You've heard of content marketing, influencer marketing, and maybe even growth hacking. However, there's a powerful new force transforming how brands connect and expand: community-led brand growth.
The magic of a community means having a devoted tribe around your brand; one that not only buys your product, but genuinely loves it and wants to shout about it. Some of the world's biggest brands have successfully leveraged loyal brand advocates to thrive, including Disney, Microsoft and Shopify. So, if you're ready to discover how to tap into community engagement to spur growth, read on to learn more.
Community-led growth (CLG) is all about creating a space where customers, users, and fans can connect, share ideas, and become brand advocates. This approach enables two-way communication — fostering a sense of community that keeps customers engaged long after their initial purchase. According to 2023 findings, 58% of the world's top SaaS brands have established brand communities to drive organic growth and foster word-of-mouth marketing.
In contrast, product-led growth (PLG) puts the product in the spotlight, allowing users to experience the value of the product firsthand through free trials or freemium models. PLG is great for getting people in the door quickly and scaling up fast, as the product's features and user experience do most of the talking. However, brand communication is mostly a one-way communication (from the brand to the user) which can sometimes lead to missed opportunities for authentic engagement and advocacy.
Community-led growth is gaining popularity because it can be significantly more cost-effective than traditional marketing strategies. With trust in traditional advertising at an all-time low — and the cost of paid ads steadily rising — people are seeking genuine connections and real advice from peers rather than polished ads.
Indeed, according to the findings of Marketing Insider Group, nearly half (49%) of businesses with online communities report annual cost savings of 10% to 25%. This is thanks to reduced spending on paid marketing and customer support, as engaged community members often promote the brand and help each other organically.
Communities also align with the growing influence of thought leaders and the importance of expertise, experience, authority, and trustworthiness — values now emphasised by Google's EEAT guidelines. Brands that foster active communities naturally generate authentic user-generated content, reviews, and discussions. All this helps to boost credibility and also improve search rankings and online reputation. This authenticity matters: 88% of consumers polled by Stackla in 2021 stated that authenticity is a key factor in deciding which brands they like and support.
Additionally, community-led growth delivers real business benefits. Members provide valuable real-time feedback and help prevent churn by keeping each other engaged and motivated. Indeed, Zapnito data shows that customers active in a well-built brand community are 40% less likely to churn and have a 50% higher propensity for upsells. These findings suggest that building a strong community isn't just a feel-good strategy — it's an innovative, scalable, and sustainable way to grow a brand in today's market.
So, how can brands forge genuine relationships with their customers and develop a community-led marketing strategy to achieve long-term success? Here are some quick tips:
Before you worry about likes or follower counts on social media, ask yourself what bigger idea brings people to your brand (besides just buying your stuff). Communities thrive when people feel like they're connected to something meaningful, so make sure your organisation's values shine through your brand messaging and marketing strategy.
Choosing the right community-building platform is key. Conduct thorough customer research to identify where your typical customers are active online and create a seamless brand community experience on these platforms. For instance, explore Instagram Lives, where followers can add their two cents in the chat. In the B2B sphere, building a LinkedIn community or setting up a Slack or Discord channel may be a great way to connect with new potential customers and loyal fans.
To build a truly engaged community, drop the corporate jargon and actively invite honest feedback. Treat followers as your most valuable focus group: when members see their ideas shape the brand, their loyalty skyrockets. Empower them by letting them take the lead, giving them the tools and freedom to connect and problem-solve — you'll be amazed by their collective impact.
A great community feels safe and welcoming because everyone knows the rules and respects each other. Once you've got that foundation, make sure to celebrate the little things — every milestone, personal win, or fun moment. Share stories, highlight members, and make a big deal out of their input in your marketing strategy. It's these celebrations that bring people closer and turn a group into a genuine, connected community.
Building a thriving brand community can help you optimise your advertising costs and transform returning customers into loyal brand advocates. However, bear in mind that community growth doesn't happen overnight; you must allow members to connect with each other and provide honest feedback to help grow your brand.
CopyHouse provides strategic content marketing to tech-led B2B clients, both domestically and internationally. Find out more about how we can help optimise your campaigns and content activity — contact us today.
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