“What IS a Digital Community Manager, and do I need one?” a CEO of a small B2B technology firm asked me this week. My response was, “What is your goal?”
Since almost everyone now is over the hype and hoopla of the newness of social media, the real work is just beginning. If your company has stayed relatively up-to-date on online marketing trends (i.e. has a blog, regularly updates web site content, and conducts scheduled email campaigns and marketing promotions), then you do have a community of followers/listeners/customers to manage.
Word of caution: Be careful with the word “manage.” Think instead words like nurture… encourage… grow. As a Digital Community Manager, you definitely want someone in charge of shepherding this form of two-way communications with your company who eats/sleeps/breathes brand, messaging, consistency, usability, and conversation. AND who completely gets your high-level mission and goals.
Be careful to watch your pre-conceived notions about this position. Check out a few “Myths of Community Management.” Go ahead and read it… I’ll wait.
Amber Naslund (I’m a HUGE fan of hers, BTW. Follow her @AmberCadabra. She’s incredibly smart and has been hands-on in the development and transition of social over the last several years.) correctly points out that Community Management doesn’t just happen online. Beware hiring a 26-year-old as your Community Manager just because they’re really active on Twitter as this is not a viable strategy for your business. Hey, I know how to balance my checkbook every night… Wanna hire me as your CFO? Come on… Please? Yeah, I thought so.
The most important thing to grasp about hiring a Digital Community Manager is to realize that this person needs to be extremely close to the heart of the action in the company. They need to have leadership skills. They should be the point person and collaborate with cross-functional teams… IT, Legal, Creative/ Brand, Product Management, Community Relations, Marketing, Public Relations, etc. They are your storyteller and image-maker in the digital world. They also have the ability to smooth things down and react with respect and kindness when customers get really irate online (where the world can see it and WILL eventually find it). Treat them with respect and you might be amazed at the strength of the community they can build for your brand.
