Responsibilities and freedoms:
The tasks of the community management team should be precisely defined right from the start: Who is authorized to answer questions and comments? What is the desired timeframe for answering?
Communication in social networks often requires quick decisions. In such cases, too, it is important to clarify in advance whether and how the community manager should react in critical moments.
Structures and tools:
Depending on the size of the virtual community, community management can quickly become confusing. Using suitable structures and tools is therefore particularly recommended on a platform such as Facebook, because comments can easily be overlooked and therefore remain unanswered. Tools such as HootSuite or Facelift Cloud enable a structured processing of inquiries, even in a team.
Expertise and expertise:
Complex questions can sometimes not be answered spontaneously by the community manager alone. Calling in specialist knowledge and experts from other departments is therefore part of a good community management strategy. Ideally, a fixed group of contact persons is defined who can provide the community manager with well-founded knowledge in a timely manner.
Content and tonality:
Successful community management also includes considerations regarding the content and the type of communication. Even if the community manager is not directly entrusted with editorial tasks, he should still be involved in decisions. After all, he knows the concerns and issues of the community best. In addition, the right tonality in communication also plays a decisive role. Depending on the environment and target group, it is decided whether this is more distant or direct.
Resources and trust:
A community management team is only good if the company is willing to invest the appropriate resources for it. Be it the work of the team as well as the necessary tools should be rewarded accordingly. In addition to the financial aspect, this also includes an appropriate appreciation of performance.
* Jenny Plank is Social Media Manager at VIDA Marketing.
–
—
