When Community Becomes Your Competitive Advantage

While communities generate tangible value for businesses — such as content, events, online advocacy and marketing, technology production, customer support, and education — it is the intangible value that members derive from the experience that makes these environments truly “sticky.”

5. Carefully crafted accountability.

1. A shared purpose and values.

Communities look different than they did 50—even 20—years ago. They are organized around businesses and brands and providing profound opportunities for companies around the world.

7. Open, objective, governance and evolution.

The result of this are very real network effects: as engagement grows, the community gets smarter, faster to respond, more globally available, and generates more value.

6. Healthy, diverse participation driven by good leadership.

2. Simple, easily accessible value consumption.

Human beings are fundamentally social animals. Behavioral economics and psychological research have taught us that we fundamentally crave a sense of connectedness, belonging, mission, and meaning, particularly when performing our work.