By: Hailey Temple
As a part of Community Management Appreciation Day, School of Information Studies (iSchool) adjunct faculty members, Kelly Lux and Jenn Pedde, have been recognized for their ranking as two of the top 100 community managers worldwide on Twitter.
Community Manager Appreciation Day, recognized on the 4th Monday in January, is a way to acknowledge the efforts of community managers around the world. Coordinated by Hootsuite, the celebration will include a 24-hour live hangout and conversations across Twitter on the hashtag #CMAD to discuss the power and philosophy behind community management. According to Little Bird, a social media data analysis tool and blog, Lux and Pedde are ranked among the Top 100 Community Managers of 2014 on Twitter.
Lux and Pedde play active roles in the community management world both online and in the classroom. They co-founded #CMGRChat, a Twitter chat focused on the principles and trends in community management. Pedde also co-founded The Community Manager, a site dedicated to community management resources and the upcoming CMX Summit in San Francisco. Pedde cites #CMGRChat’s success for her recognition as a top community manager: “When Kelly and I started #cmgrchat in 2010, we wanted to build a community for community managers online. #CMGRChat has allowed us to connect with the best community builders from around the world and discuss the most important issues in community management.”
As a team they also teach the Social Media and Community Management course at the iSchool. This graduate-level course educates students about the principles of community management and provides hands-on experience in the field. For Lux, who is also the iSchool’s Director of Social Media, the course offers a strong foundation for understanding the role of a community manager. “Most students begin the course without a good understanding of the difference between social media management and community management,” said Lux. “By studying content, social media and community management together, the students get a strong understanding of the best practices for the field.”
In an age where social media and other digital tools have become prominent methods of communication, community managers have become important to establish and build relationships. Although Lux notes that not all companies require a community manager, those who are community managers serve as a conduit between customers, the company and employees. To Pedde, the community management realm has become an important role highlighted by the advent of social media. “People are having a hard time finding talented community managers who will help create and maintain these important online relationships. As moderators for the #CMGRChat and as professors, Kelly and I hope to provide people the skills and talent they need to be great community managers.”
To follow along with #CMGRChat, follow the hashtag every Wednesday from 2 to 3pm EST.