The Quiip team is fully remote and based around Australia and in other parts of the world. Today we’re heading over to Berlin, Germany to meet Senior Community Manager and Marketing Coordinator, Maddie Duke.

Tell us about you and Quiip.

I joined Quiip back in 2019, initially working with just a couple of clients alongside a freelance career in copywriting, content and social media. I had been living in Berlin (still am!) and was drawn to the opportunity to reconnect with digital spaces back home in Australia.

Over the years, my role has expanded to include many more clients as well as marketing and communications. I enjoy the diversity of our clients, but I particularly value having been able to work in mental health spaces, such as with Turning Point, Movember and The Black Dog Institute. I value the broad spectrum of communities I’m able to work with thanks to Quiip, and that so many of them provide opportunities for us to have real impact as community managers.

What were some of your previous roles or projects?

Prior to and alongside working at Quiip, I’ve held various marketing roles across some rather interesting industries — from automotive, to adult toys, to chocolate and confectionery, as well as with a number of my own clients as a freelancer. Through these roles I’ve been able to work across a wide range of different projects, from presenting at new car launches, to hosting and producing a content podcast, to planning Australia’s largest adult industry trade show.

I like to balance out the work-from-home aspect of Quiip by picking up short-term gigs in events, some recent highlights of which have been the UEFA Euro 2024 and the Special Olympics World Games.

What are some of your favourite places on the internet?

I could try to think of something more sophisticated but my screen time data would definitely say Instagram. There are a few comedians whose content I love, like Tina Friml, Tim Collins or Megan Stalter.

There’s also a small handful of newsletters I look forward to landing in my inbox — one in particular for the “terminally curious” is The Whippet, by McKinley Valentine. Highly recommend!

Tell us something about your life outside of work?

It’s jam-packed with hobbies. I play and am Vice President for the Berlin Crocodiles footy team (yes, there is AFL in Germany!), I take dance classes, and I enjoy hiking and cycling. My most recent adventure was a bike-packing trip in the Outer Hebrides. 10/10 would do again.

I often take work with me when I travel, too, which has allowed me to say yes to things that I’d otherwise have had to skip. Some recent examples include a spontaneous trip to the snow and being able to step in at late notice on a short tour with a friend’s band. While remote work is much more common now than it was when I started in 2019, I do appreciate that at Quiip we are actively encouraged to utilise the flexibility afforded to us by a fully remote, distributed workplace.

What do you think the future of community management holds?

I think we’re at a curious point where the use of AI in community tools and platforms is rapidly becoming more common, more accepted, and more reliable. I’m expecting to see a spectrum of things, from brands leaning in too much too soon, to organisations being overly cautious and perhaps losing out on potential improvements to efficiency. I also expect there to be a phase of detachment and scepticism from audiences or community members — to varying degrees based on age or generation and other factors — as it becomes harder to know what’s AI, what’s human, and how to define what it means for something to be “real”, when it comes to interacting in digital spaces. Ultimately, community management has to do with facilitating connections between people and between people and organisations, so while it’s exciting to think about what new technology may allow us to achieve, I’m also curious about how we ensure online spaces continue to feel rich with genuine interactions.

Do you have a question for Maddie or the Quiip team? We’d love to hear from you! If you’re interested in joining our team, explore current opportunities on our jobs page.

The Quiip team is fully remote and based around Australia and in other parts of the world. Today we’re heading over to Berlin, Germany to meet Senior Community Manager, Lani Bagley.

When did you join Quiip and what led you here?

My professional background is a combination of social media management and copywriting on one side, and music production and performance on the other.

The music side of the equation brought me to Berlin over a decade ago, and I started working with Quiip in 2014 – their radically flexible style of working slotted in perfectly with my erratic creative schedule. In 2019, I left Quiip for a full-time copywriting job at Ableton, where I wrote about software and hardware for making music.

Now I’m delighted to be back at Quiip for a second time! It’s fantastic to see how the agency has developed in the intervening years. There are some familiar faces, and plenty of new ones; community care processes and practices have continued to evolve; and there are more tangible ways the company has a positive impact on the lives of employees, and on the wider world. And now, as I prepare to move back to Australia, it’s reassuring to have a job I can take with me.

What do you enjoy about working at Quiip?

I’ve always enjoyed the structured variety of working in shifts on such vastly different clients. There’s never a dull moment acting as the internet’s babysitter / bouncer / tour guide, and there’s plenty of levity to balance the heavier spaces we’re often moderating. 

At the moment I’m particularly enjoying working on Tourism Australia – exploring the country is at the front of my mind, so every shift is a source of inspiration. My enthusiasm when engaging with users about their Australian travel experiences is very real! Plus, I love it when followers ask specific questions about locations and I go down a rabbit hole finding out what type of camels are on Cable Beach, or if you can take your dog to the snow.

What are some of your favourite places on the internet?

Most of my online haunts are based around creative inspiration. Over the past couple of years I’ve been experimenting with sewing and costume design, so that’s the direction of my scrolling these days. Some current favourites for conceptual and material ideas are @greedypeasant, @sophiecochevelou, @_false_face and @worldofwearableart on Instagram.

Tell us something about your life outside of work?

When I’m not working or creating I’m eating my way through Europe, and trying to balance that out with fitness. I’m addicted to spin classes and yoga, and have lately added in some strength training. I particularly love a hike followed by an epic meal – some memorable hiking and snacking adventures include the bouvettes around Chamonix in the French Alps, autumnal Törggelen hikes in Tyrol, and cliff walks to find seafood in Mallorca.

Do you have a question for Lani or the Quiip team? We’d love to hear from you! If you’re interested in joining our team, explore current opportunities on our jobs page.