This page holds links too useful community resources from a wide range of places.  Whether you manage a forum, a social media community or an app based community there should be something for everybody. We hope that all types of community manager will benefit and be inspired.

This list is just getting started - Comment if you find it useful, have suggestions for additional resources or want to share an insight

History

“Someone would always answer”: The sad death of the internet message board

A lament for online forums (featuring equally lamentable screenshots), as IMDb shuts down its message boards. (Forum based)

https://www.newstatesman.com/science-tech/internet/2017/02/someone-would-always-answer-sad-death-internet-message-board 

NewStatesman

What the WELL's Rise and Fall Tell Us About Online Community

A key early member of the most influential early online community remembers the site, which is now up for sale. (BBS/Forum based)

https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/07/what-the-wells-rise-and-fall-tell-us-about-online-community/259504/

Howard Rheingold in the Atlantic

Strategy

5 Tips for Building a Community Management Strategy

Are you looking to build a community management strategy for your business? Here are five ways to get started building an effective community management strategy. (Social media focused)

https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/5-tips-for-building-a-community-management-strategy/

Social Media Examiner

Six Strategies for Creating a Successful Online Community (PDF)

The following six recommendations are meant to provide you with the strategic foundation required to build a successful online community.

https://www.techtarget.com/wp-content/uploads/files/research/BP_SuccessfulOnlineCommunity.pdf

techtarget

Building a Community Strategy

Are you just getting started and looking to build your community strategy? We recommend using the Community Maturity Model (CMM) to help in building a community strategy.

https://communityroundtable.com/community-101/building-a-community-strategy/

The Community Roundtable

Community Management

7 Basic community management tips that will take you far

Managing a social community can be a key customer service, marketing and sales activity for small businesses. Here are seven tips for new community managers that will take you from beginner to pro! (CRM & Social media based)

https://www.nimble.com/blog/7-basic-community-management-tips-that-will-take-you-far/

Nimble

The Ultimate Checklist to Winning in Community Management

Community Management today has extended beyond the bounds of the physical realm and into the online world, just as the traditional role of PR has expanded to include virtual communities and social media followers. (Social media and PR based )

http://www.infinitdatum.com/online-community-management-checklist/

Infinitadatum

Hiring

Community manager job posts

Not just ideal for writing job description when hiring a community manager, but also ideal for understanding the role from an organizational perspective

https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/search/?keywords=community%20manager

Linkedin

Benefits and ROI

The SPACE model

The Framework for Defining Your Community’s Business Value

https://cmxhub.com/the-space-model/

CMX

Does Your Online Community Contribute to Business Growth? Here’s How to Tell.

You’ve heard it time and time again – well executed online community programs have a clear value proposition and lend to the overall success of the larger business.

https://communitybyassociation.com/2019/03/24/does-your-online-community-contribute-to-business-growth-heres-how-to-tell/

Community by Association

Growth

7 Strategies for Achieving Phenomenal Online Community Growth https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/242455

Miles Jennings in Entrepreneur