Forums provide the opportunity to build an online community that allows your audience to connect in a place where they know their interests are shared.   More work, communication, and socialization are being done online than ever, so having the best forum software to reach your community goals is a must.  Online communities are particularly beneficial for businesses because they allow customers to interact with each other in a smaller circle than they could via social media, which increases engagement and brand affinity. To help you reach and build your community using a forum, I’, going to take you through […]

Over the last few weeks, I‘ve been writing extensively about community management, what it is, and why it’s essential. If, after reading my posts and doing your own research, you still need to figure out if it’s worth investing in, perhaps a quick pros and cons list will help you come to a decision. Let’s dive into the pros and cons of community management. The Pros of Community Management 1. Customer Loyalty When you create a community around your brand, you‘re fostering a space where your audience feels seen and heard. Furthermore, you’re creating a space where they can speak […]

Matthew Stibbe, CEO of Articulate Marketing, told me, “Community is not the cult of celebrity. It’s a reciprocal thing. It is about building connections, true connections, and developing those connections into relationships.” He’s exactly right: communities help you share your brand identity, engage with members to build and deepen relationships and help you share content with them so they have everything they need to succeed. That being said, how can you reap the benefits of online communities? I’ll dive into that in this post and walk you through how to build an online community, with advice from experts who have […]

If you’re trying to start or grow a community around your brand, these community management best practices might just do the trick. Good community management requires a little bit of troubleshooting. But you can’t just turn it off and turn it back on (like I do with my almost-10-year old laptop when it freezes). You took the time to build a strategy to draw people in. Now, let’s work together to get it off the ground — the right way. Community Management Best Practices Here are my top 12 best practices for community management, with insights from experts across the […]

The concept of managing communities may seem straightforward. But a community management strategy is what separates the ‘omg I love them!’ brands from all the rest. If you really want to make an impact on your audience, it’s going to require a little bit of planning. Come with me to take your community management efforts to the next level. Table of Contents What is a community management strategy? How to Create a Community Management Strategy Think about some of your favorite brands and how they interact with their audiences. Personally, I love Duolingo’s approach to community management. It’s authentic, consistent, […]

A few years ago, I had to manage a Facebook community for a TV station I was working for as a digital journalist. It was a completely new experience, and there were definitely times I stumbled. Community management challenges are real and can be hard to navigate if you’re new to the field. Fortunately, I gathered valuable information from experts, including a fellow HubSpotter, so you can be the best community manager you can be and avoid some of my blunders. If you‘re an organization looking for a community manager, these challenges and their solutions will help you understand the […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]