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Tips for Community Managers

We have had a freemium Yammer network running since October 2010 and I have been actively community managing it since not long after I joined the business in March 2011. For me it was a natural extension of my role in looking after the intranet. I really enjoy community management and love Get Satisfaction’s infographic Inside the mind of a Community Manager especially how it describes the community manager as a ‘Gardener’. I don’t have  green-thumb but I think the analogy of nurturing the garden and tending the weeds is apt.

Last week the crew at Yammer ran a competition calling for tweeps to post their best tips for Community Managers via the #yamcmgr hashtag. The prize? Tickets to Swarm Conference, the online community management conference, which is on in Melbourne next week. I was keen to attend the conference, and unable to buy a ticket this year so I pulled out my best gardening tips and tweeted my heart out.

Here is a selection of my tips and great ones from other tweeps:

Tweet by @_rebeccajackson: @Yammer Make events part of your community. Promote + discuss in the tool and display the feed at the event to create excitement. #yamcmgr

Tweet from @chantellebaxter: Encourage & inspire users to become unofficial #yamcmgr's. Even when u aren't there, the community keeps itself going! @Yammer #ownership

Tweet by @justine_hyde: @yammer get the influencers, critics, experts, mobilisers, visionaries and opinion makers involved and others will follow #yamcmgr

Tweet by @_rebeccajackson: @Yammer A great #yamcmgr should welcome all new members to help them feel a part of the community.

Tweet by @cameronrambert: Appoint someone specifically dedicated to facilitating discussions when trying to build early engagement within a @yammer community #yamcmgr

Tweet by @chantellebaxter: Encourage ppl to create their own @Yammer groups w/ photo & descrip. Groups work when other ppl drive them + pic/descr. is included #yamcmgr

Tweet by @_rebeccajackson: @Yammer Encourage your senior leaders to join the network AND use it. It's a simple and honest way to engage. #yamcmgr

Tweet by @TeresaM41000616: @yammer Keep the information flowing, create positive relavent chatter which leads to community vibrancy. #yamcmgr

Tweet by @Isprydigital: @yammer Community management is the responsibility of the entire org. Ensure all participate and are involved from the top-down. #yamcmgr

Tweet by @_rebeccajackson: @yammer Maintain regular reporting on network usage (stats and quotes) for senior leadership reports. Keep them informed. #yamcmgr

Tweet by @jessmleslie: @Yammer best community management tip is to encourage sharing of knowledge internally - it needs to come from the top down #yamcmgr

Tweet by @chantellebaxter: Create a @Yammer group called Department of Awesome. Post awesome / non-work stuff here - Books movies quotes http://lolpics.se/pics/30.jpg #yamcmgr

If you were wondering who won the coveted  tickets, Chantelle Baxter and I will be joining the Yammer crew at Swarm Conference next week! I am really excited to be going. It will be a great opportunity to network with other community managers and there is a fantastic line-up of speakers. Thanks to Yammer for the opportunity and I will certainly be sharing what I think on Twitter and on my blog.

Update: 04 September 2012 8:20pm: Check out the Swarm Conference blog feature, Yammer #cmgr giveaway – tips for community managers, featuring… me! See you at Swarm Conf!

Update: 05 September 2012 1:50pm: Have a look at the feature on Yammer’s Blog, Top #Yamcmgr Tips From Community Managers.

Do you have some tips for great community management? Please share in the comments below.

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  1. Pingback: Yammer #cmgr giveaway – tips for internal communities

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