* Use keyword analysis to suggest similar threads when someone is creating a new thread. (See community.smartthings.com for an example)
* When someone creates a new thread, encourage them to tag it with appropriate keywords.
* Develop a set of guidelines that ensure (relative) consistency between related forums. For example, in a number of the airline forums, there are threads that have hundreds or thousands of posts. Some forums will routinely close such threads when they become outdated and start new ones. In other forums, the same type of thread will drag out for years. (See, for example, the "
definitive Delta in-flight food" thread, which has 4300 posts dating back 7 years. I think it's safe to say that the past 6 years might not be relevant or "definitive" in 2016.) Should there be some consistent standards re. sunsetting threads?