Ideas category type with topic voting defaults
Create a dedicated ideas category that turns feature requests into a ranked backlog instead of a flat complaint list.
Why this can grow a startup
A forum gets messy when support questions, product ideas, and general discussion all fight for the same surface. Discourse's Ideas category type gives operators a cleaner fork in the road. It automatically turns on topic voting, exposes the useful settings in one place, and treats feature requests like items that can accumulate demand over time. That helps the community signal which asks keep getting real support instead of rewarding whichever request was posted first or argued the loudest.
Company example
Discourse says the Ideas category type preconfigures topic voting, surfaces the most useful idea settings during category creation, and reflects how they have seen this category style work best in their own and other communities.
Source and metric
Source: Discourse Meta: Easily create Ideas categories using the Topic Voting plugin
Discourse notes Topic Voting on hosted plans is available on Business or higher tiers and adds a Limit member votes setting during Ideas category setup.
Source discovered: May 30, 2026
When to use it
Use this when Community, Product Feedback, Support is relevant to feedback routing, community ops, roadmap intake and you can run a bounded test with a medium budget.
When not to use it
Do not use it as a substitute for customer evidence, a clear owner, or a measurable stop condition. Local platform rules and market behavior still need checking.
Founder checklist
- Read Discourse Meta: Easily create Ideas categories using the Topic Voting plugin and identify what is directly supported.
- Choose one channel context: Community, Product Feedback, Support.
- Define the test around Discourse notes Topic Voting on hosted plans is available on Business or higher tiers and adds a Limit member votes setting during Ideas category setup..
- Set an owner, evidence window, and stop condition before launch.
Explore the context
Apply this with an operator
Build creator and community systems around real incentives, trust, and repeat participation.