Why Do Brands Need Good Community Management?
As social specialists, we know the value of good community management on social media, but it can be confusing for brands new to the game. So, grab a coffee and climb aboard the Sunshine Express as we journey on to new horizons!
First thing’s first, what is community management?
Well, it can mean different things to different people, but here at Sunshine we see it pretty simply as a way to manage your community. Mind-blowing, right? When a brand sets up accounts on social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and TikTok, they open up a two-way channel of communication with their customers. And believe us, your customers WILL use that channel. Whether they’re happy, disappointed or confused, consumers now expect brands to respond to their comments.
At Sunshine, we have a team of phenomenal social media experts who manage our client’s official accounts and ensure their customers feel supported and listened to. They help to humanise the brand, answering questions, attracting new customers and driving engagement. All in a day’s work for our social superstars!
What are the main categories of community management?
- These can include, but are not limited to:
- Monitoring: Listening in on conversations that relate to your brand.
- Engaging: Joining those conversations to keep them alive and show your interest.
- Moderating: Removing any comments that don’t match with brand values, and raising any customer complaints with the relevant internal teams to enact real change.
- Measuring: Tracking the brand’s reputation online, taking feedback on board and using it to drive future projects and content.
Give it to us straight, what value do brands get from community management?
We wish we had time to list the hundreds of reasons this service is useful to brands! But we’ll do our best to include as many as possible:
Receive unfiltered feedback from your target audience
There’s nothing better than hearing it straight from the horse’s mouth (no offence, human customers)! Authentic feedback can be used to drive anything from social media content, to upcoming projects, to full brand campaigns. Never underestimate the power of customer reviews.
Provide support to your current and future customers
People now expect a response from brands online, and they’ll use both private messages and public comments to make their concerns known. One angry voice can be heard across the internet, so this is your chance to intervene and address any issues head-on.
Increase brand awareness and customer loyalty
Engage with your community so they feel important and part of your brand journey. Start conversations and build relationships without pushing sales messaging and you’d be amazed at the customer base you can build. Have fun entertaining your community to keep them coming back for more.
Gather UGC content for future use
Keep track of which customer posts you’re being tagged in and reach out if the content seems like it could be useful in future social media posts or advertising. UGC content consistently performs best, because social users like to see other “regular” people like themselves using products before they make the leap to buying it themselves.
Reach out to new audiences
Don’t limit yourself to only interacting with current customers, there’s a whole world of people just waiting to find out about your product/service. Research digital influencers that are popular with your target audience and then spend time engaging with their content. The right comment under a popular post will lure people over to your own social accounts, giving you the chance to appeal to them on your own turf!
Feeling a bit overwhelmed? Don’t worry, our social experts are ready to help you get started!