I've been a
social media community manager for about two years. I love it.
It's fun, I get to meet so many new people, and I get paid for it!
I landed in the world of social media via a little luck, a pinch of patience, a solid writing background, and doing tasks outside of my official job description.
People have asked me what makes a good community manager, and I don't have a cookie cutter answer to that question. However, the ability to come to work every day with a smile regardless of how many people you'd like to punch in the face are getting on your nerves is a key attribute.
Every organization will need or want something different for the role it is trying to fill.
Instead of answering "What should I look for?" I'm going to write about the traits an effective community manager should have based primarily on my experiences.
1. Personality
A good community manager is well-liked and sure of himself, yet still comfortable enough to stroke other people's egos. He should engage with his authentic voice—not a marketing message.
2. Passion
It's essential for a community manager to have a passion for social media and a good understanding of the business she represents. Understanding the business will help him or her better understand customer pain points.
3. Friendly, responsive and patient
Community managers have to like people and be social, enjoy engaging and responding to comments and/or questions, and be attentive to the community daily. They also need the ability to defuse troublesome, obnoxious, or rude people without reacting or being impulsive.
4. Flexible
It isn't always a nine-to-five job. Community managers need to be able to roll with the punches and adjust their schedules based on what is happening online.
5. Understand and embrace data
Metrics and reports appropriate to the organization are necessary to weigh the value of social media efforts.
6. Great writer and communicator
I'm not going to explain this. If you don't get it, this isn't the job for you.
Social media is an effective tool to engage your target audience, drive traffic to your website, and boost sales.
Community managers are becoming more common at companies of all sizes. They are the ones who own the responsibility to grow, shape, and respond to online conversations happening around the brand. They manage the community. They go beyond just tweeting and posting. They don't drive conversation, but build an environment where conversations happen naturally.
What did I miss?
A version of this article originally appeared on Spin Sucks.
(Image
via)