Contents
- What is a community?
- Why is a community necessary?
- Key elements of a community
- How to build a community around a brand
What is a community?
A community is a group of people united by common interests and loyalty to a particular brand. An example is Harley-Davidson, which has actively developed its customer base since the 1980s, and today its community consists of over a million motorcycle enthusiasts who regularly gather at exclusive events around the world.
However, a community is not just about brand loyalists. In a broader sense, it is a group of people united by a common idea or profession who interact online, help each other, and share interesting stories. This creates a useful and inspiring environment for all participants. For instance, the ProductSense community brings together IT product managers, providing them with a platform for sharing experiences and knowledge.
Why is a community necessary?
In a highly competitive environment, it is not enough to simply offer quality products. Modern consumers expect a deeper interaction with brands. They want not only useful materials and news but also the opportunity to communicate with company employees, discuss new products, and share feedback. Building a community becomes an important step in creating such relationships.
In 2019, five leading brands—Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook—invested significant resources into digitally and physically engaging people in their communities. For example, Apple has an official support community where users help each other, share experiences, and write product reviews. This creates a powerful platform that connects people around the world.
A community helps:
- Promote products. Participants actively share reviews, discuss new arrivals, and recommend products, which contributes to increased sales.
- Increase brand awareness. People who share the company's values become its evangelists and advocate for its interests.
- Gather feedback. Users report on the strengths and weaknesses of products, helping companies improve their offerings.
Key elements of a community
A community is not just a social media group or an Instagram account. To create an active community, it is essential to foster an environment where users can interact and share the company’s values. Here are seven key elements of a successful community:
- Common goals and values. The community should understand why it exists and what values it represents.
- Transparent benefits. Participants need to see what advantages they gain from being part of the community.
- Creativity for participants. Participants should have the opportunity to create content that is useful to others.
- Clear rewards. Participants should receive recognition for their efforts, which stimulates activity.
- Thoughtful accountability. Clear rules and criteria for assessing participants' contributions are necessary.
- Leaders. Having leadership that promotes the community's values is extremely important.
- Open governance. Community members should have the opportunity to participate in management and make suggestions.
How to build a community around a brand
Creating a community around a brand is a long process that can take years. Here are some steps to help you get started:
- Create a strategy. Study your audience and determine which values resonate with your customers.
- Prepare a team. Ensure that your employees share these values and are ready to actively participate in the community.
- Engage with the audience. Be active in comments and maintain communication with participants.
- Address customer issues. Respond quickly to criticism and share the results of your actions.
- Reward participation. Don’t forget to surprise active community members with pleasant rewards.
These steps will help you build a strong and active community around your brand, which in turn will lead to increased loyalty and improved interactions with customers.