OFF-MUTE 🔈
📱Social media and the rise of influencers are reshaping society.
💥 The platforms and algorithms are changing quickly, and not always for the better.
😅 Brands are working harder to navigate owned content on rented spaces, reach audiences that matter and find authentic ways to connect with them.
💯 Nearly every company is prioritizing community building this year.
📝 So, in honor of Community Manager Appreciation Day this week, we crowdsourced the top tips from our digital content team to help you grow your online presence in 2024:
☑️ Put your audience first. “Bridging the gap between what your audience needs and what you can offer them is key for building, and maintaining, an online community and social presence. Get clear on what’s helpful to them and how you can fill that gap.” — Becky Fox, senior digital specialist
☑️ Give your platform a purpose and speak with intention. “You need a central cause to rally around to engage your followers. And you need to speak to them using whatever language or cultural references they respond to, whether it’s humor or social justice. Once you pinpoint it, you can start building a community.” — Kyle Treasure, manager, digital content strategy
☑️ Get qualitative input. “Don’t build it and ignore it; your community is a great resource. Engage them by conducting polls, hosting a live event or asking what they want to see more (or less) of. Then show them you’re listening by creating and sharing what they want to see.” — Jayde Umemba, manager, digital content strategy
☑️ Show the people doing the work. “Most audiences, especially on LinkedIn, love to see what a company does behind the scenes, including learning more about the people innovating new products and services. Executive thought leadership and employee spotlights are an excellent way to recruit top talent and reach prospective customers.” — Kendall Kerr, senior digital content specialist
☑️ Monitor for trends and potential crises. “Niche communities that form naturally around shared identities (i.e. #BookTok) are the first stop when it comes to a potential crisis. Understanding how they talk about trending topics or larger issues can inform your communications approach.” — Abby Rosekrans, director, digital content strategy
☑️ Lean into channels you own. “Regardless of how polished a brand’s strategy is, they ultimately can’t control the overall experience. Brands must diversify where they show up for their community — with a special focus on developing owned channels (like blogs, podcasts, or videos) that are not subject to unexpected platform and algorithmic changes.” — Seleba Ouattara, manager, digital content strategy
