In today's hyper-connected world, consumers don't just want to buy products, they want to belong to a community. Brands that create and nurture communities can benefit from increased customer loyalty, word-of-mouth marketing, and valuable feedback and insights. Here's why and how brands should be building communities.
The Power of Community
Communities are groups of people who share common interests, goals, or experiences. Communities can form online or offline, and they can be based on hobbies, professions, identities, or causes. Communities provide members with a sense of belonging, support, inspiration, and empowerment.
Brands that create and nurture communities can benefit from:
Increased customer loyalty and retention: Members of a community are more likely to stick with a brand they feel connected to, even if there are cheaper or more convenient alternatives. According to a survey by CMX and Leader Networks, 90% of community professionals believe that their communities have a positive impact on customer retention.
Word-of-mouth marketing and referrals: Members of a community are more likely to recommend a brand they feel passionate about to their friends, family, and followers. According to a study by Nielsen, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know, and 74% of consumers identify word-of-mouth as a key influencer in their purchasing decisions.
Valuable feedback and insights: Members of a community are more likely to provide honest and constructive feedback to a brand they trust and respect. Brands can use this feedback to improve their products, services, and messaging, and to anticipate and respond to emerging trends and issues.
How to Build a Community
Building a community is not just about creating a Facebook group or a hashtag. Building a community requires a strategic and authentic approach that aligns with the brand's values, mission, and target audience. Here are some best practices for building a community:
Define your purpose and value proposition: Why are you building a community? What unique value do you offer to your members? What do you want your community to achieve? Answering these questions can help you articulate your vision and goals, and attract the right members.
Identify your target audience and personas: Who are your ideal community members? What are their needs, goals, pain points, and interests? What are their demographics and psychographics? Creating detailed personas can help you tailor your messaging, content, and activities to your members' preferences and expectations.
Choose your platform and tools: What platform and tools will you use to host your community? Will you use a social media platform, a website, a forum, a chat app, or a combination of these? What features and functionalities do you need to facilitate communication, engagement, and collaboration among your members?
Develop your content and activity strategy: What content and activities will you offer to your members? How often will you post and interact with your members? What topics, formats, and styles will you use to educate, entertain, and inspire your members? What guidelines and policies will you establish to ensure a positive and respectful community culture?
Recruit and onboard your members: How will you attract and invite your members? How will you screen and approve new members? How will you welcome and orient new members to your community? What incentives and rewards will you offer to your members to encourage participation and loyalty?
Measure your impact and iterate: How will you measure the success and impact of your community? What metrics and KPIs will you track, such as engagement, retention, referrals, feedback, and sentiment? How will you use these insights to improve your community and to align with your business goals?
Here are some examples of brands that have successfully built communities:
Glossier is a beauty brand that has built a cult-like following through its engaging and inclusive online community. Glossier's "Into The Gloss" blog and social media channels provide a platform for beauty enthusiasts to share tips, stories, and product reviews. Glossier also invites its customers to participate in product development and testing, and to share their feedback and ideas. Glossier's community has helped the brand to create products that meet the diverse and evolving needs of its customers, and to foster a sense of belonging and empowerment among its members.
Peloton is a fitness brand that has created a vibrant and supportive community around its connected bikes and treadmills. Peloton's app and online platform enable users to join live and on-demand classes, to track their progress, and to connect with fellow riders from around the world. Peloton also hosts events and challenges, and features inspiring stories from its members on its social media channels. Peloton's community has helped the brand to differentiate itself from traditional gym and fitness brands, and to create a sense of camaraderie and motivation among its members.
LEGO is a toy brand that has built a global and intergenerational community of builders and enthusiasts. LEGO's website and social media channels provide a wealth of resources and inspiration for LEGO fans of all ages and skill levels, including building instructions, videos, games, and challenges. LEGO also hosts events and competitions, and features user-generated content on its social media channels. LEGO's community has helped the brand to stay relevant and innovative in a fast-changing toy market, and to foster a sense of creativity and learning among its members.
Building a community is not a one-time project, but an ongoing process of engagement, learning, and adaptation. Brands that invest in building communities can reap the benefits of increased loyalty, advocacy, and insights from their customers. By following best practices and learning from real-life examples, brands can create communities that are authentic, meaningful, and impactful.