Six Essential Traits of Great Community Managers

Today’s guest post is by Yvette Pistorio. 

I’ve been a social media community manager for just about two years and 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 by doing tasks outside of my official job description.

I’ve been asked what makes a good community manager and I don’t have a cookie cutter answer to that question, though 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 they are trying to fill.

So 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.

Personality

A good community manager is well-liked, sure of themselves, yet still comfortable enough to stroke other people’s egos. They should engage with their own authentic voice, not with a marketing message.

Passion

It’s essential to have a passion for social media and a good understanding of the business they represent. Understanding the business will help them better understand customer pain points.

Friendly, Responsive, and Patient

They 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.

Flexible

It isn’t always a 9 to 5 job. They need to be able to roll with the punches and adjust their schedule based on what is happening online.

Understand and Embrace Data

Metrics and reports appropriate to the organization are necessary to weight the value of social media efforts.

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 their brand. You know, 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 have I missed? Feel free to fill in the blanks in the comments below.

About Yvette Pistorio

Yvette Pistorio is an account executive and community manager for Arment Dietrich. She is a lover of pop culture, cupcakes, and HGTV, and enjoys a good laugh. There are a gazillion ways you can find her online.

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