COMMUNITY INSIGHTS
I’m excited to share the valuable insights I’ve gained over the years as a community manager in an easy-to-digest format. Whether you’re looking to build a thriving community, handle conflicts effectively, or boost engagement, I’ve got you covered. Here are a few informative posts that dive into the different aspects of community management, packed with practical tips and strategies to help you succeed!
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Building a community is all about fostering trust and loyalty around your brand. It’s a fantastic opportunity to connect with your members through regular conversations and authentic engagement. Plus, gathering feedback from your audience is essential for growing and maintaining your community, as it allows you to change your product roadmap to their needs.
In the gaming world, effective community management is crucial for expanding and sustaining your player base. Today’s players have different expectations than they did a decade ago; they want to interact with the game, companies and connect with others to share their experiences. This is even more important if you’re working within a live service model. As budget increases it becomes more important to try to maintain your loyal customers, both for the present, but also for future endeavors. I also believe that transparency is the key to making sure the community gets the most accurate information possible.
When you engage authentically, your brand feels more relatable and less like a faceless corporation. People love chatting with real humans! And don’t overlook the treasure trove of user-generated content you’ll gather. Think engaging case studies, fun photos, and cool videos that showcase what your brand is all about.
The best part? Good community management drives traffic and boosts sales! Those casual conversations can lead to perfect opportunities to highlight your products, creating a win-win for everyone involved. I firmly believe that a strong, engaged community is the backbone of any successful game. So let’s embrace the fun and start building those connections!
A thriving community is one that feels connected on multiple levels, not just through the core focus of a game but through shared experiences and conversations. Offering members space for off-topic discussions, especially on dynamic platforms like Discord, allows them to engage in more personal ways. Whether it’s chatting about the latest shows, sharing memes, or discussing hobbies, these interactions help humanize the community, making it feel less like a fanbase and more like a group of friends. This sense of belonging builds stronger connections, both with the brand and within the server itself.
When members form friendships, they naturally spend more time together in-game. For titles that support co-op or online multiplayer modes, this translates into a higher likelihood of players coming back for regular sessions. Friendships and shared experiences have a way of turning a casual player into a dedicated community member.
However, it’s crucial that these off-topic conversations remain aligned with the server’s rules and culture. While the game should always be the main focus, creating structured opportunities for casual discussions, whether through specific channels for hobbies, media, or even real-life meetups, offers a place for everyone to contribute. Discord’s categories and channels are great tools for organizing this flow, making sure it’s easy to manage while still keeping the core identity intact.
Ultimately, the more a community feels like a welcoming, engaging space where both in-game and personal bonds are formed, the more likely players will stay, interact, and advocate for the brand. A well-rounded community creates loyal players who don't just love the game, they love the people they're playing with. And that, in turn, builds a more vibrant, lasting community.
Effective moderation is the backbone of a thriving community. It is important because it creates a space where community members can feel safe, respected, and empowered to share their voices. A well-moderated community encourages open discussions and fosters trust, ensuring that everyone can engage without fear of harassment or toxic behavior.
Of course, there will be disruptive individuals or trolls that will try to disturb the peace and taking swift and decisive action keeps these situations from spiraling out of control. Strong moderation not only protects the community but also reinforces the brand’s values and commitment to its members. On the flip side, poor or delayed moderation can tarnish both the community’s atmosphere and the brand’s reputation, leaving lasting damage.
Ultimately, great moderation isn't just about enforcing rules. It's about maintaining a healthy, positive space that people want to be part of. It will lead to more community members growing fond of the brand and maybe even want to help out make sure it is a safe spot for others. This is also an opportunity to use top voices in your community to help provide a considerate and kind discussion climate.
Conflict de-escalation is crucial in community management, especially in the gaming industry, where conflicts within communities seem to arise quite frequently as of late. Sure, when things to far it is important to moderate the content, but before that, it is our job to educate the community and try to de-escalate conflicts within the community. Here’s a short text of the types of conflicts and some tips for de-escalating them:
Here are some types of conflicts: Personality/Culture clashes, Conflicts of interest, Different values, Power dynamics, Miscommunication
Make sure you prepare your mind and thoughts before you go into trying to de-escalate a conflict:
Pause and breathe.
Try to understand the root cause. Process the situation before you take any actions.
Consider the platform you are working on and what tools it allows you to utilize.
De-escalation Tips:
Acknowledge the issue and emotions of the community members.
Reflect words back positively.
Explain your perspective without being defensive.
Find common grounds and give people time to process the discussions.
Aways follow the community guidelines and offer a way out when needed.
Staying calm and empathetic makes all the difference! And as always, learn from your experiences, both positive and negative.
As a community manager, announcing new features or changes in gaming is a critical part of the role. Sometimes, these changes may not be well-received, and it falls to the community manager to navigate any negative sentiment. This can be challenging, especially when anticipating tough questions and feedback. Transparency is essential during these times. To effectively communicate changes, consider using the ADKAR Model, which provides five key steps for successful change management:
Awareness: Inform community members about upcoming changes or initiatives, explaining the reasons behind them.
Desire: Engage members by highlighting the benefits of the changes and encouraging their participation and support.
Knowledge: Provide detailed information and resources to help members understand how the changes will affect them and how they can contribute.
Ability: Offer training, tutorials, and support to help members develop the necessary skills and behaviors.
Reinforcement: Use positive feedback, rewards, and continuous communication to ensure the changes are maintained and integrated into the community culture.
Additionally, preparing a pre-emptive response document can help address potential questions and concerns, ensuring you’re ready for any challenges that arise. Being well-prepared is key! Also, this is a great time to gather well thought out feedback from the community to be able to share with the team. Every hard interaction is also a place to learn!
Here is an example of such an announcement on HiberWorld Discord:
Stay tuned for more updates in the future! And always feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn and ask questions. I will try to answer once I have time.