They say if you can measure it, you can manage it. So how do you measure a community? That’s not a rhetorical question. If you want to manage a thriving community, you better figure out which community management metrics actually mean something about your work. I spoke with a panel of four experts — from CCOs and Directors to program managers in the trenches — and asked what metrics they use themselves. They also shared their thoughts on reporting upwards (gulp) and which KPIs are just a distraction. Table of Contents How to Think about Community Management KPIs Top Community […]

Having a hard time finding clear info on community management tools? I’m not even a little surprised. “Community management” covers a wide range of jobs, and they’re not going to have the same software needs. After all, if you’re running a B2B product support forum you need a different tech stack than someone modding a Bluey fandom on TikTok, right? To find the right tools, you’d usually have to get a firsthand recommendation from someone who’s done your job. Well, today’s your lucky day — I did that part for you. I chatted with a range of community management veterans […]

You lost that lovin’ feelin’. Fun to hear on the oldies station. Not so fun to hear from your community members. But that’s the double-edged sword of scaling community management, isn’t it? The better you do, the bigger you get. And the bigger your group gets, the harder it is to do the things that made it so special. Below, 5 veterans of community management — from Square, Pocket CCO, HeyOrca, and HubSpot — share some challenges you’re likely to face. And how they overcame them. Real-Life Challenges from Those Who Have Been There Some of these challenges are unavoidable, […]

As of 2024, 86% of social media marketers say building an active and engaging online community is critical to a successful social media strategy. If your company wants to build or expand its social media community, you’re probably wondering which approach is better—in-house or outsourced community management. Fortunately, I have years of experience in both and can give some advice based on what I learned working in-house and later for an outsourced marketing firm. Here’s what you need to know. Table of Contents: In-House Community Management  Outsourced Community Management How to Choose Between In-House and Outsourced Community Management In-House Community […]