So, what on earth makes a community manager you ask? Well, there are several ways to find out. You can do a quick Google search for some data-backed case studies, but I’ll try to explain it using my own words as well.
A community manager is someone who builds and manages an online community, ensuring that a certain brand is well-advertised online, and its brand reputation is kept positive at all times. A community manager is someone who tries to make the community happy by engaging with users and responding to queries or concerns
Since 21% of consumers are more likely to buy from brands that are easily accessible via social media and other digital channels, the role of the community manager is now bigger than ever before. Over the years, here’s what I’ve learned about what makes an awesome brand community manager.
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A great community manager listens to their community.
Yes, I hear and see everything. Not because I have superpowers, but because I have handy social media listening tools like Buzzsumo and Sprout Social.
Being a community manager is all about connecting to your audience. I listen to every sentiment anyone will ever say about the brand and I’m always on the lookout for what my competitors are up to. By providing a pleasant customer experience while discovering new ways to approach my audience, effective social listening allows me to hit two birds with one stone.
Always remember that brand loyalty is built through positive engagements. What are the common bottlenecks your clients are facing? Do they like to be addressed in a certain tone? Speak in your community’s language so they’ll relate to your brand and trust you in return.
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A great community manager walks and talks the brand.
Before I became a community manager, I was a sales manager for a five-star hotel chain. So, I essentially know how important branding is and how to sell the brand I manage, which I felt I had a certain ownership over. Why? Because you need to consider the brand as your own business.
A great community manager upholds the reputation of the brand and lives according to its persona. Thanks to the growth of social platforms, expressing the personality of your business has never been this easy. In fact, popular brands such as Wendy’s and Taco Bell have gotten popular on Twitter because of their humorous approach.
Your brand personality is what will connect your products and services to your consumers. Having fun with your audience is a good thing but you should always remember that there’s a time and place for everything.
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A great community manager has a good grasp of analytics.
If you want to achieve growth with the community you’re handling, you’ll need to have a strong grasp of analytics. To achieve success in any kind of project, you’ll need to set goals for your campaigns and plan your efforts accordingly. Some of your daily tasks may require your own personal judgment, but metrics will show if your current methods are working or not.
Take some time to establish realistic KPIs for your brand:
- Are you trying to increase customer engagement with your posts?
- Do you want to increase website traffic?
- Is your goal to drive sales via social referrals?
As marketers, one of the worst mistakes you can make is to rely on your gut. By establishing goals and constantly tracking metrics, you’ll be able to make data-backed decisions that are optimized to support your brand’s unique objectives.
Note: Take a look at these metrics that every community manager should report.
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A great community manager is flexible
Since the job requires you to wear a lot of different hats, flexibility is an essential trait for every community manager. Other than addressing client concerns, your work will require you to manage multiple platforms, track key insights, and constantly report information to your superiors.
It’s always a good feeling to stay in control of your community but you must always expect the unexpected. Sudden client demands can be very stressful and overwhelming, especially if it’s the first thing you have to deal with on a Monday morning. But developing good organization skills and learning how to adapt to every situation will ensure your success in a fast and high-pressure environment.
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A great community manager understands that patience is a virtue
If you’re familiar with social media, you should already know that the online world can be a pretty harsh place at times. People often get overly-passionate about their opinions and it’s relatively common for some people to get offended. That’s why it’s so important for a community manager to exercise proper restraint and play the long game.
A large part of managing an online community involves dealing with positive and negative PR. As a social media manager, you’ll be the first to receive complaints about the brand from unsatisfied users. In situations like these, I’ve always found it best to be as patient, open, and understanding as possible. Don’t get too caught up in frustration because users often have the perception that they’re dealing with a brand and forget that there are real people behind the scenes.
It’s the community manager’s job to stay cool as a cucumber.
Common Community Management Mistakes to Avoid
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Focusing on size rather than value
When it comes to community management, size doesn’t matter. Your Facebook page may have a million likes, but how many of those followers are actually engaging and doing business with you?
No matter what social channel you’re operating in, you must always remember that the quality of your interactions matters more than the size of your community. By keeping vanity metrics out of the picture and taking note of relevant statistics such as your subscriber count or click-through rates you’ll be able to see the true value of your community.
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Taking things personally
Community management is a job that requires thick skin. It’s normal to be upset whenever you’re on the receiving end of negative feedback but never argue with your customers. No matter how unfair it can get, fighting fire with fire will only make the situation worse.
At the end of the day, it’s best to look at things from a bigger picture. Even though the criticism you receive may be difficult to digest, the comment may help you improve your services in areas you didn’t expect.
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Staying monotonous
When dealing with queries, a lot of community managers like to play it safe by sticking to the script. Having planned responses will make it easier for you to stay consistent in your communications but remember that you still need to personalize the interactions you make. A personal touch can make a huge difference when it comes to retaining customers.
Having the Right Attitude Towards Community Management
Getting paid to be on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram 24/7 is fun, right? Well, sure, but keep in mind it can also be a bit exhausting sometimes.
But, if you’re truly passionate about what you are doing, have the right work attitude, and don’t get too emotional about decision making as a moderator, you’ll start seeing success in no time!
Need help with community management to boost your social media marketing campaigns? Ask Spiralytics how we can help grow your brand on social media!
