning tasks. For example, someone with strong writing skills might be well-suited for managing content creation, while a technically-minded person could excel at site maintenance.

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Question How can staff be effectively managed in a Composr community?
Answer Successful staff management requires a mindful approach that prioritizes fostering a positive and productive environment. Key recommendations include:
  • Respect staff limitations: Avoid overwhelming staff with excessive workload or overly ambitious site expansions.
  • Active involvement: Maintain active involvement in overseeing staff activities and ensuring their effective functioning.
  • Open communication: Engage in regular communication, providing feedback, addressing concerns, and recognizing achievements.
  • Foster teamwork: Encourage collaboration and information sharing among staff members.
  • Lead by example: Ensure staff adhere to community rules and demonstrate expected behavior.
  • Empowerment and trust: Grant sufficient freedom and control to enable staff to excel in their roles.

By fostering a supportive and empowering environment, community managers can enable staff to contribute their best efforts and drive the community's success.

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Question How should staff members be chosen for a Composr-based online community?
Answer Choosing staff for online communities differs from traditional hiring processes due to factors like unpaid positions, varying time commitments, and remote interactions. Focus should be placed on identifying individuals with:
  • Genuine interest: Look for members passionate about the community and its goals.
  • Available time: Ensure potential staff can dedicate sufficient time to fulfill their responsibilities.
  • Relevant skills: Prioritize skills and experience aligned with the specific role requirements.
  • Maturity and discipline: Seek individuals who demonstrate responsible behavior and commitment.
  • Recruitment methods like directly approaching active community members or allowing the Composr points system (or the karma non-bundled addon) to identify dedicated contributors can be more effective than traditional advertising.

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Question How can content issues be reported and addressed by staff?
Answer Composr's content reporting system, powered by the Tickets addon, allows users to report problematic content to staff. Key features include:
  • Report links: "Report this" links embedded throughout the site enable users to flag content for review.
  • Custom reporting interface: Forums offer a dedicated interface for reporting individual posts.
  • Anonymous reporting: Logged-in users can choose to report content anonymously.
  • Ticket-based management: Reports are automatically created as support tickets, facilitating staff collaboration and record-keeping.
  • Comprehensive report details: Tickets include content title, type, ID, submitter information, an embedded rendering of the reported content, and the reporter's explanation.

This system ensures efficient handling of content issues, allowing staff to address concerns effectively while maintaining a transparent record of actions taken.

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Question How can staff members collaborate effectively in Composr?
Answer Composr offers various tools to facilitate staff collaboration:
  • Private forums: Dedicated forums with restricted access enable staff to discuss site operations and coordinate activities. Composr installs a staff forum by default in Conversr.
  • Conflict detection: When multiple staff members attempt to edit the same resource simultaneously, Composr displays warnings at the top to prevent accidental overwrites.
  • Staff checklist & dashboard: The Admin Zone dashboard provides a shared checklist for task management, along with space for notes and links.
  • Staff notifications and tickets system: Staff receive notifications about various site events, including support tickets from the "Contact Us" page, allowing for efficient issue handling.
  • Content notes: Staff can embed notes within Comcode or use dedicated "staff notes" fields for various content types to share information and context.
  • Validation and workflows: Content can be intentionally left unvalidated even by staff, enabling secondary checks before publishing. A dedicated workflows addon allows for complex approval processes with multiple stages involving different staff groups.

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Top 10 Entries

Question What advanced techniques are available for dealing with persistent spammers who repeatedly create new accounts?
Answer Composr's advanced banning features target sophisticated human spammers. Automatic bans can be configured to block users based on specific strings in their posts, while reasoned bans display customized messages to banned users, potentially deterring them. These measures, coupled with the ability to investigate users via IP address analysis, offer robust tools for managing persistent threats.

You can configure advanced banning under Admin Zone > Security > Configure advanced banning.

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Question How does Composr handle user banning and what options are available?
Answer Composr offers various banning mechanisms. You can ban members by editing their accounts (ban member tick box), preventing logins while still allowing guest access. IP address banning blocks access from specific IP addresses or ranges (Admin Zone > Security > Members > Investigate user to see their IP addresses and flag certain ones for banning). You can also restrict member submissions, or you can effectively "suspend" users by assigning them to a usergroup with minimal privileges (e.g. probation).

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Question What is the "Warn Member" form and how can I use it to handle rule violations?
Answer The "Warn Member" form provides a centralized interface for addressing user misconduct. You can issue formal or off-the-book warnings, apply punitive actions like IP bans, usergroup changes, or probation, and even delete content or charge points. This form allows you to document reasons for actions, improving transparency and consistency in moderation.

This tool can be accessed on a member's profile as staff, under Audit > Warn member. You can also review their warnings history on their "Standing" tab.

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Question How does Composr track user activity?
Answer Composr logs IP addresses for various actions like guest posting, page views, and content submissions. This data helps identify potential spammers and track user behavior. The "Investigate user" module provides tools to analyze IP addresses and gather additional information about suspicious activity.

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Question What is post history and why is it important?
Answer Post history tracks changes made to forum posts, including edits and deletions. This feature helps monitor for inappropriate edits or attempts to cover up spam or rule violations. Staff can review the history, restore deleted content, or even permanently erase it.

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Question Can I moderate content in Composr forums?
Answer Yes, Composr provides various moderation tools for managing forum content. Moderators can edit or delete posts and topics, move topics between forums, close or open discussions, and validate content submitted by users who require approval. These are done in an actions dropdown on a topic, or through buttons on individual posts.

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Question What is the "black hole" technique and how does it work?
Answer The "black hole" technique involves adding hidden fields to forms. While invisible to human users, bots often detect and fill these fields, revealing their nature. Composr uses this information to flag and block suspected spam submissions.

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Question How can I report spam in Composr?
Answer You can report spam using the "report this" link or "report" (forum post button) feature. This alerts staff to the issue, allowing them to investigate and take appropriate action, such as deleting the spam, warning the user, or banning them. It also creates a Support Ticket between the reporter and staff in case the staff need further information.

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Question What are Remote Block Lists (RBLs)?
Answer RBLs are third-party lists that track IP addresses associated with spamming activity. Composr can be configured to consult these lists and block or flag requests from suspicious IPs. However, relying solely on RBLs may lead to false positives, as some lists are overly broad.

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Question What are CAPTCHAs and how do they work?
Answer CAPTCHAs are tests designed to differentiate between human users and bots. Composr's unique CAPTCHA method uses CSS and JavaScript to generate images or audio challenges that are difficult for bots to solve. While effective, some spammers use human workers to bypass CAPTCHAs, leading to the need for additional anti-spam measures.

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