Community Management

Many businesses hire community managers because they hear one might be necessary, but once hired have no clue what to do with him. Is he a customer service person? Does he hang out with the marketing team or is he on board to help close sales?

What should you do with your community manager?

Customer Service: The obvious place for a CM is with customer service. Many business use the CM to talk with users via blogs and online networks. Therefore it’s a customer service experience, right? For sure the community manager should work with service or support so they know what the people who use their products or services are saying about them. They should know the areas in which they’re doing the best, and also the areas that need a little work. The community manager is an integral part of the customer service team..but that’s not all.

Marketing: The community manager should be part of the marketing team as well. Who else to better plan promotional strategies than the person who speaks to the people taking part? The community manger has his finger on the pulse of the people and will help plan the programs that best fit the community. Every good community manager also knows other community managers and could offer ideas and suggestions for cross promotions that would enable communities to mingle.

Public Relations & Editorial: See marketing. Also the community manager could assist with announcements and letters to the community as well as the company blog and newsletter. Most community managers moonlight as bloggers anyway.

Sales: Community managers aren’t there to close sales, but with their heavy social media presence they might be able to suggest potential advertising and business clients.

Social Media: A no brainer. Many community managers are  social media savvy and are the best people in the company to handle social media campaigns. No doubt they’re majorly into blogging and have a heavy online presence. Take advantage of this, trust me.

All of the Above: The most successful community managers aren’t departmentalized. They answer to the community, first and foremost, and also play parts in the success of several different departments.

If you’re not sure where to put your community manager, ask him. The answers may surprise - and enlighten you.

Tagged as: community building, Community Management, community manager

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I’ve been a part of this social media thing for several years now. I’ve been blogging and working online for about a decade. I’ve been building up online communities in some form or another for at least ten years. While I won’t claim to be an expert, I think it’s safe to say I know a little of what I’m talking about.  I’ve come to two conclusions about community management. The first is that everyone has a different idea about what a community manager’s job entails. The second is that most people think a community manager is nothing more than a glorified forum moderator who only needs to worry about the social networks.

That’s not it at all.

Community management  is more than just Twitter. It’s more than FaceBook or Ning or MySpace. I’m even going to go as far as to say it doesn’t have much to do with those things at all, and anyone who thinks it’s about how many friends you have on Facebook or followers on Twitter, is clearly missing the mark. Community management is about creating a positive user experience. Yes, that does mean one should monitor the social networks to see what one’s community is saying about them, but that’s not what it’s about at all.

What I like to do is pretend there’s no Twitter or Facebook. How would I reach out to my community then? How can I find out what they think of our service? When I think about it, why would I want to create separate “groups” on the different social networks when the ultimate goal is to get them to socialize at their community’s home base. That just makes cliques, not communities.

Community management isn’t just Twitter. It’s being a voice for the people. It’s being a hands on customer service person. It’s finding out  what the people in your community are talking about and taking that information and putting it to good use. Community management is about creating a positive user experience. It’s about building up relationships with people and gaining their trust. When you think about it, that has nothing to do with Twitter at all.

Tagged as: Community Management, social networking, Twitter

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Yesterday I received a tweet from a member of the BlogTalkRadio community. “You know Deb,” it said.  “I’ve been thinking & you have made my BTR experience so much better.” I ask you, for an online community manager is there any better compliment? It’s my pleasure to serve my community (no, really) but a compliment like this is worth way more than a paycheck. It means I’m doing my job right and people are responding.

I was thinking the other day how if community manager jobs were available in the mid 80’s it would have saved me 20 years of trying to find my place. Being a community manager isn’t always Twitter and blogs, however. Most days are good, but we have our not so good days too. If you’re thinking of becoming a community manager, you should know that (like all jobs) there are pros and cons to consider.

Pros and Cons of Being an Online Community Manager

Pro: You get to talk to awesome, passionate people every single day. The people in your community are there because they believe in your product or service. In fact, they enjoy it so much they want to talk about it all the time with like-minded people. As community manager, you must be passionate about the same, because it’s up to you to lead and direct these conversations.

Con: Someone is always disgruntled. Someone always finds something to nitpick or complain about. You’ll have to be smiley and happy even when that’s not what you’re feeling at all. Someone in need of an anger management class is not cut out to be a community manager.

Pro: Social networking. What other job do you know of where you get to hang out on Twitter or FaceBook for the better part of the day? As community manager you get to talk with your community, and invite others to become part of it.You can also share links and product info and get customer feedback.

Con: Some folks may see you as being too spammy. You’ll need to find the balance between chit chat and promotion. If you do nothing than tweet links, folks probably won’t want to follow.

Pro: Online community never sleeps. When I wake up in the morning, my community is always there to welcome me - and vice versa. On weekends, during episodes of insomnia, and holidays, our community is still going strong. You are never alone if you’re a community manager.

