Community Building Should be at the Heart of Every Marketing Program
In today’s chaotic and multi-channel world of social media, podcasts, and endless media sources, we ironically live in the most interconnected era ever. This means reaching your desired audience can take immense time and effort with so many connection channels.
This is where community building comes in as the center of your marketing strategy.
Whether you’re a passionate political advocate or a Nike enthusiast, you listen to your community, find your voice there, and carve out your path. Social media, for instance, provides a platform for brands to engage with their communities, share their stories, and build relationships.
Online, there is a community out there for all of us.
Community is the Key to Reaching the Right People
Understanding communities is fundamental in developing brands, conveying stories, and creating connections. Defining the personas within the community—who they are and what they love—is essential.
Marketing is not about buying loyalty but offering significant value that builds relationships and trust, whether it be the Apple community, which creates loyalty to the brand and products, or real estate properties, which build community through shared spaces that benefit tenants communities gravitate to products and places that they have an affinity for.
Marketing has evolved beyond traditional broadcasting messages to a mass audience. The world has become a collection of communities with similar interests, problems, and needs. Building relationships in this dispersed world is challenging, but the right strategies and tools, such as targeted content and active engagement, can overcome these challenges.
6 Observations about Community to Think About
So, how do we need to think about our audience and stay in front of them?
1: The Power of Community is All About Connection
Community building is about fostering a sense of belonging among customers. This feeling of inclusion is potent; it transforms customers from mere consumers into active participants.
When people feel part of a community, they are more likely to develop a deep connection with the brand, share their experiences, and advocate for the product or service. This organic advocacy is far more persuasive than traditional advertising because it is built on genuine trust and relationships.
2: Trust & Authenticity is What Counts
Community building around a brand is a powerful tool for fostering trust and authenticity. In an era where consumers are bombarded with advertisements and increasingly skeptical of marketing messages, authenticity stands out.
A community allows for transparent communication between the brand and its audience. This transparency helps build trust, as customers feel their voices are heard and their opinions matter. When customers trust a brand, they are likelier to stay loyal and recommend it to others.
3: Engagement and Feedback
A community-centered marketing approach encourages active engagement. Brands can engage directly with their audience through social media platforms, forums, events, and other interactive channels.
This engagement provides invaluable feedback, helping brands understand their customers’ needs, preferences, and pain points.
By listening and responding to this feedback, companies can refine their products and services, aligning them more with customer expectations. This iterative process improves the product and strengthens the bond between the brand and its community.
4: Emotional Connection and Loyalty
Community building fosters deep emotional connections between brands and their customers. These connections go beyond transactional relationships and are based on shared values, experiences, and goals. When customers feel emotionally connected to a brand, they are likelier to remain loyal despite competitive alternatives.
As any marketer can tell you, loyalty is a crucial asset – acquiring new customers is often more costly than retaining existing ones.
5: Successful Brands Who Have Created their Own Communities
Many successful brands have demonstrated the power of community building in their marketing strategies.
For instance, Apple has created a loyal community of users who purchase its products, eagerly await new releases, and share their enthusiasm with others. Similarly, brands like Trader Joe’s and Harley-Davidson have built strong communities around their products, emphasizing shared lifestyles and values that resonate deeply with their customers.
In the tech industry, companies like Microsoft and Google have also successfully built communities around their products, fostering a sense of belonging and shared experiences among their users.
6: Community is at the Heart of Connection
Community building should be at the center of any marketing program. By diving deep into the strategy phase of your marketing efforts, asking your audience questions, and understanding their behaviors, you can gain valuable insights.
This process helps you learn how to build trust, transform new customers into active participants, foster authenticity, encourage engagement and feedback, and create emotional connections that drive loyalty. By prioritizing community, brands in technology, real estate, or retail can build sustainable relationships that contribute to long-term success and growth.