The Community Roundtable

26/01/2026

We're excited to share our latest edition of the State of Community Management research... Community at a Crossroads.

This year is a little different from previous versions of the research. We based our key findings on the qualitative responses from community leaders and included quotes from 12 practitioners in the report.

Key Findings:

1. AI Is Reshaping Community, but Not Replacing Its Core Value
2. Engagement Is Harder, and Attention Is Scarcer
3. Community Is More Strategic, Yet Still Under-Resourced
4. Measurement and ROI Remain a Persistent Pain Point
5. The Human Skills of Community Management Matter More Than Ever
6. The Future is Uncertain, but Community Is Not Going Away

Download the report today!

2026 marks the 16th consecutive year of this groundbreaking research on the online community management industry.

07/05/2025

If you're building a community for a non-profit or association, our new Community Brief based on the State of Community Management research has essential insights just for you! We partnered with Forj to bring this research to light!

Good news: Associations are already leaders in embracing the "network of communities" model and often have a strong cultural advantage that encourages community approaches. This is a powerful foundation!

But the research reveals critical areas where this sector often lags behind its for-profit peers:
* Having an approved & operational community strategy (only 50% vs 66% overall)
* Formal roadmaps and dedicated budgets
* Formal content/program plans (only 33% vs 54% overall)
* Crucially, data analysis: 11% report that no one is analyzing community data

This data gap likely contributes to only 12% of Associations showing financial ROI vs 37% overall. That's a call to action!

The brief features a compelling case study from AWHONN, showing how a modern platform and strategic partnership led to an immediate surge in engagement and unlocked crucial data insights to shape content and strategy.

Ready to lean into your cultural strengths, formalize your approach, and start proving your community's value with data?

2024 marks the 15th consecutive year of this groundbreaking research on the online community management industry.

30/04/2024

The Community Careers and Compensation 2024 report is here!

Based on a global survey of over 600 community professionals, the Community Careers and Compensation 2024 report highlights trends in the community management industry and provides salary data for four different community roles.

Explore salary data, key skills, job responsibilities, and community profiles for:

- Community Specialists
- Community Managers
- Community Strategists
- Community Executives

It also features community job descriptions, advice for hiring managers and community practitioners, and profiles of four community professionals - Helen Chen, Geneva Cooper, Tarek Khodr, and Allison Brotman!

A huge thank you to the 600+ global community professionals who contributed to the research!

https://communityroundtable.com/what-we-do/research/community-careers-and-compensation/2024-report/

01/11/2023

We know talking about money is taboo. But we want to change that.

By sharing completely anonymized salary data for different roles, regions, and types of organizations we can start a powerful movement in the community industry toward more transparency and equitable pay.

We will NEVER share your identity and/or email and your email will only be used to confirm you are a real person (and send you a copy of the report, if you’d like.) We take this stuff very seriously.

Please take the survey here - it only takes two minutes! For real! the.cr/salary2023

04/10/2023

The amazing Nichol Goldstein is live-drawing sessions at the Community Technology Summit and Connect 2023. This is the first of her pieces based on Richard Millington's keynote Community Everywhere.

04/10/2023

Ready to say bye to keyword search and embrace AI?!

Dori Gray and John Reynolds from Social Edge Consulting share a look at how AI can replace keyword search in your online community!

04/10/2023

Are you in your Community Everywhere Era yet? Richard Millington walked attendees through changing member preferences and how we can adapt our community thinking in this morning's keynote!

04/10/2023

Back in ! So excited to be spending the day with 100 community friends exploring technology together!

Big thanks to our partners Khoros, Social Edge Consulting, Verint, ITalent Digital and Higher Logic!

26/09/2023

Our annual Community Technology Summit is in ONE WEEK!

The agenda is super exciting - Community Everywhere with Richard Millington, a look at Community and AI with Hans Scharler and Chen Lin, demos from Social Edge Consulting, LLC, Khoros, Verint, and iTalent Digital, and case studies from AARP, Analog Devices, Inc., Jazz Pharmaceuticals, and PTC.

Oh and over $1k in door prizes. (So bummed I can't win the remote pet treat dispenser...)

If you're around and are interested in learning more about what's going on in the community tech space join us (dm me, I might have a few tickets hidden away for our friends!) You can register also here and use code signmeup to save 50%:

https://communityroundtable.com/product/community-technology-summit-2023/

28/06/2023

Want the tl;dr version of this year's State of Community Management report? Join us for the 45 minute overview of the research findings - perfect for highlighting where you should dig into the report, and identifying key data points to share with your boss/team. The live event is at 1pm ET on 6/29 - but the recording will be sent to everyone who has registered.

Jim Storer, Kelly Stocker, and Michael Puhala will talk about what surprised them in the 2023 SOCM report, and explore some "hard truths" to help you improve your community program.
https://communityroundtable.com/what-we-do/research/the-state-of-community-management/state-of-community-management-2023/webinar/