Blaise Grimes-Viort

Wow, what a year. I launched this blog properly in February 2010, and it’s opened my life to so many new possibilities. Highlights include being invited to speak at international and national conferences, landing a job with a great company I admire immensely (eModeration), and meeting many fascinating fellow Community Managers both online and in real life.

For 2011, I will be continuing to cheerlead for the role of the Online Community Manager. I will have spent 10 years in the field and hope it will be further consolidated as a vital position in a company’s organisational structure. Check in next year for more articles on Community Management, as well as a couple of surprises I have up my sleeve which I’m very excited about.

I want to thank all those who have emailed me with words of support throughout 2010, and who have kindly shared my articles on the social networks you use; I really appreciate your help.

In the meantime, here are the 15 most popular articles in 2010 from this blog:

1. Online Community and Social Media Job Descriptions

Job description templates for roles such as Community Manager and Social Media Manager.

2. What’s the difference between a Online Community Manager and a Social Media Manager?

Is there room in an organisation for both a community manager and a social media manager, or are the roles too similar? We cover the difference between both sets or responsibility and focus.

3. 10 tips on finding that Community Manager job you want

You heard a rumour you could get paid building and managing online communities. You’ve read all about how to build trust, know what the job entails, and are positive you’re cut out for it. But you’ve hit a wall – where can you find these fabled Community Manager jobs?

4. 10 Questions to ask when interviewing a potential Community Manager

It’s one thing crafting the perfect job description for your new community manager. But once you’ve found a few prospective candidates, how do you make sure you don’t end up hiring the wrong person? Here are some questions worth asking during the interview.

5. Moderate your Facebook page or risk damaging your brand – NSFW

How Ferrero Rocher have had their Facebook page hijacked, and why you need to have a user content moderation strategy in place to protect your brand in social media.

6. 10 steps to building successful online communities

10 ways for you to start a new community and walk the path towards building a vibrant and engaging experience.

7. A day in the life of an Online Community Manager

As the title says.

8. Dealing with negative feedback or your community turning on you

How to handle negative feedback coming from your community.

9. Do you need to hire an Online Community Manager or Social Media Manager?

Everyone’s talking about the role of Community Manager and Social Media Manager, with a lot of definitions being bandied around. Are you wondering whether to hire one? Take the quiz and read the questions you need to ask yourself.

10. 8 ways to build trust in your Social Media or branded online community

Trust is the most important aspect of a successful online community. As a Community Manager, how do you go about building and nurturing trust? Find out.

11. Community Management: full-time, part-time, delegated or outsourced?

Can Community Management be outsourced, delegated to interns or done part-time? Or does its complexity require full-time attention?

12. 10 key guiding principles for online community building

Ten key principles to guide you as a social media community manager when building your online community and engaging members.

13. Does free speech apply to online communities?

Does free speech apply to running online communities? Enforcing a clear code of conduct is an important part of successful community management, which may not be in line with individual beliefs of boundaries of freedom of expression.

14. 5 ways your community manager is the glue of your organisation

Community Managers are the glue of your organisation. They sit in a privileged position, slap bang in the middle of the organisational matrix.

15. 8 misconceptions about Community Management

In nearly 10 years of working in various Community Management roles, I’ve heard and read a number of myths being perpetuated about what it”s like being an Online Community Manager, even the sort of person the discipline attracts.

I hope 2011 brings you all the success you wish for, and I’ll see you on the other side of 2010!

(photo by Lel4nd (be back soon in Dec)