Community management is a key factor for brands to engage with their customers, enhance loyalty, and build long-term relationships. Brands that excel in community management often see increased customer retention and better advocacy, as they provide value beyond products or services. In this article, we explore some companies that have set the benchmark for building exceptional communities.
What Community Management Includes
Community management is a multi-layered role that involves communication, support, engagement, and growth of a brand's community. This can take place on various platforms, including social media, forums, or branded communities. Community managers are responsible for fostering connection and collaboration among members, moderating conversations, and aligning the community's interests with business goals.
The 4 Steps to Good Community Management
Successfully managing a community is grounded in four primary pillars: Strategy, Engagement, Moderation, and Measurement. The strategy involves setting clear goals and defining the community’s purpose. Engagement relates to the creation of valuable content and the encouragement of member interaction. Moderation includes overseeing discussions to maintain a healthy environment. Measurement, the final pillar, is about analyzing data to inform decisions.
Examples of Exceptional Community Management
Salesforce – Salesforce has set the precedent for B2B community management with its Salesforce Trailblazer Community. Here, users can connect, learn from each other, and find mentorship opportunities. Salesforce encourages active participation with gamification elements, such as earning badges and becoming a "Trailblazer."
Skittles – Skittles displays community management with a twist of creativity and humor. On social media, they engage their fan base with vibrant content, interactive campaigns, and quick-witted responses, making each community member feel valued and entertained.
Netflix – The streaming giant has cultivated an immense online presence where they share content that sparks conversations, create dedicated groups for different shows, and engage fans in discussions about their favorite series. Netflix's community managers are known for their relatable and casual tone that resonates well with the audience.
Yorkshire Tea – Yorkshire Tea has brewed a strong community with a relatable brand voice and timely customer interactions. They have mastered the art of blending product promotion with engaging, community-focused content.
Innocent – Innocent creates a unique sense of belonging within its community by sharing light-hearted, amusing content that encourages interaction while also incorporating user-generated content, showcasing the relevance of customer contributions.
How to Effectively Manage and Activate Your Community
Managing a community effectively means:
- establishing clear rules,
- being present and active,
- providing consistent and valuable content,
- listening to feedback,
- recognizing and rewarding active members.
The last step is where KOOS comes in – we help to record all the meaningful actions and give out stakes in the business so that people who help your company grow, will be emotionally and financially invested in the business's success.
Emphasizing authenticity and a personal touch can transform interactions into meaningful relationships.
Community Management Strategies
Brands can learn valuable lessons from exemplary community management strategies employed by leading companies. From content creation to community engagement initiatives, there's a strategic approach to fostering a vibrant community that aligns with business objectives.
The Role of a Community Manager
At the heart of community management lies the role of the community manager. They are the brand ambassadors who not only represent the company's voice but also advocate for the community's needs. They lead by example, creating a bridge between the brand and its audience.
Community management is an area rich with insights, best practices, and creative approaches that can inform how to build and nurture a successful brand community. By learning from the companies that excel in this field, business owners and community managers can apply these lessons to their strategies. For a deeper dive into crafting effective community management strategies, consider exploring our article about community management strategies, where we outline comprehensive tactics for community engagement and growth.
