There’s a lot that goes into community management. A community manager acts as the link between a brand and its customers- helping to build, grow, and manage their online communities. Community managers (CMs) are, in many cases, the voice of the brand. They are immersed in the community and they’re the people you communicate with when you reach out to a brand. While community managers are faced with difficulties every day, there are many moments where they shine. Our social media agency has a discipline team full of community manager experts. We’ve compiled some examples of great community management to recognize some of their hard work!

1. Being Personable

Being genuine is a great way to gain attraction and build the community. It is often a simple interaction, like the above, that makes all the difference. This CM chimed in on a conversation with customers (while not always the best tactic), in this situation it works. I know from experience that those in your brand’s community love when the brand interacts with them.

2. Multiple Ways to Say the Same Thing

It can be challenging as a CM to address the same comment over and over again. This CM for our #client not only addresses several comments but does it without using the same cookie-cutter response. Being unique with your response can help show users that you read their comment and put some thought into it, not just copy and pasted. When users are looking back at comments and they notice the same answer is always given, they may stop engaging.

3. Answers the Question at Hand

Don’t beat around the bush, answer the question at hand in a crisp and clear way as we did for this #client. The CM did a great job addressing the comment without sending the customer to a different link or help center. In a situation like this, where the answer can be easy addressed, it pays to get the response to the customer directly. The personal touch helps, too.

4. Great Community Management Goes the Extra Mile

Offering suggestions and offering another way to directly reach the paint team – well done, CM, well done! When customers have such a specific request, CMs can spend a lot of time hunting to find exactly what they want. Not only does this show dedication, it also makes the brand seem eager to help as best as they can. After receiving help like this, the customer would probably be more likely to turn to the brand for more help.

 

5. Sugar Coating the Bad with Something Good

While the answer you have to give may not be what the customer wants to hear, it’s always helpful to end on a high note. This CM did just that and took the opportunity to show how the brand has been expanding. That may give hope to the community that the brand is listening to them and taking their suggestions to heart. In this situation, they’re likely more excited about receiving a response, then they are bummed about not having a location near them.

6. Quick to Respond

Answering the community can be a constant challenge – but answering the community quickly can be even harder. It is incredibly impressive that the community manager was able to get back to this customer within five minutes, while he was likely still at the restaurant. Although the CM may not have been able to immediately help Curtis, at least now he feels like the brand cares about his concerns.

Do you need help managing your brand’s community? We’ve got you covered – contact us here or fill out the form below.

Frequently Asked Questions About Community Management

What does a community manager do on social media?

A community manager acts as the link between a brand and its customers, helping to build, grow, and manage online communities. They are often the voice of the brand and the person customers communicate with when they reach out on social media.

What are examples of great community management?

Great community management includes being personable and genuine, varying responses so they don’t feel copy-pasted, answering questions directly without redirecting users, going the extra mile to find specific information, softening bad news with a positive follow-up, and responding as quickly as possible to customer concerns.

Why is response time important in community management?

Quick response times show customers that the brand cares about their concerns. Even if the community manager can’t immediately resolve an issue, a fast reply makes the customer feel heard and valued.

How should a community manager handle negative or disappointing responses?

When delivering news a customer doesn’t want to hear, it’s effective to end on a positive note — such as highlighting how the brand is growing or expanding. This keeps the customer engaged and shows the brand is listening to community feedback.

How can brands avoid repetitive community management responses?

Community managers should vary their responses even when addressing the same question repeatedly. Using unique, personalized replies shows users that their comment was read thoughtfully, rather than answered with a copy-and-paste template.