Community management strategy involves overseeing and interacting with your brand’s audience on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. It includes activities such as responding to comments and messages, moderating discussions, and fostering engagement through meaningful content. The goal is to build and nurture a positive online community, enhance customer relationships and manage your brand’s reputation.

This role also entails monitoring social media trends and sentiment, handling customer inquiries or complaints and leveraging feedback to improve strategies. Effective community management ensures that interactions align with your brand’s voice and values, and it involves creating and implementing guidelines for engagement. By actively managing these interactions, your business can strengthen your presence, drive engagement, and maintain a strong connection with your audience.

Knowing how to engage your audience is vital to the success of any Social Media Marketing activities. Ensuring your organisation has an approved community management strategy allows your community managers to react in real time and handle communications in a timely, on-brand manner.

Below is a template for the creation of your Social Media Community Management plan. Follow the steps included in the template and upon completion you’ll have an approved community management strategy that will cover 99% of the events that will happen on Social Media.

Every brand has its own unique voice. For instance, Nike is synonymous with “Just Do It,” while BMW prides itself on being the “Ultimate Driving Machine.” Defining the language that embodies your brand is crucial, especially on social media where you miss the physical cues and tone that come with in-person or phone interactions. Clearly articulating your brand’s language in various ways is essential to maintain a consistent and effective presence.

Beyond language tone and descriptors, identifying the right keywords for your brand on social media is crucial. This is important for several reasons, including improving Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Google rankings. More importantly, each brand has specific keywords that are frequently used and may have unique meanings in different contexts. Understanding these nuances helps ensure that your brand communicates effectively and maintains consistency.

Social media, much like real life, is a space where a wide variety of conversations take place. It’s important to recognise this diversity and establish guidelines on which topics to engage with and which to avoid.

This section should outline the key subjects your brand can discuss, as well as those that should be avoided. Additionally, it should identify any controversial topics that should be flagged and steered clear of.

Include a collection of example content that has already been created for your organisation and brand(s). This can consist of ready-to-use snippets from existing materials or links to comprehensive content such as website pages, brochures, or other relevant documents. Providing these examples helps ensure consistency in messaging and style across all social media interactions.

Additionally, you might want to offer a range of content types, such as social media posts, blog excerpts, promotional materials, and responses to common queries. This diverse content can serve as a practical reference for crafting new posts and handling various community interactions, ensuring that all communications align with your brand’s voice and standards.

In the event where you’re unable to answer a question, address a query, or identify a sales opportunity, these are the key contacts who will be able to assist.

Additionally, make sure to have a documentation process to record the nature of the inquiry and any relevant details before reaching out to these contacts. This will help them assist you more efficiently and ensure a swift resolution. It’s also beneficial to have a protocol for escalating urgent matters to the appropriate person, ensuring that critical issues are addressed promptly.

1. Be Authentic and Transparent:

People connect with real, relatable content. Share behind-the-scenes looks, personal stories, and be honest about both successes and challenges. Authenticity helps build trust and credibility.

2. Respond Promptly and Thoughtfully:

When followers comment, ask questions, or message you, make an effort to respond in a timely manner. Thoughtful replies show that you value their input and foster a sense of community.

3. Be Prepared to Answer Challenging Questions:

Expect and welcome difficult questions or criticisms. Handle them professionally and respectfully. Providing clear, honest, and well-considered responses demonstrates your commitment to transparency and can turn potential negative experiences into positive ones. Below is an example of how Smith’s Chips Australia responded to a comment on their instagram feed as part of their social media community management strategy.

4. Encourage User-Generated Content:

Invite your followers to share their own content related to your brand or community. This could be through contests, challenges, or simply by asking for feedback. It not only engages your audience but also provides you with valuable content.

5. Create Interactive Content:

Use polls, quizzes, and questions to engage your audience. Interactive content not only drives engagement but also provides insights into your followers’ preferences and opinions.

6. Consistently Provide Value:

Whether through educational content, entertainment, or useful tips, make sure your posts offer something valuable to your audience. Consistency in providing value helps keep your followers interested and invested in your community.