Here are some of my recent musings about community management that I have shared on Twitter over the last few weeks.
- If your moderators are volunteers you need to keep them happy, management doesn't always get that. Today is one of those Community Manager piggy in the middle days
- Being in a pixel bubble can, on occasion, bring out someone's nasty side.
- I'm not an expert on anything. I just know what I know.
- An online community manager learns lots of new swear words – mainly due to disgruntled banned members. My vocabulary is growing daily.
- Please don't join a community with your full name, and then later think "oops" and ask the Community Manager to remove all your posts. Thanks
- An online community manager doesn't "manage" a community. Instead he or she listens, learns, guides, participates, supports, communicates and enjoys.
- I know I've said this many times but if you manage a large community you have to be there for your moderators. Be supportive, guide them and don't forget to thank them often.
- The inbox of an Online Community Manager first thing in the morning is not a pretty sight.
- Community binds, community supports, community laughs with you, community cries with you. Offline or online community is still community.
- Every community is different: every discussion is different, every member is different. So being a Community Manager is never cut and dry, black or white, right or wrong.
- An Online Community Manager has to be as neutral as possible when dealing with issues that can sometimes arise between community members.
- If you're going to join a really large online community please ensure you have engaged your sense of humour chip first.
- Troll's never sleep. I think they must borrow batteries from the Duracell bunny.
What have you mused about this week?
“I’m not an expert on anything. I just know what I know.” — that’s a terrific, succinct statement of fact. I may borrow that one.
Thank you. I am not one of those who uses fancy long-winded words that you need a dictionary to figure out. I am what you see. Thank you for stopping by and reading my little blog. I really appreciate it.
It’s amazing how similar managers’ experiences are despite the broad spectrum of communities managed. I know this one well, for instance: “*Please don’t join a community with your full name, and then later think “oops” and ask the Community Manager to remove all your posts. Thanks”
I love what you say about supporting moderators and thanking them often. I used to hold back prizes during giveaways and have staff drawings for those, since moderators couldn’t enter giveaways due to the small (very very small) stipend they received for their work.
Thanks for the words of wisdom Sue. New managers could learn a lot from you.
Thanks for your kind words Karen. You are so true, many of the issues we come across are ones we experience regardless of the type of community.
I love your idea of holding staff drawings for mods.