Admit it. It’s really easy to dismiss the rise of all these new live streaming mobile apps like Periscope, Meerkat, MeVee, etc as just glorified video selfies. It’s the next evolution of a trend that was made popular and mainstream by well Instagram and Snapchat. As someone who has been fascinated by the surge in live streaming apps since Meerkat debuted a couple weeks before SXSW...
My Word For 2016: Mindfulness
What’s your word for 2016? It’s becoming an annual tradition to ask myself this question at the start of each year. Last year’s word was vulnerability. And the year before were change and resiliency. Looking back, I feel like 2015 was finally the year that I gave myself permission to start living life on my own terms instead of blindly following the scripts that everyone else...
What I’ve Been Reading: My 11 Favorite Posts From 2015
As 2015 comes to a close, it’s a great time to reflect on everything that has happened this year. Before I dive deep into my annual recap and choose my theme for 2016 (This year’s theme was Vulnerability), I like to look back and reread some of my favorite posts and books from the year. Last year, I wrote a recap of the best posts I read or listened to in the community management...
75+ Useful Tools For Community Managers and Content Marketers Under $100
There’s no shortage of tools out there for community managers and content marketers. With new tools being added everyday and even more existing ones being updated, it can be hard to keep track (let alone know) which one to use. I created a list by category of some of my favorite tools. All of these tools are priced under $100 per month. Many are even free or have a freemium version. Social...
Best Career Advice For Community Managers
I’m lucky enough to have a few mentors in my career that have taken me under their wings and shared some awesome pieces of advice with me. I received this best piece of advice a few years ago. I’m only just now realizing how powerful and helpful it really is. Ready for it. Your ultimate career goal should be to find a way to remove yourself from all the current tasks you are working...
New To Community Management? 15 Community Pros Share Their Best Tips For Brand New Community Managers
I stumbled into community management purely by accident about 6 years ago. I didn’t go to college for community management or marketing or even public relations. (I was a journalism major if you were curious). In fact, when I was 21, I still thought I wanted to be a newspaper editor. Thankfully, I had enough foresight to realize that working 80 hours a week writing mainly obits and stories...
Why Community Managers Should Leverage The 80:20 Principle
A fellow community manager and friend, Carrie, wrote a great post not too long about community manager self care. In this post, she includes a bunch of tips for how to fend off burnout. This list is excellent and includes several suggestions including regular exercising, taking at least 30 minutes of “me-time” every day, taking a break when you are feeling stuck, and journaling. I...
12 Lessons Learned From My First Three Months as a Remote Community Manager
I started working remotely about 3 months ago. While I absolutely love the freedom and flexibility this lifestyle provides, there’s no denying that going from a traditional office worker to productive, remotive employee was a big adjustment. I used to get blank stares just by telling people I work in community management. Now, when I tell people I’m a community manager who happens...
11 Reasons Why Community Managers Shouldn’t Ignore Meerkat, Periscope and Blab
Live video streaming isn’t a new phenomenon. Sites like Ustream and Livestream have been around for years. However, the newest craze with apps like Meerkat, Periscope and the newest shiny object, Blab, are making it so much easier and more compelling for the average person to use. Anybody with a smartphone – which is upwards of 64% of all U.S. adults– essentially have a mini...
Why You Are Probably Focusing On The Wrong KPI For Your Customer Support Community
I stumbled across this tweet from a friend the other day. It got me thinking about some of the biggest mistakes that support team leaders can fall into when thinking about customer support communities. What drives you THE MOST CRAZY about customer support communities? Seriously, what are your biggest gripes? #cmgr #custserv #custexp ”” Caty Kobe (@catykobe) August 19, 2015 I instantly think of...