The role of a community manager is a bit of a wild card these days. The title is tossed around to describe a range of skill sets—some relevant, some not.
While it’s great to see “community manager” gaining popularity as a title, it’s also become vague to the point of being meaningless. When someone says they’re a community manager, it’s hard to know what they actually do without further explanation.
For this discussion, let’s define a community manager as someone who actively oversees and nurtures an online community.
This could involve managing a forum, a hosted community platform, or even social media channels.
With that in mind, I’ll share some thoughts on what makes a great community manager.
1. Experience Matters
A common misconception is that community management is a new field, so no one has relevant experience. As a result, companies often prioritize candidates from marketing or communications who might lack direct community management expertise.
I’ve seen job postings that prioritize skills like email marketing or SEO but neglect actual experience in managing communities.
That’s a red flag—what they really want is a marketer, not a community manager.
Hands-on experience in managing online communities, especially forums, is invaluable. Forums, with their complexity and moving parts, provide a solid foundation. People who’ve mastered forum management often bring skills that translate well to broader social media or community roles because of the depth of challenges they’ve navigated.
2. Core Skills and Traits of Great Community Managers
Beyond experience, there are essential qualities that separate great community managers from the rest:
• Attention to Detail: Moderation and policy enforcement require precision. Mistakes need to be addressed swiftly, and details can’t be overlooked.
• Strong Communication: Writing with clarity, sensitivity, and empathy minimizes conflicts and fosters understanding.
• Policy Development: Crafting and adapting guidelines ensures community members know what’s acceptable and fosters fairness.
• Good Judgement in Moderation: Recognizing guideline violations and maintaining focus on the community’s purpose is key.
• Fairness and Consistency: Applying rules uniformly, regardless of who breaks them, earns trust.
• Organizational Skills: Community management often involves juggling many tasks—staying organized is non-negotiable.
• Leadership Abilities:
Guiding a team of moderators and fostering teamwork is essential.
• Technical Aptitude:
While not developers, community managers need to navigate platforms and troubleshoot basic issues effectively.
• Self-Awareness: Community members model their behavior after you. A good community manager is mindful of their tone and influence.
• Engagement Beyond Management: Great managers actively participate in discussions, contributing as members of the community, not just overseers.
• Passion for Community: Managing a community requires more than love for the topic; it demands enthusiasm for fostering connections.
• Patience and Humor: Inevitably, you’ll face criticism, sometimes absurd or personal. The ability to laugh it off and stay professional is invaluable.
• Accessibility: Members will reach out through unexpected channels. Staying approachable and guiding them appropriately is part of the job.
• Decision-Making Skills: Effective community managers can weigh options, seek feedback, and make timely decisions—especially tough ones.
3. The Right Environment for Success
Great community managers thrive in companies that genuinely value community. Organizations that constantly demand proof of the community’s worth often create environments where managers struggle to focus on their core responsibilities. Community building is a long-term investment—it requires commitment and trust from leadership.
If a company asks you to spend 20% of your time justifying the value of your role, it’s a red flag.
That time would be better spent engaging with the community itself. Buy-in from the top is critical for success, and without it, even the best community managers can’t reach their full potential.
In the end, successful community management is about creating spaces where people feel valued, understood, and connected.
It’s not just about the title; it’s about the work and the environment that enables it.
While it’s great to see “community manager” gaining popularity as a title, it’s also become vague to the point of being meaningless. When someone says they’re a community manager, it’s hard to know what they actually do without further explanation.
For this discussion, let’s define a community manager as someone who actively oversees and nurtures an online community.
This could involve managing a forum, a hosted community platform, or even social media channels.
With that in mind, I’ll share some thoughts on what makes a great community manager.
1. Experience Matters
A common misconception is that community management is a new field, so no one has relevant experience. As a result, companies often prioritize candidates from marketing or communications who might lack direct community management expertise.
I’ve seen job postings that prioritize skills like email marketing or SEO but neglect actual experience in managing communities.
That’s a red flag—what they really want is a marketer, not a community manager.
Hands-on experience in managing online communities, especially forums, is invaluable. Forums, with their complexity and moving parts, provide a solid foundation. People who’ve mastered forum management often bring skills that translate well to broader social media or community roles because of the depth of challenges they’ve navigated.
2. Core Skills and Traits of Great Community Managers
Beyond experience, there are essential qualities that separate great community managers from the rest:
• Attention to Detail: Moderation and policy enforcement require precision. Mistakes need to be addressed swiftly, and details can’t be overlooked.
• Strong Communication: Writing with clarity, sensitivity, and empathy minimizes conflicts and fosters understanding.
• Policy Development: Crafting and adapting guidelines ensures community members know what’s acceptable and fosters fairness.
• Good Judgement in Moderation: Recognizing guideline violations and maintaining focus on the community’s purpose is key.
• Fairness and Consistency: Applying rules uniformly, regardless of who breaks them, earns trust.
• Organizational Skills: Community management often involves juggling many tasks—staying organized is non-negotiable.
• Leadership Abilities:
Guiding a team of moderators and fostering teamwork is essential.
• Technical Aptitude:
While not developers, community managers need to navigate platforms and troubleshoot basic issues effectively.
• Self-Awareness: Community members model their behavior after you. A good community manager is mindful of their tone and influence.
• Engagement Beyond Management: Great managers actively participate in discussions, contributing as members of the community, not just overseers.
• Passion for Community: Managing a community requires more than love for the topic; it demands enthusiasm for fostering connections.
• Patience and Humor: Inevitably, you’ll face criticism, sometimes absurd or personal. The ability to laugh it off and stay professional is invaluable.
• Accessibility: Members will reach out through unexpected channels. Staying approachable and guiding them appropriately is part of the job.
• Decision-Making Skills: Effective community managers can weigh options, seek feedback, and make timely decisions—especially tough ones.
3. The Right Environment for Success
Great community managers thrive in companies that genuinely value community. Organizations that constantly demand proof of the community’s worth often create environments where managers struggle to focus on their core responsibilities. Community building is a long-term investment—it requires commitment and trust from leadership.
If a company asks you to spend 20% of your time justifying the value of your role, it’s a red flag.
That time would be better spent engaging with the community itself. Buy-in from the top is critical for success, and without it, even the best community managers can’t reach their full potential.
In the end, successful community management is about creating spaces where people feel valued, understood, and connected.
It’s not just about the title; it’s about the work and the environment that enables it.
