8 min read
Community Manager Toolkit
Tags: Community Strategy,Member Engagement,Member Retention
The Role of a Community Manager in Building Successful Online Communities
A community manager (or at least someone thinking about your community management strategies) is pivotal for creating and nurturing successful online communities. They serve as the bridge between the association and its members, ensuring that the community thrives and stays engaged.
Why does it matter?
Member engagement is crucial to member retention – and online communities are a key part of driving that engagement. In fact, they often become an association’s top member benefit. Online communities enhance the value your association offers by:
- Providing a digital space for ongoing peer-to-peer connection between members.
- Directing members toward education and answers to questions.
- Creating a sense of belonging that strengthens member satisfaction.
How can you be a better Community Manager?
So, once you understand the value of an online community and get buy-in from your organization, how do manage your community successfully to drive that member engagement and prove the value of your association?
Higher Logic has two decades of experience helping associations build successful communities. We’ve put together this collection of resources to help you leverage proven strategies and understand and cultivate the skills that make a great community manager!
The Basics of Community Management
Overview of Community Management
Understand the evolution of online communities, the role of a community manager, the elements of a winning community management strategy, and the importance of measuring performance and planning for the future.
Community Management Checklist
Managing your association’s online community effectively is entirely doable, even if you don’t have the luxury of being a full-time community manager. One of our expert advisors breaks down the weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly tasks you should remember to manage your community effectively, even with limited time and resources.
Community Moderation Playbook
Establishing clear guidelines and community moderation is important for ensuring your community feels like a safe and welcoming place for members to engage. Download this playbook to learn the essential components of community moderation and some moderation do’s and don’ts.
Community Content Calendar
Plan an engaging schedule of content for your community! This easy-to-use template will help you create a solid calendar of interesting events, discussions, and other content – all mapping back to your key online community goals.
Measuring Community Performance
To improve your online community strategies, maximize success, and justify additional budget and resources, you need to understand your online community analytics so you can measure and report on performance. Learn the six most important metrics for community managers to track.
Community Strategies & Tools to Drive Engagement
At the heart of community engagement is getting members involved in your community, which often comes down to the strategies, the people, and the technology you employ. There are a variety of tactics and tools that can help make you successful. We’ve collected several guides below to help you drive continuous community engagement.
The Platform that Pays for Itself: Monetizing Your Online Community
Not only do online communities improve member engagement and retention, they’re also great platforms for generating revenue streams. Many of our customers more than pay for their online community by monetizing it – learn how!
Community Content Ideas
If you’re new to creating community content, or just looking for ideas to stimulate engagement in your online community, explore some proven strategies you can use to create engaging discussions.
Online Community Personas: Target Your Tactics for More Engagement
Community personas represent your different types of community users. Each has a unique set of motivations, behaviors, and expectations. By understanding these personas, you can tailor your strategies to meet each persona’s distinct needs.
Automation Rules: An Online Community Manager’s Secret Weapon
Getting your online community members to participate is one of the most important parts of a community manager’s job. Automation rules make your job easier – they automate routine tasks like sending reminders to members, or following up based on actions members have taken or not taken. If you’ve asked yourself “how do some community managers get so much done every day?” automation rules are probably part of the answer!
Gamification: Fun Ways to Get Members Involved
Gamification – which uses game-design elements to encourage members to take certain actions and reward desired behavior – helps you bolster member engagement within your online community. Learn how to use gamification tactics to capitalize on human instincts for competition, achievement, rewards, and a sense of accomplishment, to cultivate an immersive and stimulating environment that motivates your members.
Community Polls: Gain Valuable Insights
Community polls are a powerful tool for gaining insights and making members feel heard (or just starting a fun, interactive debate). Associations that activate and take full advantage of community polling are in a better position to improve member experience and have happier members. Learn tips for effective community polling.
Community Discussion Ideas: Get Members Talking
Not sure where to start as you try to get your members to engage with your community? Check out these seven tips for discussions that will create more engagement and increase member retention in your online community.
Community Super Users & Champions
Community super user or champion programs are an effective way to lighten the workload of community managers by leveraging your most powerful asset – your members! With a little planning, you can harness the support of enthusiastic users to get other community members more involved.
Learning from 10+ Years of Community
Listen to our podcast episode with Diana Mertz, Sr. Director of Membership and Engagement with the American Staffing Association, who shares tips for building and maintaining your community and nurturing your members.
Community Management Made Easy
Higher Logic is the premier choice for associations looking to supercharge member engagement through vibrant online communities. With built-in tools for automation, gamification, communication, and more, our Community platform is made to help modern association community managers. Schedule a demo to learn how we can help you save time and make your member experience better than ever!