6 Skills Needed to be a Social Media Community Manager in 2021
Most companies in 2021 now have a social media presence. But few actually know what they are doing. (What happened to Taco Bell’s Facebook account??? All they do is post ads, no posts are clever or funny, never responds to comments, and feels totally unauthentic). Some companies have handed down the social media duties to their Gen X marketing team. Um, hello… those Gen Xers went to college in 1990. Social media wasn’t even around then (although they could be great at AOL chat rooms)! The marketing funnel has even changed from the time they got their marketing degree. Billboards are no longer the way to go and focus groups are expensive. Welcome to 2021… the age of a Social Media Community.
It’s a big job, (so companies you need to hire at least 2 people need to handle just social media in any company, otherwise they will get totally burned out). One person (that’s the social media manager) should handle the daily social accounts, posts, comment interaction, customer service, search other conversations to be a part of, listen to what is being said, and post analysis. A completely different person needs to be an advocate for your brand. That is the social media community manager. Here are the 6 characteristics and skills needed to do it right.
- Copywriter: A great caption or piece of written content that speaks directly to your audience could lead to more engagement. Get your community talking to each other.
- Be Creative: A quick video or slideshow will reach more of the audience and engagement rates are usually higher than a graphic. The video needs to be about something the community wants to know about, not just what you want to share. Thus, one should be skilled at “tactful newsjacking,” meaning the ability to (tactfully) capitalize on a news story, trend, or hashtag that the community is interested in discussing.
3. Empathetic: If others know someone works for a brand, they may post their complaints or questions. It’s important to put yourself in other people’s shoes to answer their post with care. Nurture the community with empathy but be firm so all rules will be followed.
4. Motivational: As the leader of the group, strive for everyone to be the best version of themselves. Give the community a push to try something new.
5. Attentive: Pay attention to all posts and be ready to intervene if someone is not following the rules. Listen to what others keep bringing up, it’s an advantage point to know how to grow the business.
6. Positive Attitude: Unless you are in the “I hate everything” group, make your group a friendly, safe place for people to connect. If the leader stays positive and leads by example, others will follow the lead for an inclusive group. No Karens here!
Investing in growing a community gives you a constant stream of consumer insights that you can tap at any time. Conveniently, it also ensures that you have a primed audience to market to when the time comes. It’s time to build a community, not just followers. Give people something to be a part of with the help of a Social Media Community Manager.
References:
https://www.kasasa.com/exchange/articles/marketing/social-media-community-manager
https://www.themuse.com/advice/difference-between-social-media-community-manager
https://nationalpositions.com/5-ways-to-optimize-your-marketing-funnel-to-get-the-results-you-want/
https://www.business2community.com/marketing/the-ultimate-guide-to-marketing-funnels-02280375
