The presentation during my class on online community management, with specific focus on social media community management. Topics covered: Introduction to online communities. Essentials of online communities. Creating content for online communities.

1. Online Community
Management
May 2014
Jason Cruz
Jsncruz.com

2. Course Overview
• Introduction to Online Community Management
– Evolution of Online Communities
– Brands, Businesses, and Online Communities
• Online Community Management Essentials
– Objectives
– Social Media Platforms
– Community Management
• Creating Content for Online Communities
– Brand Content
– Community Content
@jsncruz

3. INTRODUCTION
Online Communities and Online Community Management

4. Evolution of Online Communities
Website Comment Forms Forums Social Platforms
@jsncruz

5. Brands and Online Communities
Why does the online community member interact with brands and businesses?
Show affinity or closeness. Find like-minded people Ask, inquire, or give feedback
@jsncruz

6. Elements of an Online Community
Online
Virtual; hosted on
the Internet or the
web
Has no physical
borders
Community
Has specific and
tailored content and
tonality
Has two-way
interaction between
members, and with
administrator
@jsncruz

7. ESSENTIALS
Create and Set-up an Online Community

8. The Online Community Objective
• A controlled environment for expressing the brand’s
message, values, and ideas.
Create a Center of
Communication
• A communication platform where the online consumer
and fan are already present at: social media.
Converse with both Consumers
and Brand Fans
• A method for a brand or business to collect and
compile brand-related, community-sourced content.
Curate Community-Sourced
Content
@jsncruz

9. Online Community Platforms
There are four major social platforms for community-building in the Philippines.
@jsncruz

10. Online Community Platforms
• Over 34 million users in the Philippines
• Around 22 million access it through mobile
• Offers most extensive data
Facebook
The dominant social media
platform in the Philippines
• One of the fastest-growing social platforms globally
• Used extensively for community- and consumer-support
• Great for publicly-sourced data
Twitter
The best social listening and –
monitoring platform
@jsncruz

11. Online Community Platforms
• Roughly 90% of Filipinos share pictures of food on IG
• Great for brand discovery (through hashtags)
• Exclusive to mobile devices
Instagram
The most popular photo-sharing
platform in the country
• Important for search relevance
• Can leverage on niche audiences and/or communities
• Great for influencing sentiments
Blogs and Websites
Stay relevant through and with
content
@jsncruz

12. The Community Manager
Personality fits the
brand’s desired social
media persona
Tonality and language
match the community
members’
Deep understanding of
the community and the
offline consumers
Deep understanding of
anecdotal stories and
community sentiments
The Ideal Community
Manager
Example Guide:
Product: Hip and trendy shoes
Market: Teens
Buying Habit: Twice a year; thrifty
Community: Chatty, loves memes and puns
The Community Manager would ideally be:
Young adult (or can talk like one), has a
strong knowledge base on fashion and
style, knows how to speak with non-income
earning teens/youth, and has a witty sense
of humor.
@jsncruz

13. CONTENT CREATION
Create Content for Online Communities

14. Value
There are generally two kinds of benefits.
Directly benefits me. Indirectly benefits me.
Rewards. Peer group.
Promos.
Giveaways.
Savings.
Long-term reward.
Family/relatives.
Belongings.
@jsncruz

15. Value
Example:
Jollibee’s Family Bee Day
This content sample shows clear
community benefits.
The content is aligned with the brand
tonality (family-friendly) and community
interests (Filipino talents).
@jsncruz

16. Empowerment
An online community must be able to communicate with each other, and
its moderator must be able to understand them.
Person to Person
Allows personal communication.
Allows connection-building.
Allows relationship building.
Person to Brand Brand to Person
@jsncruz

17. Empowerment
Example:
San Miguel Pale Pilsen
These content samples shows community
empowerment through relevance.
The content is easy to relate with, and
instantly allows conversation and
engagement; c2c, c2b, and b2c.
@jsncruz

18. Membership
An online community is united by a common reason – and it’s rarely the
product or service. The reason is an idea. Membership in an idea.
IndividualsProducts
Ideas Culture
Habits Legacy
@jsncruz

19. Membership
Example:
Apple, Inc.
These content samples shows strong and
unified community membership.
The content is based on a singular anchor-
or passion point. Passion points-based
content work best for an opinionated and
idealistic community.
@jsncruz

20. Vision
An online community is united by a vision – and it must involve them.
User-Generated Content Digital PR
Member accomplishments Influential members
Member stories Niche or same-interest groups
@jsncruz

21. Vision
Example:
Coca-Cola Philippines
These content samples shows how a vision
involving community members can pay off.
The content is purely user-generated, and
gives the brand an authentic, credible, and
very personal feel in the social story.
@jsncruz

22. PUTTING IT TOGETHER
Summary

23. Online Communities
@jsncruz
Generally good for
a brand or
business
Conversation and
engagement
channel
Specific and
unique to the
brand and
community
Needs to be
managed or
focused

24. Community Content
@jsncruz
Must provide
value to
community
members
Must empower
community
members to be
involved
Must promote
membership in an
ideal or value
Must have a
vision to involve
community
members

25. Questions and Inquiries
@jsncruz
Jason Cruz
Jsncruz.com
Twitter.com/jsncruz
Instagram.com/jsncruz