It feels like every brand in 2022 talks about building a community.
They’re welcoming me to their community after I make a purchase or encouraging me to “join their community” on social media. They’re even selling merchandise so we become walking billboards advertising for their community.
Benefits of a Social Media Community
I get it, I really do. Source after source has shown the positive financial impact of building a community around your brand:
- Increase brand loyalty
- Add value at every stage of the buyer journey
- Increase customer retention
- Reduce your spend on paid advertising
This all sounds great, no wonder it’s such a popular concept.
What is a Community?
If you’ll indulge me for a moment, I want to dig into the concept of a community.
Merriam-Webster defines community as, “a body of persons of common and especially professional interests scattered through a larger society.”
That makes sense, especially for a brand that wants to unite people around their interest in said brand (and spending more money).
But there’s also a feeling of community, a sense of belonging, that we’re all in this together. And this is where I see so many brands go wrong.
- So many companies struggle with basic customer support and communication – how are they supposed to invest – and succeed – in building, supporting, and maintaining a community?
- Sometimes your audience doesn’t want to join another community. They just want to buy some printer toner. They just like your blog. “Joining a community” feels like a big commitment.
And, really – welcoming me to “your community” after I bought some socks? To me, it just feels a bit forced and a bit presumptuous. I’m not even sure if I like the socks, yet.
How to Build a Community on Social Media
I do believe brands should create a sense of community for their customers, followers, and general audience. It’s all over my website, actually.
But actions speak louder than words. So let’s channel some Field of Dreams vibes and trust that if we build a sense of community then people will come.
Here’s my advice for companies looking to “build a community” on social:
- People want to feel like they matter. Social shouldn’t be a one-way communication channel, so make sure you have a process for interacting with your followers, responding to comments, and addressing (inevitable) negative feedback.
- A sense of community is often about an intangible feeling and a shared emotional connection. Don’t be afraid to share content that makes people “feel the feels” – whether that be a funny meme or a shared frustration.
- People want to feel like they belong – after all, a community is often based around membership. Encourage your audience to engage with your account so your users feel like they’re active members. Ask them to share their stories and feedback to facilitate connections.
- Add value. Yes, you can (and should) promote your services and special promotions/sales. But remember that people are on social to be entertained, so use this as an opportunity to be creative and share ‘edutainment’ type of content.
If you want help creating a sense of community through your social media, I’d love to help you build a content strategy that feels right for your brand. Book a discovery call to learn more!
But really with the socks – why are you welcoming me to your “community” … did I join a cult or buy some no-show socks?