Managing a community isn’t just about numbers; it’s about building something that people care about, engaging them in meaningful ways, and doing it all without breaking the bank. After all, every project has one eye on profit, and managing your resources effectively is key to achieving that.
In this article, Godswill Akpan, the founder of The Concave, will walk us through creative, budget-friendly strategies to grow and manage a community that thrives.
So here we go:
Understanding the Brand’s Vision
Before anything else, understand the vision of the brand you represent. Every community begins with a strong vision, which sets the tone for how you’ll build and nurture it. Once you’re clear on this, you can break that vision down into a mission, goals, and strategies that act as a roadmap.
Let’s say the vision of your community is like the North Star—it guides everything you do. When you’re developing cost-effective strategies, you’ll always return to this foundation. It’s not about spending a fortune; it’s about aligning the community with the goals of the product and taking steady steps toward them.
Build Organically
This entails the following:
- Organic growth:
When it comes to community building, cost-effectiveness is synonymous with organic growth. Organic growth means you’re not throwing money at ads but focusing on bringing value to your community. One key element here is content creation.
As a community manager, you should also think like a social media manager. Why? Because crafting the right roadmap—educational content, how-tos, and tips—is your bread and butter. These are tools that require creativity, not cash. A well-designed FAQ or educational post can address your community’s questions and make them see why they need the solution your project offers. You’re not just telling them what you do—you’re solving problems they didn’t even realize they had. And guess what? These are strategies you can implement with little to no funding.
- Competitor Analysis.
Now, here’s a tip that doesn’t cost a penny: study your competitors. What are they doing? How are they investing in their communities? This is a goldmine of free information. By analyzing their strategies, you can identify gaps or limitations and build something better. The goal isn’t to copy but to innovate. Build your strategies on top of what’s already working in your space.
Creativity is important here. When you’re running on a tight budget, creative thinking is the most valuable currency you’ve got. If you’ve seen a competitor run a successful campaign, ask yourself, “How can I adapt this for my community, but make it even better?” This is where your imagination and ingenuity come into play.
- Knowing Your Audience: The Web3 Example
Your strategies should also be laser-focused on your audience. Let’s say you’re managing a community for a DeFi (Decentralized Finance) project like Persistence. You’re dealing with a specific set of individuals: BTC enthusiasts, developers, and blockchain evangelists. These folks aren’t interested in fluffy marketing—they care about the tech. So, you’ll want to tailor your content accordingly, making sure it speaks to them.
For Persistence, for instance, they wanted to connect various Bitcoin variants on their platform. Your job as a community manager is to craft strategies that explain this in simple terms, geared toward spaces where these conversations happen: Reddit, Medium, and BTC forums. Speak their language, and you’ll win their loyalty.
- Partnerships: A Hidden Method for Growth
When it comes to community growth, partnerships are often overlooked, but they can be a game-changer. As a community manager, negotiation is one of your most valuable skills. Think of it like this: “What can I offer that the other party can’t resist?”
Take this case study, for example, We collaborated with Fisen, a project that lacked engagement in the African ecosystem. Our partnership opened new doors for them, and in turn, they brought fresh energy into our community. It was a win-win, achieved with little cost.
Tools needed to be an effective community manager
Every community manager needs to be familiar with the tools available on social media platforms. For example, Telegram and Discord both offer features like bots and quizzes to boost engagement. You can even build your bot using Python to tailor interactions specific to your community.
Consider using tools that analyze your most active members. Telegram’s combo bot can help with this, while Discord is good too. Referral contests and interactive games are a great way to get the community excited. The key is to make sure you’re using platforms where your audience already hangs out and that you’re maximizing the tools available.
After doing all these; you may still struggle with turning Passive Members into Active Supporters; here’s a workable solution for you!
- Give them roles and responsibilities.
- Make them feel like an integral part of what you’re building.
Want an example? Create badges or other incentives that aren’t just based on technical milestones.
- Interact with your community on a personal level, not just a professional one. Make them care about your vision, and you’ll see them go from being passive observers to active contributors.
The truth is that one of the biggest challenges in community building and management is turning passive members into active participants. It all comes down to making them feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves. So if you apply these, watch out for the difference!
If you’re a huge fan of quality over quantity, then this paragraph is for you!
Have you thought about How to measure a Brand’s Success with More Than Just Numbers?
If you want to know if your community is successful? It’s not just about how many people you’ve got in your Telegram group. True success comes from how many members you’ve turned into active supporters of the brand.
Ask yourself:
- Do they know what the project is about?
- Have they transformed from clients into brand ambassadors?
- Have you built structures within the community that foster consistent engagement, even in your absence?
The ultimate measure of success is when community members advocate for your project voluntarily—without being paid to do so.
(The Bitcoin community is a perfect example!! No one knows Satoshi but the BTC community has grown to the ends of the earth!)
We hope you gained value from what you just read and this next paragraph answers a burning question!
How do you navigate the Lows and still Keep Your Community Engaged?
Every community goes through slow periods, especially in bear markets or during lulls in industry activity. But this doesn’t mean you should sit idle.
- Creative thinking and marketing skills will keep the momentum going.
- Run contests—staking challenges, games,
- Even certification courses can keep people engaged.
- Open up “brainstorming” sessions with your community, where members can share their insights and ideas. Transparency builds trust, and trust builds long-lasting engagement.
NOW TO THE REAL DEAL!!
Getting the Job: Becoming a Community Manager
If you’re wondering how to land a job as a community manager, the answer is simple:
- Learn the craft.
- Take courses, build your personal brand, and
- consistently put out content on community management.
- Build a portfolio that shows you know how to manage and grow communities.
- And most importantly, join communities yourself—learn from the inside out.
In conclusion,
Effective community management is about more than just numbers even though the numbers matter. It’s about fostering real connections, being resourceful, and creating a space where your community feels like they belong. With creativity and strategic thinking, you can build a thriving community without a hefty budget. And remember to show up, be your biggest fan, and keep building—even when the going gets tough.
“ If you’re looking for change, then change Method! You can’t keep doing the same thing over again and expect different results. So try a new pattern!”
With that said, thank you for reading and don’t forget to leave us your questions.