Would you close your eyes after releasing the ball for the winning 3-point shot? Maybe. If you can't take the pressure.
But then you'd hear the swoosh. And the audience scream with excitement when it goes in.
Unfortunately we can't always hear the excitement behind the virtual walls of our online community. We can measure eyeballs by looking at Twitter followers or Facebook likes. But that doesn't tell you much.
Tracking and measuring are no longer optional. They're necessary to gain respect. Don't know what to track and measure? You're closing your eyes.
Open your eyes (brownie points if you can name that movie).
Make sure the ball goes in. Â
Add value to your community. But first, you must understand your community.Â
Here are a few tools that help:
1. Sprout Social
Sprout Social integrates with Twitter, Facebook Fan Pages, LinkedIn and other networks where consumers are engaging with your business and brand. Use it to hone in on your audience demographics. Create comparison reports. You can even download the app for on the go.
2. Commun.it
Trying to figure out what's important in the twitterverse can be stressful and time-consuming. Commun.it is a Twitter community manager. The people of commun.it believe “that meaningful, personal relationships is a key factor in achieving your personal and business goals.” I like them already. Which means I'm  halfway there in terms of liking their service (as long as it doesn't suck – which it doesn't). Commun.it helps figure out the high value members in your community. Doing so helps to start discussions and engage with your valued community members.
3. Triberr
Triberr is one of my all-time favorites. Why? Because the founders Dino and Dan are constantly talking with their community to improve functionality. Which makes the overall experience of using Triberr that much better. If you're not already, join my Atomic Tribe where my community lives.
What are your favorite tools to listen and build your community? Please comment below.Â
