Community management has come a long way since the first Community Manager Appreciation Day in 2009. We’re interacting with our audiences in new formats and on new platforms, such as Instagram and Pinterest. Our online conversations have become more sophisticated with tools that allow us to curate social updates and host live video chats. Success measurement is more streamlined, and we’re shaping our strategies around both organic and paid growth.

But amidst the excitement of these advancements, it seems something has gotten lost. We’ve forgotten why we got into this business and what, at its core, it’s really all about: people.