Defining community management

Many social media jobs in the UK and elsewhere list ‘community management’ as one of the key focus areas, but sometimes it’s not immediately clear what this means. So, what is this community management thing, and what skills do you need to do it well?

These days the secret to online success is putting your site at the centre of a community. Of the three most popular sites on the internet, two (YouTube and Facebook) are based around content generated entirely by a community of users, and even the smallest online shop can benefit from a pool of repeat or regular customers- in other words, a community.

In any community, there are people who behave well and people who behave badly. Arguments will eventually arise on any active online forum. Someone has to sort those arguments out, make sure rude or aggressive behaviour is dealt with appropriately, and help the community stay interesting, enjoyable, and useful to the host. That person is the community manager.

Of all online marketing jobs, community management positions require the most tact and discretion, and greatest the ability to keep an even temper. You’ll need to be watchful and keep an eye on forums and open chats, especially if there are children using the site, and deal swiftly with any problems or disputes before they get out of hand.

Even if the website management, social media, or igaming jobs you are applying for don’t mention community management in the brief, it’s a good idea to list any relevant skills in your CV. For example, if you run an active LiveJournal group, that counts as community management experience.

Tags: igaming jobs, online marketing jobs, social media jobs UK