Community management: Connect, engage, and grow
Community management is the art and science of building, nurturing, and growing online communities around a brand, product, or cause. A skilled community manager acts as a bridge between your organisation and your audience, fostering meaningful relationships, encouraging engagement, and ultimately driving business objectives.
What to look for in a freelance community manager
Finding the right community manager is crucial for your brand's success. Look for freelancers who demonstrate:
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- A deep understanding of online community dynamics
- Proven experience in building and managing online communities
- Strong analytical skills to track community growth and engagement
- Proficiency in relevant social media platforms and community management tools
- A proactive and strategic approach to community building
Main expertise areas to inquire about
When interviewing potential community managers, explore their expertise in these key areas:
- Social media management: Experience with creating engaging content, scheduling posts, and running social media campaigns.
- Community platform management: Familiarity with platforms like Discord, Slack, and forums.
- Content creation and curation: Ability to create original content and curate relevant content from other sources.
- Community engagement and moderation: Experience in fostering discussions, responding to comments, and managing online conflicts.
- Event planning and execution: Ability to organise and host online and offline community events.
- Community growth strategy: Developing and implementing strategies to attract new members and increase engagement.
Relevant interview questions
Here are some questions to help you assess a potential community manager:
- Tell me about a successful community you've built or managed.
- How do you measure community engagement and success?
- Describe your approach to handling difficult community members or situations.
- What are your favourite community management tools and why?
- How would you build a community around [your brand/product]?
- Share an example of a time you turned a negative community interaction into a positive one.
Tips for shortlisting candidates
- Review portfolios and case studies showcasing previous community management experience.
- Look for demonstrable results, such as increased engagement, community growth, or positive brand sentiment.
- Pay attention to their communication style and how they present themselves online.
Potential red flags
Be wary of candidates who:
- Lack demonstrable experience in community management.
- Have a poor online presence or unprofessional communication style.
- Focus solely on vanity metrics like follower count rather than genuine engagement.
- Are unable to provide specific examples of their community management successes.
Typical complementary skills
Community management often goes hand-in-hand with skills like:
- Content marketing
- Social media marketing
- Email marketing
- SEO/SEM
- Event management
Benefits of hiring a freelance community manager
A skilled freelance community manager can help you:
- Build a loyal and engaged community around your brand.
- Increase brand awareness and visibility.
- Generate leads and drive sales.
- Improve customer satisfaction and retention.
- Gather valuable customer feedback and insights.
- Manage your online reputation and address customer concerns effectively.
Real-world examples
Consider these scenarios where a community manager adds value:
- Launching a new product: A community manager can build pre-launch excitement, gather feedback during beta testing, and create a supportive community for early adopters.
- Managing a brand's online reputation: They can monitor social media conversations, respond to customer queries and complaints, and proactively address negative feedback.
- Growing an online forum: A community manager can foster discussions, organise events, and create a welcoming environment to attract and retain members.
By hiring a skilled freelance community manager, you can unlock the power of online communities to connect with your audience, build brand loyalty, and drive business growth. Find the perfect community manager for your needs on YunoJuno today.
