All I Got For Community Manager’s Day Is This Blog Post
January 23, 2012 | Posted by Tiffany Starnes
Borat Like #CMAD
How are you celebrating Community Manager’s Appreciation Day? Here at FSC Interactive, we’re, well… not. I think it is a silly made up Hallmark holiday that does a disservice to the job itself. But, I also think Valentine’s Day is for idiots. So, I thought maybe it’s just me, but the whole office agrees that it is a contrived sad excuse for a “holiday.” This is too bad for them, because agencies across the world are celebrating and I didn’t even bother to get a cake. While we all agree that #CMAD (that’s Twitter talk for Community Manager Appreciation Day) is a waste of time, I am an eternal optimist and must look on the bright side.
3 Benefits of #CMAD:
1. Social Media is a Legitimate Field
Today Forbes features an article celebrating the efforts that companies make across online networks, legitimizing the practice of social media. It is true that “community managers” are important people on the front lines of brand communications. But last I checked there wasn’t a Jr. Account Executive appreciation Day. I never once celebrated Creative Director Appreciation Day at any of my past agency jobs. We made a conscious choice to give the social media professionals at FSC the title “Account Executive.” While each does manage communities, they also develop creative strategies, manage time lines and budgets and provide exemplary client service. And I respect them and celebrate them with real world festivities like performance reviews with salary increases, not Twitter shout-outs.
2. Social Media Professionals Have Salaries
Speaking of salaries, Social Fresh developed the 2012 Community Manager’s Report, which includes demographics on the social media professional such as salary and age. The average salary for a “Community Manager” is $50K. The average age is 30. These people are NOT INTERNS. They are career-minded professionals with increased earning potential based on experience. (Pay no attention to the comic book super heroes. It really is legit.)
3. Social Media Jobs have Responsibilities
Speaking of experience, it takes more than a stellar Mafia Wars record to excel at social media. It takes structure, organization, attention to detail and the ability to shift gears at a moments notice to be a successful social media professional. You may even have to be psychopaths (Jay Dolan makes a pretty good case around this). I appreciate the effort to call attention to the responsibilities, challenges and commitment involved in social media to contradict the notion of “playing on Facebook all day” as the primary role of online marketers.
I thank Jeremiah Owyang for constantly supporting online media and the professionals that push the boundaries of communications. He is a wicked smart guy and this day of celebration undoubtedly came from a good place. But, an arbitrary holiday gaining self-congratulatory momentum around a hashtag seems to reinforce the frivolity and superficiality from which the social media industry needs distance.
Am I just hating? Should I go get a pinata?
Wow, thought you were going to hate on Community Managers but no… you barfed up three points on “Social Media”.
Seems like you have the same problem most people do.
Community Management is NOT Social Media.
Social Media is a tool that Community Managers can, and often, use.
I say go get a piñata – regardless of the self congratulatory aspect (and there is that edge), it’s an opportunity to collectively raise awareness about the role, which is quite useful… and to reach out and give a heartfelt thanks because that’s nice too.
Ditto-
I completely agree that community management is not synonymous with social media. As I stated, it is one function of a social media professional’s job. There can also be community managers that reign in troll son major new sites that never even use social media tools. I think the holiday is silly, but on the bright side the articles I referenced call attention to the social media industry.
Rachel-
Pinata it is! I do appreciate the fact that the amount of attention ( even for a lame holiday) helps spread the word about the more legitimate and useful aspects of the industry and role.