Social media management has evolved from the one-person role to a team that functions together to establish your online presence. You have a customer support person, a marketing specialist, and sometimes even a graphic designer. Lately, businesses are also investing in a community manager.
Community managers are members of the social media team that interact with and engage with posts and to get and keep the conversation going. Community managers typically post from their own accounts as brand ambassadors – their tasks can include posting to increase community engagement, replying and interacting with current community members, and listening to community conversations.
5 Red Flags to Watch Out for When Hiring a Community Manager
An engaged community can make or break an established or even up-and-coming business, which is why the demand for a good community manager is constantly rising. Unfortunately, quality community managers are hard to find as most work remotely and need good communication skills to easily integrate with your current social media team.
Here are some red flags to watch out for when hiring a community manager:
#1. They are not willing to show up and create video content.
As of October of 2020, 85% of all internet users in the United States watched online video content monthly on any of their devices. If your community manager is avoiding creating video content, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to grow and engage. In general, short-form and long-form video content have become so popular that they’re included on almost every social media platform.
#2. They’re not familiar with (or a part of) your current community.
Communities are valuable and close-knit; hiring a community manager that doesn’t know anything about your current community can end up having a negative impact on how your community views your business. While your community manager doesn’t have to be from your community, they should at least be familiar with how your community functions and what it needs to thrive.
#3. They’re not enthusiastic.
Unlike social media managers who post and strategize content, community managers have to involve themselves in community conversations. If your community manager is not interested or enthusiastic about something they’ll have to talk, post, and share about all day – they’re not the one for you.
#4. They don’t connect with your current social media team.
Your community manager is going to work closely with both your marketing team and social media manager. Have your team be on a group call or in-person meeting (if possible) before onboarding your potential hire. If your current team members and potential hire don’t seem to interact and communicate well after considering that it’s their first meeting, there’s a good chance that they won’t be able to execute an efficient social media strategy together successfully.
#5. They’re not aware of current trends.
Simply asking your potential hire about current social media trends is an easy way to determine if they’re currently active on social media. While your social media strategy shouldn’t rely solely on trends, they are an essential part of interacting with and getting engagement in your community.
Are Community Managers Really Necessary?
Yep, they really are, especially if you have a large or growing community! Community managers are meant to keep the momentum, and more importantly, get growth and engagement started. It may be hard to find a community manager that integrates flawlessly into your current team, but having one greatly influences your online presence.
Community management is more than just engagement and conversation-starting; it’s building brand trust and loyalty. Active communities foster positive relationships between consumers and brands, which both retain past customers and attract new customers.
Create a strong social media strategy and find your ideal social media team by connecting with Stellapop today.
See Also:
Engaging Social Media: How to Create a Rabid Community
