Signals worth tracking
Threads with no author reply after several days.
Repeated crash reports on the same version — that is a release bug, not “user error.”
Tone: defensive replies read louder than silence in public archives.
Operational habits that move ratings
Triage daily even if you cannot fully fix daily. Acknowledge beats vanishing.
Link common fixes in the readme FAQ so the forum is not your only docs site.
Put it on a schedule
AuditHQ includes support-oriented checks in WordPress plugin audits so forum drift shows up next to listing freshness — not only when a one-star review lands.