The Customer & The Brand

The Role of the Online Community Manager

Strong customer relationships, customer retention, and an emotional connection are the ingredients to becoming an effective Community Manager online.

Social media is more than just throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks. Your main online platform, whether it's Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram, is NOT your megaphone or one-way selling point to your customers. Social media is about sharing, communicating, listening, and observing from afar. Learning what your customers are saying about you and your competitor is essential for your brand to thrive online and in turn meet your business goals.

The Familiar Voice

When interacting with customers on any platform you have to be the welcoming and informative voice they will remember time and time again. This is not about informing them about deals, sales, or specials as soon as you say "hello", especially if they reached out to you for something else. As a brand you want to be the voice of reason, the thought leader and the helpful customer service rep all-in-one. The role of the Online Community Manager is to maintain an open line of communication with all existing and potential customers. Whether you're a small business owner taking on the role or part of a large business planning on investing in someone to do it for you, it is a worthwhile investment. You want someone always ready, within a 24-hour period, to listen and give feedback to customers. This will increase engagement and get you closer to reaching your business goals. According to Ambassador, 71% of consumers who have had a good social media service experience with a brand are likely to recommend it to others. Word-of-mouth is still one of best ways to grow a brand. Choosing the right platform Not every business can afford to be on all platforms as a community manager. That's why it's important to find the social media platform that works best for your business and dedicate a majority of your efforts there. Make it known that all complaints, comments, or concerns will be readily addressed on that social platform. Twitter is often touted as the best customer service platform, you can check mentions or hashtags and see what people are saying about your brand or a competitor. However, one of the most effective social listening and management tools to date is Sprout Social. Small businesses that want to maintain a strong online presence should consider this tool. Sprout Social allows you to craft scheduled posts on all major platforms, engage in social listening with ease, and assign tasks to your team, no matter how big or small. Conclusion

The Online Community Manager role will bring more value to your business online. You can learn many new things from your audience and competitors, that will help your brand meet its business goals. When customers see a brand communicating and helping their fans and followers, building trust with them becomes easier. Remember that social media is fun and SOCIAL, be engaging, be thoughtful, and most of all be kind.