Social Media 101: Tactics and Tips to DevelopYour Business Online

Chapter 61. On Managing a Community

I wonder how most organizations are handling the role of community manager. I'm curious where a community manager reports. Marketing? HR? Customer service? I wonder how organizations are justifying the cost, and what they believe the role entails for level of effort. How are companies using the role in either direction?

Depending on the organization, I imagine the role of a community manager would be different, so I'm going to walk through what the role might entail for a media and events company (like mine^[223]), and see what comes to mind. I could do the same for several other professions, but let's start here. Want to follow along? You can help me refine it in the comments section of my blog at http://chrisbrogan.com/comments-from-101.

STRATEGY

My strategy for a community manager would be to accomplish the following:

• Develop an awareness center for your industry (so you can listen and know what the community at large feels).

• Build a nonmarketing community outreach to deliver a voice for your organization to the industry.

• Engage the community you embrace, and facilitate learning and education from your organization's perspective and through relationships with other trusted organizations.

REPORTING STRUCTURE

My company is a fairly flat organizational structure. At my office, a community manager would report to me as the vice president of strategy and technology. Why? Because I'm charged with setting the tone and the look and feel of the content for all ...