What marketing-related circumstances might lead to a company hiring a full-time “community manager?”

having a warehouse near a residential district and wanting to keep neighbors happy

running a website with a comments page and wanting to keep inappropriate comments to a minimum

designing a new logo or mascot and wanting to make sure it doesn’t offend anyone in your market

having a day care for your employees and needing someone to babysit the staff’s children

1 answer

A company might hire a full-time community manager in several marketing-related circumstances. Here are some relevant scenarios drawn from your examples:

  1. Having a warehouse near a residential district and wanting to keep neighbors happy: In this case, a community manager could engage with local residents to address their concerns, ensure open lines of communication, and foster a positive relationship between the company and the community. This role can help mitigate any potential issues stemming from operations that might affect the neighborhood and can build goodwill.

  2. Running a website with a comments page and wanting to keep inappropriate comments to a minimum: A community manager can oversee online interactions, moderate comments, and ensure that discussions remain respectful and on-topic. This can promote a positive online community and enhance the company’s brand reputation.

  3. Designing a new logo or mascot and wanting to make sure it doesn’t offend anyone in your market: A community manager can facilitate feedback from the community during the logo or mascot design process, ensuring that the new branding is inclusive and resonates positively with the audience. They can help to gauge public sentiment and prevent backlash by being sensitive to the values and preferences of the target demographic.

The last example—having a day care for your employees and needing someone to babysit the staff’s children—is not directly related to marketing efforts and would not typically necessitate hiring a community manager.

In summary, the first three scenarios reflect situations where a company's branding, public relations, and community engagement strategies would benefit from the expertise of a community manager.