Community managers are the most powerful group on the internet, they manage the largest social accounts –but ironically are hidden behind the scenes.
It’s that time of year again, to send a kind note to the Community Managers who have helped your company, or you as a customer using social media channels. Like System Admin day, or Administrative Professionals day, we take one day a year to thank and appreciate those who are helping us connect to customers in a sometimes thankless job.
While no gifts are required, the purpose is to give a genuine thank to the never ending, often thankless job of supporting customers and balancing internal stakeholders, a tough balance when the whole world is watching. Whether you’re a community manager at a tiny startup in India, or the head of community at Adobe (hola Rachel Lux) or community manager at an agency like Edelman representing your clients, now’s your time to shine.
Or, if you’re a community manager, write about why you are doing this role and what drives you to get up every morning to do your job.
Over the years, this even has become a global phenomenon, as people organize in person events, workshops, conferences, cocktails, dinners and publish digital artifacts. I’ll cross link to all who are planning an event (real world or online) in the hopes or coordinating as a central place.
So please, leave a comment about your upcoming event
Essential Resources
- Wikipedia has a page for this event
- Participate on the Twitter Hashtag #CMAD
- 2011 Annual Community Manager Appreciation Day
- 2010 Annual Community Manager Appreciation Day
- Kim Beasley did a quick video interview with me on purpose of CMAD
- My Community Manager did a video discussing this upcoming day.
- Meetup has a list of Community Manager events, many ongoing
- My Community Manager will post links to events
- Watch the Community Roundtable for their updates
- Hootsuite provides tips and tricks for CMs
- Oracle (Vitrue) will announce the Community Manager of the year
- This post in Spanish
- Supporting Community Manager Day (SF Events, and online) by Bill Johnston
- 10 cheers for Community Managers everywhere!
- SAP supports their hundreds of Community and Social pros
- Weber Shandwick salutes Community Managers with three point strategy
- Esteban Contreras, former Samsung Social Media lead, shouts out to CMs and offers his book, at no cost
- Japan hosts Community Manager Day
- Also by by Hiroyasu Ichikawa
- Manila is hosting an event
- Finland is hosting Community Managers, over 122 registered
- Another in Finland in Tampere, in Finnish.
- France is hosting general events
- Atlanta is hosting a physical event
- San Francisco will host an event in SOMA area at 6pm, (I’ll be there)
- Boston is hosting an event
- Chicago is hosting an event
- Austin is hosting an event
- Atlanta is hosting an event
Oracle (Vitrue) has created three videos of Community Managers, who are the finalists, watch in here, and learn about their position. They’ll be announcing the winner, on Jan 28th on Facebook. I’m one of the judges, and have given my feedback.
- Jeff Esposito from Vistaprint @jeffespo and @vistaprint video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=iNDt5T13Dg0 - Carly Severn from San Francisco Ballet @TeaCupintheBay @sfballet video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=oqBoAcdbOwM - Stacey Acevero from Vocus/PR Web @sacevero @vocus video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=LHb_BH1bV4k
I’m adding to this list, and sorting the list as the events are added to the CMAD twitter stream and in my comments below.
Thanks Jeremiah!
Anyone up for a celebratory cocktail in the Bay Area for CMAD? First round’s on me. 🙂
That would be wonderful! I’m available. Not sure what’s planned yet, often I rely on a few other folks to organize.
We are organizing the second CMAD in Tampere, Finland: Business and pleasure! Over a hundred CM’s gather together.
All the community managers in Finland, welcome.
Jaana, wonderful, I’ve added to the list.
Thank you Johanna, I’ve added.
I’m game. May be able to organize as well.
Thank you Jeremiah! There’s only one CMAD event in Finland. I posted the event page while Jaana posted our Facebook group where we plan the event. We have more planners than participants ;).
Very much appreciated and thanks for connecting. #CommunityManager #BoundarySpanner roles making the invisible to become the magic fuel for networks: personal connections, and seeing the whole picture from a systems perspective! @jowyang:disqus
I know Ally Greer with Scoopit wants to do something in SF too. If you need her contact info, just let me know.
Hi Jeremiah. In Guadalajara Mexico, we are celebrating #CMAD in a meetup for the 1st time. The idea is celebrate and share stories of our online communities.
Oracle is selecting a ‘Community Manager of the Year’ on Community Manager Appreciation Day! The finalists are Jeff Esposito (Vistaprint), Carly Severn (San Francisco Ballet), and yours truly.
Hi from Italy, here we will celebrate CMAD in two cities Milan and Aosta. It’s so nice to be all together around the world.
Hi Jeremiah I am the official organizer for the event in Milan; italy : I think it’s a great idea to celebrate Community Managers !
Hi Jeremiah, we’re hosting a CMAD meetup in Vancouver, Canada at our SAP office. Looking forward to connecting with Community Managers in the Vancouver area.
Tecmo Koei Games community manager here! Without the community, there is a loss in the meaning of all the game titles we’re working! 🙂 This also includes the whole gaming industry.
I am throwing a little party for my community manager in my office – pizza and cupcakes. The attendees are people in two parts of my org that work with him the most. I am also interviewing the community manager from my favorite travel magazine on my own blog. It is a hard job, fun, but hard and I feel it is important that this role is celebrated!
Thanks for including the link to my post @jowyang:disqus. I hope everyone had a great #CMAD.