Community management and social media management may seem like similar roles, but they actually have significant differences that are important to understand. Community managers focus on building a strong, supportive community around a brand, while social media managers are more concerned with sales-related goals and social media ROI.
One key difference is in their goals. Community managers aim to boost brand visibility and engagement over the long term, while social media managers are focused on immediate sales and redirecting followers to the brand’s website. Social media managers measure success through conversion and click-through rates, while community managers focus on growing the brand’s presence online and fostering positive interactions.
Responsibilities also differ between the two roles. Community managers focus on creating a culture around the brand that benefits both the brand and its consumers. They facilitate relationships and resolve conflicts within the brand’s community. On the other hand, social media managers are primarily focused on growing the brand’s presence on digital platforms and engaging with followers.
In terms of skills, social media managers must be knowledgeable about social media trends and strategies, while community managers require excellent interpersonal skills to build relationships with the brand’s audience. Community managers must also be problem solvers who can resolve conflicts within the brand’s community in a professional manner.
Measuring success also varies between the two roles. Social media managers measure success based on the company’s overall yearly goals, such as boosting sales or increasing web traffic. Community managers focus more on brand awareness and the overall growth of the brand’s community. Success for community managers is often measured by how users interact with the brand and how often the brand is talked about online.
Community and social media managers can work together to build a brand’s representation, bridge the gap between the organization and its target audience, and drive sales. Social media managers can provide valuable insights to community managers about what platforms work best for communicating with target consumers and what best practices are on those platforms. By working together, community and social media managers can create a strong, engaged community around the brand.