Community Manager 2 | Jeremiah Owyang

Challenges, Community Manager October 23, 2008

Job Hazards of the Community Manager

I started out my social media career as a community manager, and can see why several community managers have expressed some concerns about our over connected world. It seems that some of them are cursed with the very technology that gets them paid. You see, some community managers have a hard time separating their personal and their professional lives. In some cases, I’ve heard that the members of the communities they serve become so comfortable with them as a social contact that they send them friend requests in Facebook, (where some community managers may have personal and family info) follow their tweets, and connect with them in many ways. As a result, the work of the community manager is never … Continue readingJob Hazards of the Community Manager

Community Manager, Web Industry, Web Team July 16, 2008July 16, 2008

Scorecard: Should Startups Have Community Managers?

Marshall poses the question (and does analysis and conducts informal interviews) do startups need Community Managers? He points to my growing list of enterprise class companies who are adopting these roles, but we should also examine the startup. First of all, if you don’t know what a community manager is, start with these four tenants on my blog, or read the Forrester report (aimed towards corporate, not startups) how to staff for social computing. An excellent piece, but let’s step it up and look at the bigger question, for startups, corporations, or mid sized companies. The real question to ask is “Should companies engage customers and prospects in a collaborative nature online”. The answer? “it depends”. Marshall’s post gleans opinions … Continue readingScorecard: Should Startups Have Community Managers?

Community Manager, Forrester, On the move June 15, 2008June 15, 2008

Please Welcome John Cass, Forrester’s Online Community Manager

(Left: New analyst, Steven Noble and John Cass, Online Community Manager, stroll with me in Cambridge after work) A while ago, I mentioned a public call for resumes for Forrester’s Community Manager role, we even heard from the hiring manager, Michele Frost, who is our ‘web strategist’ responsible for our corporate website. I’m pleased to introduce you to John Cass, who’s in Boston, has a long background with SNCR, has done research (making him a good fit for the culture) and is an all around nice guy. I enjoyed having him in my recent social computing workshop class in Boston, then went to dinner with him and our new Australian analyst Steven Noble (also focused on marketing with a focus … Continue readingPlease Welcome John Cass, Forrester’s Online Community Manager

Community Manager, Web Industry, Web Team March 23, 2008March 24, 2008

The Need For the Social Media Manager

Update: Constantin has created a new wiki of Social Media Managers and Strategists at the New PR Wiki. I stand by my research, personal experience, and industry monitoring that the need for social media managers will continue to be in demand for the foreseeable future. This post is a direct response, refuting and correcting Steve’s post that the Social Media Manager will go extinct. While I enjoy Steve’s predictions (as well as a peer) that the Social Media Manager will be extinct, I’m here to respectfully correct him and leaning on my research findings from my recent Forrester report: How to Staff for Social Computing. In fact, we’ve found that there are two roles to be found in corporations serious … Continue readingThe Need For the Social Media Manager

Community Manager March 16, 2008March 16, 2008

Where Do Community Managers Come From?

Recently, I published a report called How to Hire for Social Computing, it indicates what management should look for, how to manage them, and how they should think about compensating them. Just over a week ago, I put out a call to the industry that we were hiring a Community Manager. Because I was a Community Manager and write about it frequently, I received an above normal response rate, 19 Resumes were submitted. Keep in mind, that some of these folks are not community managers, but they’ve all aspired to be in the role. I promised to protect everyone’s identity, (as many of them are currently employed) but here are the high level findings at average: A Persona of the … Continue readingWhere Do Community Managers Come From?

Community Manager, Community Marketing, Forrester March 14, 2008March 15, 2008

Online Community Best Practices Slideshare and Zero Cost Publishing

| View | Upload your own I’ve been presenting in public at conferences or webinars my high level findings from my recent research on Online Community Best Practices, the detailed version is on the Forrester site. I interviewed 17 companies and leaned on my experience launching the social media programs at previous companies. You can view the powerpoint on Slideshare. The next time I’m presenting this is in Mountain View on March 25 (yes it’s open to men too), discount code for $50 off for Web Strategy readers is SNC325. It seems counter-intuitive for me to share these presentations on the web as I’m often hired to present these to clients or at conferences, or hired for advisory, but in … Continue readingOnline Community Best Practices Slideshare and Zero Cost Publishing

Community Manager, Forrester, Web Team March 13, 2008March 18, 2008

Guest Post: Forrester’s Web Strategist Michele Frost “On Hiring the Community Manager”

I write for the web strategist (web decision makers at companies) and was really pleased that we got a top notch professional here at named Michele Frost here at Forrester Research. A few weeks ago, I announced that Forrester is seeking a Community Manager, and wow did we get a response, over 20 resumes! I offered her the opportunity to guest post, and she’s decided to take me up on the offer, she shares her experience building the right team, esp in the world of social media Guest Post from Michele Frost, Director, Web Marketing at Forrester Research The custody battle is over! After much debate, I’m thrilled to say that Forrester’s newly created position of Online Community Manager will … Continue readingGuest Post: Forrester’s Web Strategist Michele Frost “On Hiring the Community Manager”

Community Manager, On the move March 7, 2008March 7, 2008

Guest Post: “How I Became a Community Manager” by David Peck

Jeremiah: Having been a community manager, I’ve real soft spot to those that are on the front lines, embracing customers using social media tools. Every so often, I hear of really excited folks that landed new jobs, and David thanked me for my blogging and tweeting, which helped him inch toward his goal. Here’s David’s account on how he became a Community Manager, he’s shared how his networking (using the tools) helped him gain his position. The following is David’s submitted post: How I got my job at Myminilife.com Guest Post by Community Manager, David Peck My name is David Peck and Jeremiah was nice enough to ask me to guest blog about how I got my new job as … Continue readingGuest Post: “How I Became a Community Manager” by David Peck

Community Manager, Forrester February 29, 2008February 29, 2008

Forrester to hire a Community Manager, will you apply?

Something that I didn’t disclose in public, that my research on Community Managers (that I published yesterday) serves two purposes, Forrester is seeking a Community Manager at our Cambridge Mass HQ. I contributed the basics to this job description, which as modified by the hiring manager, our fabulous Web Strategist Michelle F. I know there’s a lot of community folks reading this blog, so I’m really hoping that you’ll come and submit your resume directly to me. I’m not the final decision maker on this role, but I’m going to do my best to find someone from the community I support, so come work us! Send me your resume You can submit your resume directly to me by emailing me … Continue readingForrester to hire a Community Manager, will you apply?