Community manager: building and running online communities
The roleWhat does a community manager do
A community manager builds and looks after a group of people around a product or brand: users on Discord or Slack, customers in a forum, fans on social media. The goal is a place where members help each other, give feedback and stay loyal.
A typical task: a gaming startup opens a Discord server before launch. The manager sets up channels and rules, recruits volunteer moderators, runs a weekly Q&A with developers and collects bug reports into a list for the product team.
An online community manager works mostly in digital spaces, while some roles also include meetups and events. Community management is close to social media work, but it focuses on relationships and conversations, not only posts.
Day to dayCommunity management skills and tools
| Skill | What it is used for every day |
|---|---|
| Moderation and rules | Keeping the space safe and useful |
| Content calendar | Regular posts, events and prompts |
| Discord, Slack, Circle | Running community platforms |
| Events: AMAs, meetups | Bringing members together |
| Feedback loops | Passing ideas and bugs to the product team |
| Metrics: active members, retention | Showing the value of the community |
Getting startedHow to become a community manager
No degree is required. Employers look at communities you have built or helped run, even as a volunteer.
A community management course gives the basics: rules, onboarding, engagement and metrics. Learn the tools your target companies use, most often Discord, Slack or Circle.
Volunteer as a moderator in a community you like. That experience is the most convincing line on a resume.
Picked by the Hoorya editorial team: from a first beginner course to advanced level.
Discord Tutorial For Beginners
Discord basics for beginners.
Community Building Basics
The basics of building a community.
Create a Thriving Online Community Like Facebook With Joomla
Creating a thriving online community.
Udemy list prices in US dollars. Udemy runs frequent discounts, so a course may cost less in your region.
No budget? Start a small group around a topic you know, set rules, run two events and track how many members stay active.
GrowthCareer path
Many start as moderators or community coordinators. After a few years they lead community strategy, then become heads of community or move into marketing, partnerships or developer relations.
Community manager jobs are common in gaming, SaaS, crypto and creator platforms. Remote community manager jobs make up a large share of offers, and online community manager jobs often allow flexible hours.
What you buildWhat this work teaches you
You will learn to handle conflict calmly and fairly in public.
The job also builds empathy: you hear what users really feel about the product.
Pros
- Work with people every day
- Remote-friendly
- Easy entry through volunteering
- Direct influence on the product
- Paths into marketing and DevRel
Cons
- Always-on platforms
- Toxic members and conflicts
- Hard to measure value
- Lower pay at entry level
- Burnout risk
This career often suits the ENFP type
Take the free Hoorya personality test and see how close your profile is to this specialist’s.
PayCommunity manager salary in the US and abroad
Plan for time to build experience, often through volunteer moderation, before the first paid role. The BLS groups this role with marketing specialists: the median is $78,760 a year, and the lowest 10% earn under $43,390. The community manager salary and the online community manager salary grow with strategy and leadership skills, and the top 10% in this group earn $155,480 and more.
UnfilteredWhat the work looks like day to day
A typical day: welcoming new members, answering questions, moderating a heated thread, preparing an event and reporting feedback to the product team.
Launches and incidents bring floods of messages and long days.
Career growth
From moderator to head of community or marketing roles.
Job satisfaction
High for people who love talking with users.
Stability
Valued in product-led companies, though budgets can be cut.
Work-life balance: fine, 6 out of 10
Communities are active every day, so the work rarely stops completely.
Remote work is very common. Stress rises during conflicts and launches.
