👫 Brand communities are an extension of what the brand signifies. It's a group of like-minded people who relate to the brand and their products.
🤗 It isn't a marketing strategy anymore. It's much bigger - a personalized way to reach out to the loyal users who connect to the traits of the brand.
📱 There are tonnes of online brand communities that exist today - across multiple community platforms, in addition to their social handles.
🤔 Why has brand community become more relevant in the space, today? 👇
(1) 💪 Identify your power user - Community can help identify users who are active, loyal & potentially can be an extension of the community.
Ex - Find an influencer who uses the product. He/She can promote the product better when there's a first hand connect to the product.
(2) 💬 See an increased engagement over the brand.
Users connect & engage over content- it relates to a personal problem which is being solved by the brand's products
Ex - Users engage with anecdotal references from personal fitness journeys over content shared by a D2C wellness brand
(3) 👨🎤 Users can help with word-of-mouth marketing
Show the users the value they can draw from the community. That's all that it takes to drive a viral word-of-mouth.
Ex - A coffee brand that's just launched extends free samples for members, brewing methods, etc.
(4) 🤝 Help users meet like-minded folks
Brand communities inspire people to connect over similar passions and network better.
Ex - A D2C brand selling baby products connects mothers in the same boat, coming together by sharing their experiences and motivating each other.
(5) 👥 Build a treasured customer pool
Feedbacks, polls, etc. becomes much significant to the customers since they've invested their money in the brand's products.
Ex - A D2C cosmetic brand asking feedback for an existing shampoo variant.
(6) 🔄 Deepen customer relationships
Members become a part of the brand's inner circle - giving them access to exclusive discounts, content, new launches, etc.
Ex - A brand launching new protein powder (manufactured basis feedback from users) extends an XY% off.
(7) 📈 Get your go-to-market strategies right
Be it content or new product - you have a sample set of users who are constantly giving you feedback basis their actions taken within the community.
Ex - Brand pushing valid SEO content basis most engaged topics.