How can community managers promote diversity and inclusion in their online communities?

2 Set clear guidelines and expectations

The second step to creating a diverse and inclusive community is to establish clear guidelines and expectations for your members and yourself. You need to communicate what kind of behavior and language is acceptable and unacceptable in your community, and how you will enforce the rules. You also need to model the values and norms you want to see in your community, and encourage others to do the same. You can use tools like pinned posts, FAQs, and welcome messages to share your guidelines and expectations with your members.

3 Celebrate and amplify diverse voices

The third step to creating a diverse and inclusive community is to celebrate and amplify diverse voices in your community. You can do this by featuring and highlighting members who have different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences, and inviting them to share their stories and opinions. You can also create and curate content that showcases diversity and inclusion in your industry, niche, or topic, and provide resources and support for your members who want to learn more. You can use tools like hashtags, interviews, and user-generated content to celebrate and amplify diverse voices in your community.

4 Listen and learn from feedback

The fourth step to creating a diverse and inclusive community is to listen and learn from feedback from your members and other stakeholders. You need to be open and responsive to constructive criticism, suggestions, and questions that can help you improve your community management skills and practices. You also need to be humble and respectful when you make mistakes, apologize sincerely, and take action to correct them. You can use tools like polls, comments, and direct messages to listen and learn from feedback from your community.

5 Collaborate and partner with others

The fifth step to creating a diverse and inclusive community is to collaborate and partner with others who share your values and goals. You can do this by joining or creating networks, groups, and events with other community managers and leaders who are committed to diversity and inclusion. You can also reach out to influencers, experts, and organizations who can provide valuable insights, resources, and opportunities for your community. You can use tools like forums, webinars, and podcasts to collaborate and partner with others in your field.

6 Evaluate and improve your performance

The sixth step to creating a diverse and inclusive community is to evaluate and improve your performance as a community manager. You need to track and measure your progress and impact on your community's diversity and inclusion, and identify your strengths and weaknesses. You also need to set realistic and attainable goals and action plans for your continuous improvement and learning. You can use tools like reports, dashboards, and feedback forms to evaluate and improve your performance as a community manager.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?