Community management e controllo dei content: come creare comunità online e mantenere il controllo sui contenuti senza manipolare i consumatori. Opportunità e sfide per le Piccole-Medie imprese

The rise of Social Media has changed the way people communicate. Today's Internet users are no longer just simple readers but they interact and create content. Companies, in order to survive to this digitalization, must be able to understand new consumers' behaviours and change their marketing strategies. Through a qualitative research based on case studies, managerial interviews and customers' surveys, the main aim of this paper is to understand how companies can create committed online brand communities and maintain control over the brand without manipulating their consumers. In terms of managerial implication, this study demonstrates that companies that today are adopting an Audience strategy must be ready to release control and start to co-own their brands with customers. Control can be maintained if the company is able to listen to its consumers' needs, engage them in the company's decisions and amplify their ideas.