Introduction to

community management

Dr. Brice KOUASSI

UVCI

December 2020
 Table of
subjects
Objectives 3

Introduction 4

I - Presentation of community management 5

1. Definition of the concept of community management ....................................................................................... 5

2. Objectives of community management

3. Advantages of community management ........................................................................................................... 7

II -Self-assessment activity 10

III -The profession of Community Manager 12

1. Definition of Community Manager

2. Differences between Community Manager and Social Media Manager 13

3. Missions of the community manager ................................................................................................................. 13

IV - Self-assessment activity2 16

Conclusion 18

Solutions to the exercises 19

 Objectives

By the end of this lesson, the learner will be able to:

Explain the concept of community management

Describe the job of a community manager

3
 Introduction

The evolution of digital communication has favored the emergence of new professions such as Community
Management that has become practically indispensable in companies today. In this first lesson of
In the Community Management course, we will explore this activity in order to understand its nature, its objectives and
its advantages. Moreover, this module will lead us to discover the profession of community manager, which is even more
in addition to current news regarding social media management in businesses.

4
 Introduction to community management

Presentation of
community management I

Objectives
Explain the concept of community management

1. Definition of the concept of community management

Community Management refers to the activity of managing the presence of a brand or organization on social media.
social networks and other community spaces (Bathelot, 2019). That said, any brand or company
having its own profile on social networks is concerned with the issue of community
management. From now on, each company must have its own visibility on the Internet in order to ensure a
link with its clientele and advertising that allows it to target new audiences.

The phenomenon of increased visibility on the Internet emerged with the democratization of networks.
social. Nowadays, almost every citizen has an account on most social platforms, this
which allows him to interact with his friends or other people present on the Web. For a company, this
This situation represents an excellent opportunity to make oneself known and to engage in dialogue with potential clients.

Source: [Link]

5
 Objectives of community management

Moreover, according to Bathelot (2019), community management activities originally developed in a

context where the organic reach rate, particularly on Facebook, was still significant and provided the
possibility of addressing the brand's fans "for free" within a relational logic and
community. In the face of the downward trend of this reach rate, the activity had to evolve and make use of
more and more important sponsored posts. The community function has often faded in the face of the
advertising communication.

2. Objectives of community management

The Future Learning agency identifies 4 main objectives of community management:

Increase brand awareness

The primary objective of an online presence is to increase brand awareness. To achieve this, it will be necessary to
gain exposure, particularly by producing interesting but also current content.

Monitor the brand's e-Reputation

It is very useful to monitor what is being said about the brand or company on social media. Being attentive to
its audience will allow the company to correct mistakes, which will be noticed by the customers.

It should also be noted that non-presence online is a form of communication; this could make
to think that your brand is not in tune with the times.

Source: [Link]

Increase the engagement of your community

As mentioned above, it is important to listen to your audience in order to interact with them and
thus increasing its engagement.

Ensure after-sales service

6
 Advantages of community management

Today, internet users are spending more and more time on their smartphones and are thus resorting to
social media more regularly when they encounter issues related to the products or services offered
by companies. In this case, the company's responsiveness is a factor highly appreciated by customers.

3. Advantages of community management

There are numerous benefits associated with community management. According to Guibert (2018), for example, it
It is worth highlighting 6 inherent advantages of managing virtual communities.

Improvement of the company's brand image

When a user searches for a company's name on Google and gets few or no results
immediately, their reaction is generally not positive.

Nowadays, all businesses must have an updated website that is perfectly linked to their profiles.
social networks. The user expects that, in each social network, the information is consistent and
that the publication of messages should be periodic, with interesting and quality content.

If you do not want to present an unprofessional image when a user searches for your name
business on Google, the first thing to do is to appear on your company website, followed by your
blog and your social media profiles. The goal is to ensure that your different links contribute to
create a positive first impression on the internet user.

2. A better customer service

While you ensure the smooth running of your company's operational activities, you have
besoin d'une personne qui réponde rapidement aux requêtes et aux commentaires des utilisateurs des réseaux
social. More and more consumers are using social networks to connect with brands.

Internet users know they can get a quicker and more cautious response from the company through social networks.
social, as these are platforms where everyone is watching you. It is the preferred path of the
young audiences. They prefer to send an email rather than contact the company via the form.
of contact. In this sense, it is appropriate to respond to customers in a timely manner so as not to lose opportunities.
commercial

7
 Advantages of community management

Source : [Link]

3. Sharing of higher quality content

Social media demands a frantic publishing rate. Even if you choose not to publish at all
The days, the update must be of high quality. A Community Manager with the right tools will be able to find
relevant topics that fit perfectly with your social communication strategy.

Finding good content is a time-consuming process; therefore, one will need to rely on the help of a
Community Manager.

