In today’s marketing landscape, more and more companies are relying on digital to scale their businesses effectively. Whether it’s through website development, e-commerce selling platforms, email marketing, customer relationship management or social media management, digital marketing has become one of the most powerful tools online to expand reach and increase profit for every business.

          While all of these channels have equal value and importance in growing and sustaining a brand, there is one subcategory in digital marketing that is oftentimes neglected and placed in the back burner. This aforementioned subcategory is called, ‘community management’.

        What is community management?

Community management is a brand’s way of ensuring all questions, concerns, comments (positive/negative/neutral) are attended to in a timely manner to be able to create a harmonious relationship with their current and potential end-users online. If you’re a community manager, or looking to hire one, he/she will be responsible for observing, monitoring, and moderating the mood and emotions of your brand’s target audience to be able to connect with them effectively. Aside from that, this person is also responsible for attending to your presales and after-sales communication, while escalating any urgent concerns about your products/services to the right department.

As Hubspot Social Media Community Manager, Krystal Wu put it: “Brands need to hire community managers because they’re the tone, voice, and human element behind your brand.”

 

Does your brand need community management services?

 

Here are 5 reasons why you should consider acquiring one:

 

     1. It establishes brand reliability.

          Customers love a brand that is reliable. When it comes to online transactions, ordering online or simply asking for more information about a certain product or service, end-users will always go for a brand that offers dependable presale and after-sales service.

     2. It can build brand-customer relationships that are made to last.

          For as long as your product and services stay relevant to the needs of the consumers, a community manager can help in building a healthy relationship between a brand and its customers by creating effective communication strategies. Checking-in after a successful online purchase and asking for feedback are good examples in this aspect.

     3. Not all chatbots are reliable and user-friendly, but there’s a catch…

          As you may have already known, chatbots or AI (Artificial Intelligence) messaging bots are making a name for themselves in the customer service industry. While this technology has its own share of pros, the cons are relatively straightforward in terms of being a user-friendly type of tech.

          While they may seem to pose as a helpful tool for brands to provide information on demand, it is still imperative to add a human element by redirecting end-users to an actual human being to manage and handle what the bot is unable to provide an answer to. With the right implementation and execution, merging chatbot functionality and human element in community management can be beneficial for brands in the long run.

     4. It can provide social listening.

          Gathering information/feedback from your customers about your products and services can be easily gained with the help of a community manager. A brand that values their customers cares about how they are perceived in the market, and making use of your community manager as your insider to listen and monitor your audience sentiments can be beneficial in the long run.

     5. It increases your brand loyalty; thus, increasing sales conversion.

Let’s face it, companies who are known for having poor customer service are the worst. It is a rampant situation that usually involves misunderstandings, delays, overcharging, refunds, etc. between a customer and a brand representative. Because of this, it’s no secret that these companies are being bashed with negative comments in social media everyday. While this is an unfortunate circumstance, brands still have the opportunity to pivot and avoid in making the same mistakes.

Investing in a community management agency or hiring a community manager to handle your brand communication guidelines and to manage incoming inquiries and concerns in the social media sphere can pave the way to increase your brand loyalty. Customers are smart and would make repeat purchases if they recognize a brand that is proactive in guaranteeing customer satisfaction after every purchase or transaction.

Conclusion

When Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and the like started becoming a part of our daily lives in the early 2000s, creating connections virtually had been our top most priority. These platforms reignited that human part of us as social beings to reconnect with our long lost friends from highschool or even a family member. Fast forward to 2021, these social media juggernauts have turned their platforms into money-making machines — generating revenue from online advertisements rolled-out by competing brands of just about any industry. Evidently, the need for brands to increase their efforts in servicing and constantly communicating with their community should be considered not only essential, but a driving force in strengthening customer relationships.

Let us help you decide!

          Running an online business in today’s unprecedented, COVID-19 era is already a challenge in itself. Attending to your customers’ needs and concerns on a daily basis, meanwhile, can be just as challenging if you don’t have the qualified individuals in your arsenal. If you need help in deciding whether or not a community management service is for you, contact the Xiklab Digital team today.

For inquiries, feel free to fill out the form at the bottom of the page.

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