Community building is not a passing trend. In France, it has been a sustainable and profitable strategy for several years.
Calling on a Community Builder is becoming part of the practices of BtoB and BtoC companies, and complements the Community Management or Social Media Management approaches already in place.
But is this really the future of Community Management? What are the differences between these two strategies that combine communities and growth? All the answers from MeltingSpot on the role of a Community Builder are in this article 👇
Community builder vs community manager: what are the differences?
In the marketing jargon, different strategies coexist: Community Building, Community Management, and Social Media Management... And if these approaches are complementary, they remain quite different.
In business, different expertise is required to create, animate and engage an audience or a community. It is therefore necessary to differentiate the work of the Community Builder, the Community Manager, but also the Social Media Manager.
Community builder: definition
His role is essential today, to build, activate and engage a physical community or on the web. The Community Builder has a strategic role as a builder. He/she carries the face and voice of the brand, is close to the members of the community, and exchanges with them on his/her own behalf.
The Community Builder is identified as a pillar within a community. He or she acts as an intermediary between the brand and the members of the community (customers, partners, ambassadors, influencers, collaborators, etc.).
Beyond the creation of the community, the Community Builder is in charge of animation, providing high value-added information, and developing an atmosphere that combines proximity and benevolence.
Community manager: definition
His role is more operational than strategic. The Community Manager is in charge of managing audiences and communities (Community Management). Their mission is more focused on execution: creating content on social networks, managing the company's image, etc.
The Community Manager's mission is also linked to an acquisition target, where the Community Manager will be more focused on a relational objective, thanks to the community strategy deployed.
Social Media Manager: definition
His role is to define the content and communication strategy on social networks. The Social Media Manager determines the objectives and the editorial line to follow. He manages the e-reputation and the brand image of the company on social networks.
The actions of the Social Media Manager are less operational than the Community Manager. He usually supervises the Community Manager's teams.
🚀 Community Builder, Community Manager, Social Media Manager... These three jobs are complementary and can move forward together, to boost the growth of a company. In France, in many successful companies, "Community" poles are also created to advance together on the Community-Led Growth strategy.
Alongside these key roles, there are also Heads of Community or Chief Community Officers. Their main objective is to ensure the development of a successful community marketing strategy.
Community builder: the key player in the development of the company
The importance of community building
Calling on a builder such as a Community Builder is a strategic decision for all BtoB and BtoC companies. At the dawn of web 3 and the rise of digital communities... All brands have an interest in making the creation, animation, and engagement of communities a priority.
Indeed, communities are a growth and performance lever, whatever the company's sector, the size of the community, and its typology. We talk about Community-Led Growth: from now on, it is the members of a community who guide and drive the growth of a company.
Thanks to Community Building, companies can benefit from detailed feedback, demonstrate continuous improvement on products or services, test new offers in preview... And all, thanks to the power of exchanges, the proximity link, and the feeling of belonging that reigns in the communities.
Thus, Community Building replaces the "Product Centric" dynamic with a "Community Centric" culture: the community and its members are at the heart of each marketing, sales, or product decision. Co-construction, exchange, and mutual aid are the new priorities of Community Led companies.
Building and animating a community: a full-time job
To reap the benefits of community building here's the key thing to understand: becoming a community builder is a full-time job. Companies that call on these professions must deploy a long-term community strategy, which is not limited to building a community.
Indeed, throughout the year, the Community Builder must animate and engage the members of the community. To achieve this, his job includes the organization of regular events (webinars, online conferences, face-to-face meetings, etc.), but also the creation of quality content. The Community Builder ensures that he always has relevant information to share or precise answers to bring to the community's questions.
You've got it: to grow the community and the company's growth, the Community Builder is a builder who must be present at each stage of the Community-Led Growth strategy. To perfect the community strategy in the long term, he can rely on Community Centric tools. These tools are better suited than social networks for creating, animating, and sustaining communities.
At MeltingSpot, that's what we offer: an all-in-one community-platform that makes the Community Builder's job easier... while improving the experience of community members. Ready to discover our platform?
