The power of a community

As we move towards a progressively more digital landscape, consumers, especially among younger generations, turn to brands they feel connected to.

We’ve seen the online experience gradually shift away from old-school forms of advertising and towards a more community-focused discourse. Businesses currently seeing the greatest success are those who have re-evaluated their social strategies, emphasising community building over product sales.

Here we’ve rounded up some emerging trends in brand community building online, including influencer marketing, user-generated content (UGC) and transparency in the age of booming AI.

Brand community examples: User-generated content

User-generated content is one of the best brand community examples. It involves direct engagement between companies and their audiences, where customers are encouraged to share their experiences with the brand’s product.

The benefits of building a community around your brand with UGC are twofold. On one hand, it makes followers feel like they play a part in the brand story, giving them agency and a sense of belonging. What’s more, it portrays your company as more authentic and relatable, which is a big selling point for younger audiences.

It’s also worth saying that some of the best brand communities organically double as brand ambassadors thanks to the natural feedback loop created by sharing customer content on your social media.

What is brand community in Influencer Marketing?

Another way of building a community around your brand is tapping into the established networks of online influencers. Whether you’re working with big names or smaller, niche accounts, influencers can form the link between you and your ideal consumers.

There’s been an uptick in platforms connecting brands with influencers online, including TikTok Creator Marketplace, Brandbassador, The Influence Room, and Aspire. These are perfect for finding the right social media personas to build out your brand community, all in a more candid manner than traditional advertising tactics offer.

When choosing which influencers to work with, consider also that micro-influencers can sometimes help foster the best brand communities, since their followers are often more highly engaged than those of bigger accounts.

Transparency in times of AI

Anyone who has been online recently has come across AI in some shape. From the deepfakes which became a buzzword in 2022 to more recent discussions around the use of AI to create text and visuals[JG1] , the general public mistrusts the technology, especially when used in misleading ways.

That’s why it’s so crucial that brands who want to form a strong relationship with their community are transparent about their processes behind the scenes. Some are simple reveals, like creative agencies using an AI-powered technology to help generate innovative campaign ideas.

Others are more elaborate – think Heinz using the popularity of AI-generated images to create and share amusing bottle designs, or Sephora’s AI-powered beauty advisor which offers customers recommendations tailored to their unique features.

Read more about the rise of digital technology in the beauty industry.

More brands are also adopting AI-driven technology within their marketing strategies to create personalised marketing campaigns (Coca-Cola), engage audiences more effectively (BMW) and send tailored product recommendations (Starbucks).

Here are some more examples of AI use to enhance brand community.

When it comes to incorporating AI into your brand presence, the key takeaway is this: be open about it, so you can reap the benefits the technology offers for yourself and your community instead of losing their trust.

Brand community marketing examples

Of course, creative use of AI is not the only way to build a brand community online. Many companies use a more organic approach.

LEGO, for instance, has its LEGO Ideas platform, which encourages users to share LEGO set ideas, with designs which win the public vote occasionally becoming official merchandise. It’s a perfect embodiment of harnessing user-generated content in a way that empowers the end customers and shares the brand ownership with them.

Retailers like Lululemon and Patagonia are also big on brand community online. While Lululemon has cultivated an active community around its fitness classes and #thesweatlife, Patagonia puts an emphasis on conservation and eco-activism through campaigns like campaigns like The Footprint Chronicles.

What both of these brands have in common is the focus on encouraging their audiences to take action which aligns with their values and interests, while also having clear benefits (for themselves or the planet).

How to establish your own online community

The benefits of creating an online brand community are layered. In addition to bringing brands closer to their customers, a thriving online community doubles as a space where your audience feels heard, and appreciated.

The first step to successfully establishing your own community is to clearly define your brand values and mission. This will serve as a stepping stone towards finding common ground with online followers. Whether you’re promoting a wellness boost, sustainable living, or creative expression, this is how you find your people.

Another key element of community groundwork is selecting the right platforms for your brand. If your offering is more visually appealing, you would gravitate towards places like Instagram and TikTok. B2B brands might find a home on LinkedIn, while those looking to foster more engaged discussions would turn towards Facebook, or even platforms like Discord.

The next step is to encourage follower engagement. Whether you’re utilising UGC or casting a wider net with interactive experiences and events, this is the core element upon which brand community is built.

Finally, remember to keep things authentic, and as transparent as possible. Your online presence should be a genuine representation of your brand, complete with open two-way communication. Whether you’re sharing updates or helping customers fix a problem, a no-nonsense sincere approach will help you build trust.

We recently hosted a webinar where Becky and I guided viewers through the engagement drop we’re seeing across social media channels and how to counter them. You can watch a recording of that event right here:

Build brand community with Liberty’s help

Building a community around your brand is all about curating a platform online which incorporates consumers and gives them a sense of belonging. Whether you’re doing this through user-generated content, collaborating with influencers, or turning to the growing powers of AI technology, it never hurts to have an expert on your side.

Our brilliant social media team can work with you to foster organic community connections between your brand and your customers. We’ll help you create authentic content which resonates with the interests and values of your target audience.

Contact us today and find out how you can harness the power of community for your brand.