The job description of the community manager is still quite unknown and often underestimated - especially in B2B communication. Read here what distinguishes the community manager from the social media manager and why the job is so important.
The tasks of a community manager are complex
If one follows the first official job definition, community management is described "all methods and activities related to the conception, construction, management, operation, support and optimization of virtual communities". The person in charge is responsible for direct communication between the company and the online community on social media and owned platforms. The community manager is the first point of contact for praise, criticism and questions, and often also moderates the portal's forum. In addition, he responds - ideally within the shortest possible time - to comments or criticism on the Internet and on the platform or marketplace and seeks dialog with fans or users. The community manager is a communication professional of a special kind, a kind of mediator and "feel-good manager" for the community.
In everyday work, the job is often confused with that of the social media manager - not without reason, because both work closely together. However, if the social media manager deals with the advertising and content activities in the social networks, especially Facebook or Snapchat, the community manager "only" has the community in mind.
Why do you need a community manager?
Community managers are especially indispensable for companies where a virtual community is part of the business model. They develop and manage the respective community on their own portal and also the fan base on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn or Pinterest. The most important tasks of a community manager are the company's own set of rules, compliance with the code of conduct on the network and the dissemination of relevant information to the members of the community, as well as the promotion of exchange between members. It is important to deal professionally with praise and criticism from participants, to bring good mood into the company and also to communicate solutions. They also organize community events to expand the team and find or activate new members. In the company, they also work with the customer service and product team in addition to the social media manager, forwarding questions and taking care of the community's satisfaction. If the community is not well taken care of, business models based on it quickly collapse.
The Community Manager -
Communicator 4.0
Whether trolls, troublemakers and notorious complainers, critical members or newcomers - community managers know how to put them in their place or, if there is no other way, exclude them from the respective platform. Community management is a round-the-clock job with great responsibility for the company. On a day-to-day basis, community managers take on the strategies and concepts of social media management and translate them into individual posts, series or campaigns for the community. But the job also focuses on managing the participants. In the end, you see that experienced participants can learn something from the 'newbies', while new participants of course benefit enormously from the expertise of the experienced participants. The core of her role is to bring these two types of participants together so that they can support and benefit from each other.
Again, fostering exchange and mutual interaction is at the heart of the community management activity.
You could say that community managers guard the holy grail of brand essence on the Internet.