Those of us who are plugging the advent of Social Media to South African companies often have a bit of an uphill battle. That’s because we not only have to convince the corporates that’s it’s a good idea, but we also have to convince the prospective audience that’s it would be worth their while to participate with the brand online.

More technologically advanced countries do not have this problem, because a vast majority of customers already expects their favourite (or least favourite) brand to have an online presence, and to use it to the customer’s benefit.

It is a bit of a chicken-or-egg dilemma. We need an audience that is eager to interact with the business online, but we also need the business to start the conversation. And it seems that each party is waiting for the other to go first.

Which is why the role of the Community Manager is so vital. I see that Seth Godin has identified it as a potential new job for you, but it is not a new job role at all. In fact, the local grapevine is filled with companies who are wanting to fill this position. It is an essential role for anyone who has a startup too, because it is the easiest way to galvanize a new audience.

A Community Manager’s role is to start, moderate or continue an online dialogue with potential or existing customers, via a multitude of channels. (Peter Kim identifies 22!)

What makes for a good Community Manager?

Ideally, I think it has to be someone who is an early adopter of technology, but also one who understands that most people aren’t.

It is someone who has a great passion of the potential of the Internet, and knows how to use it brilliantly as a communication tool.

It should be someone who is well connected, but this is not actually as essential as one would think, since the “A-list” of online fundis is so small (in South Africa) that it is almost ineffectual.

It is someone who has a understanding and admiration for the product he is representing

We are lacking!

There is a shortage of community managers in South Africa, probably because not a whole lot of us feel comfortable to use any of the online channels to communicate effectively. And those of us who do, are running our own online projects.

But having discussed this in some detail with an online entrepreneur who is desperately looking for someone to start and continue a dialogue around his new venture, I’ve concluded that in most cases it does not actually have to be a full time job. And since the remuneration should be incentivised according to the actual result, it could be a very worthwhile part time job.

I admit that I have a vested interest in seeing more community managers in South Africa: it would be so much easier for a web strategist (me) to create a strategy that I could trust to someone else to implement. And it would make my clients even happier So if you are interested, drop me a line. Or at least a comment!

(Image by D’Arcy Norman, from Flickr)