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 […]

Community management helps you build trust, loyalty, and connection with your audience. It’s also how you make sure your audience gets the most out of what you offer them. Given its importance, I understand why engaging with your own communities can feel daunting—you likely don’t want to mess it up. Not to fear. I did some online digging for this piece and found some excellent community management examples to share with you. They’re great inspiration, and give you an idea of how other brands have cultivated their own successful communities. Community Management Examples 1. The Spot The Spot is HubSpot’s […]

In the age of social media, most brand communities exist mainly online via social media platforms like Reddit, TikTok, Facebook, or X. So, when you think of community management, you might think the person in charge of that is a social media manager. However, that may not be the case. There are actually significant differences between social media and community management, though the two can go hand-in-hand. What are those differences? Well, keep reading to find out. Community Management vs Social Media Management Here are some key differences between community management and social media management. 1. Different Goals Community managers […]

So, you want to hire a community manager to help raise brand awareness for your company and better connect with your consumers. There‘s just one problem: You’re not sure how to hire a community manager. What qualities should you look for when hiring? Where can you find a community manager? Why do you even need one? Well, you‘ve come to the right blog because I’m about to explain all of that and more. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about how to hire a community manager. Why hire a community manager? 81% of consumers need to trust […]