Community Manager Appreciation Day is celebrated annually on the fourth Monday of January. It was created by Jeremiah Owyang in 2010 as a way to recognize the efforts of community managers globally. The life of a community manager is a hectic one — endless monitoring, conversation after conversation, and nonstop content creation. There’s a saying: “Social media never sleeps, and neither do community managers”. That’s why on this day, we celebrate community managers and vendors in the social media marketplace post blogs in appreciation of their hard work and dedication.
History of Community Manager Appreciation Day
Some of you might be wondering “What exactly is a community manager?” It’s actually a relatively new term. The earliest recognized origin of the role itself only dates back to the 1990s. Originally referred to as Sysops, this role began as online systems first offered features and functions that allowed for community creation. Sysops were responsible for operating the bulletin board in software systems and effectively the growth of mainstream online computer services like Prodigy and America Online. These communities took on many names but largely were identified as Special Interest Groups. Their leaders were often referred to as Community Leaders.
Each Network has a purpose and it is the Community Manager’s job to maintain focus. As online communities have developed, so has the responsibilities of the Community Manager. They are responsible for branded online communities, online research communities, corporate blogs, social media marketing, and research activities. Today the demand has expanded to an even wider variety of responsibilities and skill-sets including product support and development, PR, and customer support all while maintaining open communications between the developer and the community.
Community managers aren’t just about their business, they’re about developing a community around a shared appreciation for a product. They are also dedicated to assisting in improving their product, they’re the guy (or gal) that listens to the fan-base, reports back to the higher-ups and gets them to listen. Their entire goal is to connect people and build them something they all want. Community managers allow for personalization, they build relationships and empower consumers, and we think that’s pretty noble.
Someone who stands up for the little guys definitely deserves a day of recognition. So if you’re a part of an online community, make sure to throw a shout-out to your community managers and let them know you appreciate them.
Community Manager Appreciation Day timeline
- 2009
The Dawn of the Influencer
Brand Influencers hit the social scene.
- 2005
Forum Moderators
Brands begin to see the power of conversations taking place by their customers.
- 2004
Facebook is Created
Facebook makes waves on Harvard’s campus.
- 2003
The First Top Eight
Headquartered in Beverly Hills, California, Myspace hits the screens and Tom becomes everyone’s friend.
- 1991
The Internet, Heard of it?
The World Wide Web became publicly available allowing communities and businesses to interact and connect.
Community Manager Appreciation Day FAQs
What does a community manager do?
A community manager helps build, grow and manage a company’s or brand’s online communities, using analytics tools to monitor social media outlets, online forums, and blogs, a community manager finds out what people are saying about a company or brand.
What is the main focus of the community manager?
The role of a community manager is to act as the bridge between a brand and the community it is aiming to create.
What makes a good community manager?
Above all, empathy, good listening skills, and adaptability are crucial to promoting favorable impressions of an organization.
An ocean of channels
Today over 80% of organizations have community channels, which is a significant increase from 67% in 2012.
Single-players
34% of community teams are a team of one.
They’re everywhere
From HR to IT, to marketing, communities are part of many departments and one-in-seven are their own independent department.
They’ve got the numbers
On average, internal and external communities generate 6,469% ROI for organizations
They’re skilled but not schooled
Only 8% of community leaders trained specifically for a community role.
Community Manager Appreciation Day Activities
Give your community manager a raise
There are lots of ways to say thank you to your company’s community manager – giving them a raise is a surefire way to keep them motivated.
Buy your favorite community manager a beer
Or bake him or her some cupcakes, take the team out to lunch or buy a round after work.
Send them your thanks
Send a tweet expressing how much you value your community manager, you can also send him or her a nice thank-you note.
Why We Love Community Manager Appreciation Day
They are always connected
The same thing can happen with any other activity, but with fishing – once you’re in the motion of things, you start acting in the present and usually start to talk about the things that matter most with the people that matter the most.
They’re content wizards
They have it all – and are skilled in writing blog posts, articles, newsletters, communications materials, and material for social media channels.
They’re super outgoing and friendly
Community managers are genuinely fun people to be around, as they are required to walk into networking events and be comfortable introducing themselves to strangers.
Also on Sat Jan 25, 2025...
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