What is a Community Manager?

As Community Manager for BlogTalkRadio, I’m often asked what my job entails. This generally means different things to different people. My job has several layers and some of the things I do aren’t traditionally a Community Manager’s job. However, if you’re being hired to manage a community, you can be sure to take on the following tasks:

• Build a community - Not an easy task! As David mentioned, community can’t be forced. It takes time for people to feel the love and even longer for them to want to participate. Like anything else web, communities don’t happen over night. A slow, steady buildup is best.
• Communicate - As community manager you’re expected to communicate with the members of your team and the members of your community. If your community is unhappy, the Community Manager is to find out why. If a new product or service is launching, the Community Manager can gauge the community’s reaction and report back to the rest of the team.
• Blog - Most community managers are expected to maintain the company blog. This can meaning reporting industry news, community news, new product information and more.
• Marketing - Community Managers are expected to spread the word and get folks interested in their product, service or business.
• Reach out to bloggers, publicists and more - Part of my job as Community Manager is to get other bloggers to write about us.
• Increase memberships and sign ups - Community Managers are expected to encourage others to participate in services.
• Become an active presence in the social networks - Community managers are expected to build relationships on Twitter, FaceBook and other social networks. They’re to use the networks as tools for generating interest in a product or service.
• Community moderation - If there are forums or groups Community Managers are expected to moderate and stimulate discussion.
• Plan and promote community events - If your organization is having a meetup or webinar, it’s generally the Community Manager’s job to organize the event and get folks to attend.
• Have a passion for people - No explanation necessary. if you have it, you know it.

In general, it’s about relationships. Community Managers are expected to foster relationships and ensure growth. Community Managers are expected to build relationships with community members, team members, social networkers,  and others.

What other duties can you think of that a Community Manager can expect to take on?