Brands want to be more than your friend. They want community.

Finally, commerce and social are coming together, although to much less a degree than marketing teams who talk up “brand communities” would like you to think. In all but a few cases, “community” here is just the marketing language used to describe a microbrand’s niche Instagram fandom. To me “community” implies users regularly engaging with each ot... See more

As high quality content and effective brand strategy move down the long tail, “community” has become an important concept for every post-Web 2.0 player. Crypto token holders, influencer fanbases, DTC brand customers, creator audiences, and new social networks are all often referred to as communities, and each has a stake in developing community for... See more

Tokenised brand communities can become a formidable avenue for brands to forge meaningful and value creating connections with their most loyal fans. Through mutuality (aligned incentives) and agency (active participation) community members become active stakeholders, only to see their loyalty and effort being rewarded with additional privileges and... See more

Community is more than just a feeling of belonging. In the context of business, it’s a structure for creating value. A simple way to understand it is to compare “community” to an “audience.”

Your customers are going to join your community because of benefits, not belonging. Belonging comes after someone has been a part of a community and formed relationships. What’s going to get them in the door in the first place is a clear understanding of how the community will help them solve a problem or achieve a goal.

Building a winning community-based brand is the process of being laser focused on a group of people with a shared identity, and developing something for them that makes them feel heard. Elements include establishing an identity that sparks excitement, using a shared language, creating s ocial content that makes them want to share yet feels aestheti... See more