4. Increasing affinity with your audience

Social networks are spaces to come closer, to tell stories, to rejoice in community and
make the brand visible. Managing your social media well will have an impact on the traffic you receive on your
website. All this audience that follows you on social media, you need to direct them to your website so that
to obtain their contact information and turn it into a sales opportunity.

8
 Advantages of community management

Source: [Link]

5. Metric Management

It is not appropriate for a company to publish on social media without having previously established a
plan with objectives, metrics to observe, and a target audience for its messages. If the company manages its
social media profiles spontaneously and unplanned, she operates blindly. She can consent
huge efforts to achieve high performance on parameters that are not relevant to it.
A good Community Manager will guide the company and will be able to establish correct KPIs, interpret them, and decide on
what is most appropriate for the company.

6. Increase in brand visibility and reputation

The opportunities for growth, the creation of new work synergies, to spark interest in your
projects, looking for suppliers, etc., are found in the digital universe. Social networks
constitutes for the company the best platform to present itself and explore these new horizons.

9
 Self-assessment activity 1

Self-activity
assessment1 II

Exercise [solutionnumber
p.19]
[ *]
1

The issue of community management concerns:

any brand wishing to advertise;

every brand that has its own logo on the internet;

every brand having its own profile on social networks.

Exercise [solutionnumber
p.19]
[ *]
2

The phenomenon of increased visibility on the Internet has emerged:

with the process of democratization in Africa and around the world;

with the democratization of social networks;

with the politicization of social networks.

Exercise [solutionnumber
p.19]
[ *]
3

Parmi les objectifs suivants, quels sont ceux qui font partie des objectifs du community management ?

Increase the company's production;

Increase the company's visibility;

Monitor the company's e-Reputation;

Monitor the company's production costs.

Exercise [solutionnumber
p.19]
[*]
4

According to Guibert (2018), it is important to emphasize:

2 inherent advantages of managing virtual communities;

4 inherent advantages of managing virtual communities;

6 inherent advantages of managing virtual communities.

10
 Self-assessment activity 1

Exercise [solutionNo. 5 p.20]

[*]

Among the following advantages, which ones are part of the advantages of community management?

A better customer service;

A better design for your website;

Metric management;

Product stock management.

11
 The profession of Community Manager

The profession of Community

Manager III

Objectives
Describe the job of a Community Manager

1. Definition of Community Manager

The community manager or CM is anyone responsible for the development and management of the presence
of a brand or organization on social media and other community spaces controlled or not by the
brand (Bathelot, 2018). It is often considered the guarantor of reputation and commitment towards
of the brand on social networks, but can also have a more promotional role through the implementation of
place for activities and various contests.
On the other hand, for the site 'Objective Employment Orientation', the Community Manager, also known as the person in charge of
communication web, community manager, or social media facilitator, is responsible for
federate a community of internet users via social networks, around a common interest or brand.
For this site, the Community Manager is the 2.0 interface between consumers and the brand. Responsible for creating
of buzz, moderating comments, but also writing content, the Community Manager has the
responsibility to manage a virtual network on the Web and social media.

Source: [Link]

12
 Differences between Community Manager and Social Media Manager

The Community Manager therefore represents the link between the company and its customers; they are responsible for establishing...
profitable and sustainable relationships with them, through social media, by sharing content of interest
for customers and providing answers to their concerns. On the other hand, the Community Manager
represents the client vis-à-vis the company. In this sense, he will send all consultations to the company
and opinions about the brand, its products or services, as well as the problems and needs of customers.

The community manager can be an employee of the represented organization or work within an agency.
specialized in managing social presence on behalf of brands or companies. It can also
to be a freelancer and work for several advertisers.

2. Differences between Community Manager and Social Media Manager

Nowadays, there are two professional profiles in social media which, due to their dynamism and their
responsibility has become essential in every organization: the Community Manager and the Social Media
Manager.

The Community Manager is a community manager responsible for managing and building the relationship.
between the brand and its audience on the Internet. He is responsible for publishing, monitoring, and analyzing the content of
médias sociaux et d'interagir avec le public, en transmettant le message de la marque au public et aussi en
transmitting to the company the needs of the public. Its ultimate goal is to create a positive e-reputation for
the brand or company.

Source: [Link]

As for the Social Media Manager or Social Media Strategist, he is the one who defines the brand's strategy for
follow on social networks, the actions to be taken, how to carry them out, he devises crisis management plans and
reputation, as well as content marketing. He is the brain behind the strategic part of media management.
social. It is closely linked to the communication and marketing department and gives instructions to the Community
Manager pour l'exécution des plans ou stratégies de médias sociaux.

13
 Roles of the community manager

3. Missions of the community manager

Bathelot (2019) identifies two types of missions that can be assigned to a community manager: missions
strategic and operational missions. As we pointed out earlier, strategic functions
are normally assigned to the Social Media Manager, however, in practice, these two profiles
Professionals do not always find themselves together in a company. This can lead to the Community
Manager to carry out strategic activities, in addition to his operational activities.

