Comments on: The need for community managers http://davepress.net/2008/07/17/the-need-for-community-managers/ Using the internet to make government more interesting Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:06:57 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Michael Waugaman http://davepress.net/2008/07/17/the-need-for-community-managers/comment-page-1/#comment-1257 Michael Waugaman Fri, 18 Jul 2008 21:05:10 +0000 http://davepress.net/?p=509#comment-1257 I agree with each comment above to a degree. The baseline skills for a community manager are not new - the commercial sector has, as Paul says, brand managers and the voluntary sector has a tradition of network managers. These people already know how and why they speak to their communities and have developed the discipline to manage this conversation. It seems to me that the potential evolution of the role lies in the increased scope and effectiveness that socmed brings to the table. Maybe this is what will secure that role on the strategy team. Maybe an early role for the digital mentors might be up skilling the those people who's skills are mostly based offline? I'm thinking mostly of the voluntary sector here. I agree with each comment above to a degree. The baseline skills for a community manager are not new – the commercial sector has, as Paul says, brand managers and the voluntary sector has a tradition of network managers. These people already know how and why they speak to their communities and have developed the discipline to manage this conversation. It seems to me that the potential evolution of the role lies in the increased scope and effectiveness that socmed brings to the table. Maybe this is what will secure that role on the strategy team.

Maybe an early role for the digital mentors might be up skilling the those people who’s skills are mostly based offline? I’m thinking mostly of the voluntary sector here.

]]> By: paul canning http://davepress.net/2008/07/17/the-need-for-community-managers/comment-page-1/#comment-1251 paul canning Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:14:13 +0000 http://davepress.net/?p=509#comment-1251 It's good to bring this out but it's not new - online marketing has employed people solely to manage the brand in online communities for some time. There's a lot of experience there to draw from. In the UK Chinwag is a good source for info www.chinwag.com In the US www.clickz.com It’s good to bring this out but it’s not new – online marketing has employed people solely to manage the brand in online communities for some time. There’s a lot of experience there to draw from.

In the UK Chinwag is a good source for info http://www.chinwag.com
In the US http://www.clickz.com

]]> By: Justin http://davepress.net/2008/07/17/the-need-for-community-managers/comment-page-1/#comment-1250 Justin Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:54:26 +0000 http://davepress.net/?p=509#comment-1250 I was part of the team that hired the first community manager for DIUS - have to say the process was an interesting experience. One of the difficulties we faced was articulating to a number of agencies the precise type of person we were looking for. The skills a community manager brings to a policy team are unique and as you say - there aren't a lot of them around. I was part of the team that hired the first community manager for DIUS – have to say the process was an interesting experience. One of the difficulties we faced was articulating to a number of agencies the precise type of person we were looking for. The skills a community manager brings to a policy team are unique and as you say – there aren’t a lot of them around.

]]>