These days, it feels like every business wants you to be its best friend. Whether it's joining a Discord channel (where it's assumed you'll spend your internet hours discussing the latest product drop) or paying for extra-exclusive benefits (Instagram's latest feature allows content creators to add a subscription service – think of it like OnlyFans lite). Some 77% of companies believe online communities drastically improve brand exposure, awareness and credibility. But is it realistic and necessary for every brand to aim for next-level devotion from customers?

Beyond the froth

Over the past few years, growing brands have made their communities a differentiator from their big-box competitors – fitness brand Peloton was early to the trend by forming cult-like groups of micro influencers; skincare brand Glossier defines itself as a ‘people-powered beauty ecosystem’. Smaller brands followed the playbook, while the pandemic fueled the calls for community, as businesses were severely limited in how they could connect with people.

The tech industry took full advantage of the sudden shift, with the rise of Web3 and online community-focused startups, which focused on tools and analytics. But, as post-pandemic reality sunk in, these buzzy startups took a hit, with the direct-to-consumer giants going omnichannel as their communities moved on. Businesses are slowly learning from these mistakes to understand what customers really need from community – and the first step is moving away from superficial engagement strategies and an over-reliance on metrics.

‘While the tech bubble is having challenges, I do believe that, overall, the community industry is in its infancy,’ says Rosie Sherry, expert community builder and founder of Rosieland. ‘We need to be led by what people care about and we find this out by listening, not by creating a strategy that carries no meaning for the people.’

In the meantime, small brands are realizing that the key to building community is less about fancy tech tools and more about putting in the work to truly know your community – and build for them.

Getting personal

Finnegan Shepard, founder of transmasculine and non-binary clothing brand Both&, conducted more than 1,000 interviews with gender-non-conforming individuals to fill a niche market gap. Since launching in October 2020, Both& has seen a 32% repeat customer rate (three times the national average) and has recently launched a crowdfunding campaign to allow those in the community to get a piece of the pie. While this community focus has led to success, Finnegan sees ongoing interaction as a core part of the business.

‘Don't abandon your avid fans because you've got too far removed from them to serve them properly,’ Finnegan says. ‘My advice would be similar to the advice Y Combinator gives: do things that don't scale. I spend at least an hour or two every day writing in-depth responses to customer questions, helping people think through size and fit. I can do that when we're a community of a few thousand but, obviously, I won't be able to do that by myself when we're a community of millions. But I do it nonetheless, because it builds a bedrock foundation for the brand.’

It may seem like a heavy lift, but consider the next wave of shopper preferences: ‘We know that Gen Z care about social values when shopping,’ says Finnegan. 
 
‘We can also see large-scale shifts, societally, in where [and] how folks find community or a resonant ethos. As the presence of religion has declined, as people have developed less trust in government, etc – people have turned to other spaces. Brand is one of them. When a brand is done right, it has a compelling narrative and mission, it creates a feeling of “us” and purpose.’

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