Con: Online community never sleeps. Forums and chatrooms still need moderation. Folks are still looking for assistance. Just because it’s the weekend doesn’t mean the community is out having barbecues. If you’re not prepared to be a 24/7 presence for your community, you may as well find a new calling.

Pro: You get to attend cool conferences and meetups. Community managers are often stars of  community meetups and conferences are a terrific way to interact as well.  This is my favorite part of the job. Working the booth and working the room gives me the opportunity to shake hands, get feedback and convince others to drink our Kool Aid.

Cons: You’re traveling to work. When you attend conferences as a representative of a business, you’re not necessarily there for fun. You’re working a booth and hanging out on the trade floor. You don’t always get to attend learning sessions and many times at the end of the day, you’re just too darned tired for parties.

Pros: You’re a reflection of your community. If you have a happy, lively community, you’ll be hailed as a terrific community manager. If you rock the customer service and put out fires in a timely manner, you’ll be seen as one of the best in the business. Your company will be known for having a great community and this will only put them in a more positive light.

Cons: You represent your company. As community manager you’re front and center. You are the first impression many people get of your business and its community. If you do a poor job, it will not only reflect on your community, but your company as a whole. Make decisions wisely and take your role as community manager seriously.

Online community management doesn’t only mean hanging out on Twitter or updating FaceBook profiles. There’s a lot of responsibility there. You have to be a voice for your community. If someone is disgruntled, it’s your job to put out the fire.  You have to help solve the problem and then follow up to make sure there’s closure. You have to see all issues through to the end even if it means you’re staying up until 2:00 a.m. If your business is receiving bad press or publicity, it’s your job to make sure people see the positive and not the negative and if you see folks in need of help, it’s your job to reach out and make sure there’s no more confustion.

I think I have the perfect job, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. However, so many people see community managers as glorified social networkers and there’s much more to it than that. The positives outweigh the negatives, for sure, but only if you’re up to the true task.

Tagged as: Community Management, community manager, online community manager

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Here’s a scenario some community managers are facing: You’re hired by a business interested in building a web presence. Your superiors consider themselves hip pioneers for jumping on the social media thing, but they reality is they haven’t a clue. As a result, you can’t do your job properly. They question the amount of time you spend on social networks, shuffle you around to different departments, don’t think conferences are necessary, and don’t take any of your ideas for social media promotion seriously, and really, have no idea what to do with you.  Put on a brave face folks, and don’t pull your hair out. You can make it work.

You were hired to create an online presence using forums, blogs, networks and other social media tools. You know you’re good at what you do, and you know there are logical reasons for doing what you do. Now, you have to communicate it to your superiors. This isn’t always easy, and can be very frustrating, but if they didn’t want a heavy Internet campaign they wouldn’t have hired you in the first place, right?

Take a deep breath. Don’t get angry. If you find you’re getting questioned every step of the way or that folks don’t take you seriously, take some time to write up a proposal or outline. List all your social media strategies and why you feel they will benefit the business. Send it to all the players and request a time to discuss follow up.  Now gather data and statistics so you can make your case. You CAN make this work!

It’s hard for many old schoolers to embrace social media but it’s part of a community manager’s job to make sure they get it. Don’t let frustration give in to anger. Use your energy to create a rocking community instead.

Tagged as: Community Management, community manager, social media

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Most community management gigs appear to 9 to 5 jobs, but are they? I work for a 24/7 social radio network and it certainly doesn’t shut down at 5:00 p.m. every day.  Folks are still visiting each others’ chat rooms and talking in the forums and Yahoo Group. They still need me to wear my moderator hat. I’m also expect to provide a blog post or two over the weekend to keep the traffic flowing.

This is something all Community Managers need to think about - what happens to your community on the weekend. Do you just leave it and come back on Monday spending a frenzied day trying to catch up, or do you drop by here and there on the weekend just checking to make sure the joint hasn’t been taken over by trolls?

Even though my weekend time is family time, I still take an hour or so each day to check on the community. Someone might be having difficulty dealing with a situation, and I don’t want them to have to go through the frustration of waiting two or three days for a response.  If I know I’ll be away from my laptop for a few days, someone else takes over.

Everyone knows how frustrating it can be to reach Customer Service personnel over the weekend. Rather than have a frustrated community, it’s probably in your best interest to make sure there’s some sort of presence during the non-business hours.

What happens to your community on the weekend?

Tagged as: Community, Community Management, community manager

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This past September at BlogWorld Expo, my co-Kommein conspirator David Peralty and I hung out in the blogging lounge and had a little discussion about community forums. Specifically whether or not it’s a good idea for businesses to have a community gathering place. David wasn’t so sure he liked forums as they’re a lot of work to moderate, and as David showed me with his own company’s forum, the most popular folder is the one designated for complaints and technical support issues.

Personally, I’m a huge fan of community forums. I find they can really bring a community together - moreso than comments or social networks. It gives a bunch of like-minded people the ability to carry on a continuous conversation without word limits and it’s a great way to for folks to share ideas, help each other out and cultivate friendships and relationships.