Strategic missions upstream:

analysis of trends on social networks;

social and competitive monitoring;
reputation analysis;
definition of a social strategy;
definition of KPI.

Source: [Link]

Operational missions downstream:

establishment of an editorial schedule;

establishment of technical and creative briefs or even direct creation of visuals and videos;

publishing and dialogue activity;

moderation activity;

responses to requests, criticisms or questions (or forwarding to the concerned individual);

setting up promotional events;

relay of offers or commercial operations;

reporting.

14
 Community manager missions

It should be noted that most of the Community Manager's activities take place on social media.
As a result, the continued decline in organic reach rates across various media platforms.
social media sometimes appears as a threat to the role of community manager as far as the
unsponsored publications of the latter are becoming less and less visible. This evolution can be perceived
making the workplace less profitable.

Necessary qualities for the Community Manager

To effectively perform their job, the Community Manager requires, among other qualities, the following:

Curiosity: the community manager operates in a constantly and rapidly evolving universe and must
constantly find innovative topics to stimulate its community.
Sociability: he must constantly interact with internet users and answer their questions.
Writing ability and communication skills: he must be able to convey his ideas and must
to express oneself in a way that is understandable by all.
Diplomacy: he may be required to moderate certain statements, but he must be able to do so without offending anyone.

15
 Self-assessment activity 2

Self-activity
evaluation2 IV

Exercise [solutionnumber
p.20]
[*]
6

The Community Manager can also be called:

web communication officer

social media strategist

Internet community manager;

social media manager.

Exercise [solutionNo. 7p.20]

[ *]

The Community Manager is responsible:

to enable a virtual network of the company's salespeople to thrive on the Web and social networks;

to sustain a virtual network on the Web and social media;

to make the company's virtual network disappear from the Web and social networks.

Exercise [solutionnumber
p.20]
[ *]
8

The ultimate goal of the Community Manager is:

to create a negative e-reputation for the company;

to create a positive e-reputation for the company;

to create a positive e-reputation for himself.

Exercise [solutionNo. 9p.20]

[ *]

The definition of the brand strategy to follow on social media falls to the:

Social Media Strategist

Community Manager

neither of the two.

16
 Self-assessment activity 2

Exercise [solutionn°10 p.21 ]

[*]

What are the two types of tasks that can be assigned to a community manager?

downstream strategic missions;

operational missions upstream;

Strategic missions upstream.

Operational missions downstream

17
 Conclusion
This first module on community management description allowed us to understand that the presence of
The company's presence on social media should not be done blindly, but should rather respond to a well-defined strategy.
planned and executed by a community manager. On the other hand, we discussed the importance of the community
manager, which represents the link between the company and its audiences on social media. In the next module
We will conduct a reflection on the main social media platforms and their usefulness for communication.
of companies.

18
 Solutions to the exercises

Solutions to the exercises

Solution No. 1 Exercise p.10

The issue of community management concerns:

any brand wishing to advertise;

every brand that has its own logo on the internet;

every brand having its own profile on social networks.

Solution No. 2 Exercise p.10

The phenomenon of increased visibility on the Internet has emerged:

with the process of democratization in Africa and in the world;

with the democratization of social networks;

with the politicization of social networks.

Solution No. 3 Exercise p.10

Among the following objectives, which ones are part of the objectives of community management?

Increase the company's production;

Increase the company's visibility;

Monitor the company's e-Reputation;

Monitor the company's production costs.

Solution No. 4 Exercise p.10

According to Guibert (2018), it is important to emphasize:

2 inherent advantages of managing virtual communities;

4 inherent advantages of managing virtual communities;

19
 Solutions to the exercises

6 inherent advantages of managing virtual communities.

Solution No. 5 Exercise p.11

Among the following benefits, which ones are part of the advantages of community management?

Better customer service;

A better design for your website;

Metrics management;

Stock management of products.

Solution No. 6 Exercise p.16

The Community Manager can also be called:

web communication officer;

social media strategist

Internet community manager;

social media manager.

Solution No. 7 Exercise p.16

The Community Manager is responsible for:

to support a virtual network of the company's salespeople on the Web and social media;

to bring a virtual network to life on the Web and social networks;

to make the company's virtual network disappear from the Web and social networks.

Solution No. 8 Exercise p.16

The ultimate goal of the Community Manager is:

to create a negative e-reputation for the company;

to create a positive e-reputation for the company;

to create a positive online reputation for himself.

20
 Solutions to the exercises

Solution No. 9 Exercise p.16

The definition of the brand strategy to follow on social media is the responsibility of the:

Social Media Strategist;

Community Manager

Neither of the two.

Solution No. 10 Exercise p.17

What are the two types of tasks that can be assigned to a community manager?

downstream strategic missions;

operational missions upstream;

strategic missions upstream.

Operational missions downstream

21