Human beings are social creatures, and now more than ever, it’s important to focus on creating spaces where people can come together. Brand communities aren’t just about bringing together your customers; it’s an opportunity to create genuine and meaningful relationships.
If you want to build a sustainable brand, you need to harness the power of creating a community. Take the quintessential example of Harley-Davidson. In 1983, they nearly faced extinction. Now, they’re one of the most well-known brands in the world. And they managed this by leveraging the power of brand communities, specifically the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.).
Let’s look at some of the reasons why you should focus on building your brand community.
It’s no surprise that people with common interests come together. When they do so to support a brand, it becomes an invaluable resource. We live in turbulent times, and people actively search for connections with others.
With your most important stakeholders in one space, brand communities are a win-win situation. Your brand receives important thoughts and insights while fulfilling your audience’s need for a sense of belonging.
Brand communities are the key to sustainably growing your brand long-term. The deeper level of connection you achieve will help your brand stand out from the crowd while powering more growth.
We’ve talked about how brands can use corporate social responsibility to make a change. Your brand communities have the power to do the same thing. With so many people uniting for a shared reason, they can easily come together to effect change.
Whether to show their support for a particular cause, charity, or campaign, brand communities are capable of creating massive change for the better.
When you work towards creating a brand community that has meaning, the members of your community will likely share the same passion.
For leaders, brand communities provide an incredible advantage. Brand communities exist to serve the people in them and work for their interests. But a well-built brand community will have interests that align with those of the brand.
Leaders can leverage this power to join hands with other leaders and encourage them to create positive change.
Brands with engaging brand communities get to reap the benefits of higher brand loyalty, engagement, trust, and advocacy. Giving your audience a platform to explore and engage with your brand and other consumers will result in more acquisition, retention, and growth.
Similarly, nurturing consumer trust is so much easier when done within a community, since your brand advocates will do it on your behalf. More than anything, it will give your consumers a place to create positive experiences revolving around your brand.
Creating a community is about give and take. By serving the needs of your consumers, you can build a mutually beneficial relationship for years to come.