The place I work recently launched a forum and I’m about to open one at the blog network I own. David was right. So far, the most comments have gone to the technical issues folder. Now mind you, we’re only a couple of days into the forum, but  I did expect a bit more of the warm and fuzzy. Something else to keep in mind is that the company  I work for  just launched a major website redesign and the regulars are feeling a bit out of their comfort level. I’m willing to give the complaints about the relaunch a bit more time as the community gets used to a new interface.

The good news is that the forum has eliminated a lot of the email the team gets on a regular basis. Instead of emailing technical support or customer service, folks post at the forum. Our team visits regularly and responds in kind. I also enjoy watching everyone discuss and share.

A couple of days into it, I’m glad we launched a forum. Yeah, the technical issues folder is a thorn in my side, but isn’t it our job to find out what works and what doesn’t? I’m still a big fan of forums. They’re a great place for the community and team to interact and they bring everyone closer together. I’d rather not be in the dark about what my community is thinking.

I’d love to learn your thoughts about community forums. Is it better to not know what your community is thinking?

Tagged as: Community, community forums, Community Management

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Many Community Managers are fortunate to inherit and cultivate and existing community. Though they will be expected to continue to grow and nurture, the hardest (but to me the most enjoyable) part of the job has already been taken care of - building a community from scratch.

With new websites and services going up each day and new products launching, more and more folks are looking to hire Community Managers to start something from nothing. For me, there’s nothing more challenging and rewarding than building something from nothing. I love watching people first tentatively reach out and then begin full on interaction. When it gets to the point where my community can create discussions without my assistance and interact with each other as they would old friends, I realize I’ve done something right.

I don’t know that I’m a huge community building expert, but having done this for several years with success I feel confident in sharing what I’ve learned with you. Today I give you:

10 Tricks for Building a Successful Community from Scratch

1. Be Welcoming

When you have new guests to your home, you greet and welcome each one, right? Online communities are the same thing. When a new member joins up, be welcoming. Say hello, introduce him or her to the rest of the community and find out how you can help. Just like you’d offer guest towels and clean sheets to someone spending the night at your home, so should you do everything you can to make new members comfortable.

2. Answer Every Question, Comment and Statement

If I was asked what the biggest mistake a Community Manager can make, I’d probably say it’s ignoring the community’s wants and needs. It’s understandable you can’t answer every question sent your way, but if you don’t know the answers, it’s certainly within your power to fine the person who does. Don’t ignore questions or comments because you don’t have the answer. Let folks know you’re looking into it and then find someone who can help.

3. Treat Everyone Like They’re the Most Important Person You’ll Ever Talk To

An important aspect of any community is the ability to gauge the needs of the people who use your services the most. With that in mind, treat every request and bit of feedback as if it’s the most important bit of information you’ve received in a long time. Each and every member of your community is important. The day you forget that is the day you start losing traffic - and reputation.

4. Be Nice

Always be pleasant. Even if you’re on the receiving end of some unfair treatment or an angry diatribe, be nice. Keep your anger in check and respond to the angry missive in a pleasant manner. Don’t kill your brand and your reputation by calling someone a schmuckhead.

5. No, Really. Be Nice. Always

Count to 10. Step away from the desk. Don’t respond or back off let someone else handle negativity if you can’t do so in a pleasant manner. Always be nice.

6. Twitter

I can’t say enough good things about Twitter. Actually, I’m a Twitter addict. Twitter is a great way to direct potential community members without actually having to promote anything. Simply establish relationships with fellow tweeters. Follow people you feel will be a good fit and respond to their tweets. Create a dialogue between other like minded people. Soon they will want to learn more about you and even become members of your community.

7. Blogs

Blogs are an amazing community building tool. Whether you build your own blog or visit other blogs and participate in the comments, if folks are interested in what you have to say they’ll want to follow you where ever you go.

8. Don’t Spam

Visiting social networks and blogs for the purpose of building community is all about relationships. When you get all spammy and talk to people only to promote your links or services it’s a turn off. Get a good mix going. When you’re part of the scene and folks like you, they’ll check out your links. Spend 90% of your time socializing and the other 10% promoting and you’ll see the results.

9. Be Transparent

Don’t lie and don’t hide things from your community. Let them know you have an open door policy and you’ll be as honest as possible. Community is all about trust. If you’re caught in lies or trying to get one over, it will be a long time before anyone else will trust you again.

10. Listen and then Speak

If a member of your community is reaching out to you, listen before you speak. Take time to research the situation from every angle before responding.  Don’t interrupt or accuse. Listen to concerns first. Make sure you have all the details, then respond in a pleasant manner.  The most important part of being a good communicator is to be a good listener.

What are some of your favorite community building tips?

Tagged as: community building, Community Management, community manager, how to be a community manager

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