Social Media Community Management

Oct 9

Community management refers to the process of nurturing relationships between a brand and its audience through direct engagement. It involves managing interactions, addressing questions or concerns and creating a positive environment for conversation and connection. The goal is to foster a sense of community to ensure users feel heard, valued and connected.

Responding to comments, messages and mentions promptly to show followers their input is valued. Don’t post it and forget it, you have to follow along with interactions, especially on your posts. Moderate conversations – whether in the comments section or messages it is important to ensure that interactions remain respectful and on-topic. This might involve removing spam posts, addressing inappropriate comments through private messaging or guiding discussions to keep things positive. Addressing customer questions in a timely manner is especially important. Resolving issues directly in messages can turn negative experiences into positive ones. Always be monitoring!

Encourage user-generated content – inviting your audience to create content around you brand encourages participation and sense of ownership. Run a campaign where followers can share their experiences with a specific hashtag, this will bring them together and make them feel part of your brand. Host Q&A sessions or live events – leveraging these features like Instagram or Facebook live allows you to interact with followers in real-time. You can answer questions, share updates or provide a behind-the-scenes look at your business. Create polls or interactive posts – use polls, quizzes and questions to directly involve your audience. Asking for opinions or inviting followers to vote on topics not only boosts engagement rate but is also makes your audience feel heard. Celebrate your community – acknowledge and appreciate your loyal followers by featuring them in your content. Reshare user posts, highlight them in your content through testimonials or even do follower spotlights. This not only rewards the individuals who support you but encourages others to engage in hopes of being featured.

Community management goes beyond just posting content; it is about fostering genuine relationships and loyalty by being actively involved with your audience. The ultimate aim is to build a thriving, engaged community that not only consumes content but also advocates for the brand.

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Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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