The dos and donts of online community management.

2. The warning
Summer 2009
» Habitat tried to capitalise on trending hashtags to promote its competition
Results in backlash for its followers
» ‘For shame. Doesn’t your own product inspire?’
Brand Republic
» ‘An example on how not to use social media’

3. The community
manager
We know what makes your customers click.

4. More than just...
Someone hanging around on Facebook, Twitter, etc, all day
Good community managers aren’t tasked with just broadcasting company news, they have to create meaningful
discussions around topics that are important to the overall community
Understand the brand Lead
Develop content Analyse
Strategise Mediate
Be empathetic Be relevant

5. Before you start
We know what makes your customers click.

6. Make it easier on yourself
Must have
» Social media policy
» Hootsuite (or similar)
» A listening tool
» Guidelines for participation
Nice to have
» Tool for scheduling activity

7. Have a plan
Why do you want to grow a community?
What do you want to get out of it?
Do you know what your members will get out of it?
Do you have a conversation strategy?
And if so, make sure you are being a little selfish with it

8. I, we or it?
Is your brand an ‘I’ or a ‘we’?
What is ‘I’ or ‘we’ like?
You are whatever your brand needs you to be
Whoever you are, it’s not all about you
Whatever you decide to be, be consistent

9. Good community
management
We know what makes your customers click.

10. Sell (but not in the usual way)
You’re likely here to sell – there is no shame in it
Don’t focus on it, but don’t shy away from it either
The trick is to determine how you can create this emotional bond between your product and communities

11. Get involved
Be part of the community, not the controller of it
But lead by example
Encourage discussion
And occasionally shape it for your own benefit

12. Be relevant and frequent
Know your audience and build content around them
Be as frequent as you need to be

13. Reward loyal members
Loyal members are worth their weight in gold
Through time they will generate content for you
And will act as brand advocates
But don’t encourage the haters
They will only waste your time
However if you must deal with a hater

14. Focus on the resolution
Reply quickly, reply always
Even when you don’t have the answer
Don’t blame or justify, fix
And never, never, ever delete the negative interactions
Above all, keep calm and never react emotionally

15. Admit mistakes and apologise

16. And finally
If you are off on holiday, make sure someone is there to
take your place
You have spent a lot of time growing your community
You will have set expectations
Make sure they are always met

17. Be everything you
want your community
to be
We know what makes your customers click.

18. SSD
Let’s discuss…
@EmsGlasgow