Reviving the Community

Reviving the community

Powder • 2022

Powder, a PC application for gamers and streamers, faced a significant challenge when it transitioned from iOS and Android apps to a new PC application. This shift led to a stagnant and inactive community, with users struggling to connect with the change. As the person in charge of community growth and engagement, the task was to breathe life back into the Powder community.

Role

Community Manager

Responsibilities

• Content Creation

• Social Media Strategy

• Event Management

• Feedback and Product implementation

Team

• Victor Pillard, Content Manager

• Yannis Mangematin, Head of Content, CEO

• Irina Shamarina, Lead Motion Designer

• Barthélémy Kiss, Head of Growth, CEO

• Aneta Ozierańska, Product Owner

Challenge

The Powder community had witnessed a prolonged period of stagnation, with users disengaging due to the shift in the platform. The challenge was to bridge the gap between the old mobile app users and the new PC app users, fostering a sense of belonging and excitement within the community.

Strategy

To address the issue, I sat down with Victor and Yannis to devise a comprehensive strategy to reanimate the community and build bridges between the different user bases. The primary focus was on communication, rewarding engagement, and creating a vibrant environment.

Communication and Onboarding:

Collaborated with Aneta to communicate effectively with new PC app users. To do that, we added a "Join discord" button on the PC app to invite all PC users to the discord server.

I have set up a social posts channel in our community Discord server that automatically posts notifications of our Twitter(X) and Instagram posts. Therefore, all the users are then directed to our socials.

I have then set up a channel to announce all the latest app updates. Then a support channel where members would create tickets and explain the issue they're facing. I made sure to work in collaboration with the community moderators to answer the tickets within 2-4 hours. Then collaborate with Aneta and her team of developers to fix them.

Then it was time to attack our Twitter(X) and Instagram accounts. Since both platforms are different, our tweets were more frequent and diverse as compared to Instagram posts, which was more used for publishing reels and stories. For social media posts, I collaborated with Victor and Irina. I created the social media calendar, Irina created all the templates I can use to modify them for each post. Then the tone of voice and the branding was set by Victor.

Retaining Old Users:

Since the mobile users had very less to participate, I have animated the community by introducing weekly gaming events where anyone can play integrated discord games and connect with different community members. Added gaming discord bots where members can spend time and interact with other members.

Emphasized the community as more than just a support forum for the application. Developed narratives that resonated with the old mobile app users, highlighting the evolution and benefits of the new PC app.

Community Rewards:

Retention is one of the most important task as a community manager. To do that, I added and configured a discord bot that rewards members with points for participating in the community. Then the points can be used to get special privilages in the community, for example, reserved channels for the most active members to chat and interact with other active members. Get access to more fun discord bots to play games.

Recognized and appreciated members for their valuable contributions, fostering a sense of community pride. Incorporated gamification elements to make participation more enjoyable.

Weekly Events:

Organized weekly events, such as gaming tournaments, Q&A sessions with developers, and community challenges. Created a dynamic event calendar to maintain a steady flow of activities and engagement. Encouraged users to share their experiences and highlights from using the Powder PC app.

Feedback Loop:

Feedback was one of the most important aspect of building the PC app. Our goal was to cater the application to the users. To do that, we needed a steady flow of feedback from the users to support the monthly product sprints. Following are the ways I have gathered feedback to meet product requirements:

• Monthly feedback calls with the developers

• Suggestions given by the users

• Individual user interviews

• Survey forms

Actively implementing the above mentioned feedback strategies I have managed to deliver the product team with enough information to prioritize elements in the product roadmap. This also demonstrated a commitment to community-driven development which helped increase the morale of the members and their loyalty towards the product.

Results

Within a span of less than 6 months, the implemented strategies led to a remarkable turnaround in community engagement. The Powder community witnessed a staggering 50% increase in activity, with both old and new users actively participating in discussions, events, and providing valuable feedback. The community transformed into a lively space where users not only sought assistance but actively contributed to the growth and improvement of the Powder PC app.

Conclusion

The successful revival of Powder's community engagement demonstrated the importance of proactive communication, user recognition, and community-driven initiatives. By bridging the gap between different user bases and creating a dynamic and rewarding environment, Powder not only retained its existing user base but also attracted new users eager to be part of an engaged and vibrant community. The case study serves as a testament to the positive impact of community-focused strategies in enhancing user satisfaction and product loyalty.