Community Managers, Facebook Moderators and Baby Wearing
Episode 262: Show Notes
Hey all you beautiful people! Welcome back to The Strategy Hour Podcast. Today we are going to be talking about something we have implemented recently that was a great help to us and it might just be something you can use too. We’ll be talking about community managers and what this role means, why it is different from a brand ambassador or a group moderator and why you might want to think about employing one. We have a big ol’ free Facebook Group that is currently about 20k members strong. And then we have two paid, private TCC communities and it is for these groups that we implemented this role of community manager.
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We’ll be talking about what differentiates these positions and why both are useful in their separate iterations. As these groups and communities grow, they change and shift, like anything. We want to continue to make sure that we can provide for all the members in the best possible way. We want everyone to have a great experience and for this experience to continue to improve and progress as the members grow. So we heard from a couple friends about how they were using community managers and how useful they were finding it. At first we were a bit confused by the title but once we looked into it we thought it was worth a try and it most definitely was! We’ll be talking a bit about the application process for this and how we defined the role and we also somehow segue into a section on baby sling fashion. We promise it is on topic, kind of! Anyway, for all this and more let’s dive right in!
Differentiating a Community Manager from Other Moderating Roles
So what is the difference between the group moderators that we already have and this new role we are describing? Well ambassadors and moderators suit the format of our big Facebook Group, they are there to approve requests, monitor content and see to any issues that arise. They can help maintain the tone of the group and the kind of communication that takes place. This is so important in a FB group of any size, so that the forum does not get crazy or out of control. A space like this that is overrun with spam or any type of negative energy or abuse immediately loses its appeal to members. They are there to make sure the group stays awesome and everyone is happy! We have all seen groups where there are too many moderators or admins and this can also get out of control and we are happy to say that we have mostly avoided this pitfall. Big thanks to everyone involved! There are a number of different ways you can go about hiring someone, you could get an intern or a student of yours or you can just go full professional and hire someone in the traditional way. We see these community managers as having a very specific role of adding value to our paid groups, they are not gatekeepers and do not need to perform the lower levels of admin that need attention in the FB group. They are there to challenge and motivate the participants and help them out of difficult circumstances. We ended up hiring two community managers and we’ll tell you how!
The Application Process for Hiring a Community Manager
Emylee made up a form for application and it was to hopefully measure the enthusiasm, ability and involvement of the applicants. We had eleven applications initially and a few of these really stood out. We ended up selecting two from these as our final choice and we are very happy with this! We feel that the role we have created for these managers actually provides a platform for them to get out there and get their work done, setting weekly challenges, missions and exercises. This encouragement and leadership role will benefit both the students and the managers. Everyone can learn! The thing with these paid communities is that we have noticed the shift away from heavy Facebook usage over the last couple of years. This is probably a good things as people are definitely wasting less time and spending more time on what is really important, the bottom line! Our Facebook Group has less posts but these seem to be more specific and valuable. At the end of the day it is really up to everyone to find the forum that best suits their needs.
Remembering That Your Communities Should Be a Sales Tool
Even this far into our careers and business together, we are still under utilizing these forums for sales. We have both found it a challenge to plug our own services as much as we really should, but you should not feel bad about using a group you have poured yourself into to find clients.You are offering value to the participants and if that extends to a marketing strategy, go ahead. Everyone can tell when something is organic and authentic rather than a ruse to get more clients at all costs. These online platforms and the groups within are shifting, and the way people are using them changes over time. There is space for small groups and big ones, you can have more exclusive and controlled groups or there can be a more free and open environment. You and your tribe need to find what works for you. The key however, is to try and avoid the bullsh*t and drama. Managers and moderators are a big way to accomplish this. Afterall, at the end of the day, what makes these groups special is the members, their contributions and the way everyone interacts with each other. So here’s to keeping that going and finding new and interesting ways to do it!
Quote This
We like to think of them a little like the “fun police.” They are just making sure everyone has the best time.
Highlights
Differentiating a Community Manager from Other Moderating Roles. [0:04:31.2]
The Application Process for Hiring a Community Manager. [0:10:58.2]
The Shift in Usage of Facebook Groups. [0:17:14.8]
Remembering That Your Communities Should Be a Sales Tool. [0:20:58.1]
ON TODAY’S SHOW
Abagail & Emylee
The Strategy Hour Podcast
We help overwhelmed and creative entrepreneurs break down their Oprah-sized dreams to create a functioning command center to tame the chaos of their business. Basically, we think you’re totally bomb diggity, we’re about to uplevel the shiz out of your business.
KEY TOPICS
Facebook, Community, Moderation, Ambassadors, Rules, Baby Slings
