Building a brand community is more than just a marketing strategy. Whether based in the physical world or digital, these communities foster authenticity, trust, and loyalty in a brand.
Online communities are incredibly important when it comes to building brand awareness and driving word of mouth referrals. Each of these components have a role in developing and maintaining meaningful connections with the people who love your brand the most.
Inviting the consumer into your brand experience removes any layer of separation and allows them to become an advocate for your brand. As the popularity of the brand community continues to rise, we’ve decided to share some of the brand communities we love:
Sephora
Beauty is personal, and this has a remarkable influence in beauty brands’ ability to cultivate such strong and active communities. There is so much to love about how Sephora built their Beauty Insider Community. Sephora created an online social platform that provides a unified brand experience for their biggest fans to connect with one another through their love for beauty, skincare, and cosmetics.
Inside the community, Beauty Insiders post photos, reviews, and recommendations on products or looks they love. They can also chat with other Beauty Insiders to gain inspiration for the next look, product, or tip they want to try. It truly is a hub of knowledge and content that keeps Sephora’s brand community engaged — and it comes with perks.
Through the community, Beauty Insiders have access to special events, live streams with famous beauty gurus, and exclusive discounts on products. Sephora’s combination of consumer connection, engagement, and rewards is what keeps Beauty Insiders so close to the brand. Sephora’s Beauty Insider Community is truly a culmination of everything that makes a brand community successful.
Peloton
Blending together fitness, socialization, and inspiring instructors, Peloton has become a cult brand. They’ve grown a community that promotes the kind of healthy competition that keeps users motivated and coming back for more, right in their own living rooms.
Through gamification based on personal and social competition, Peloton uses both their equipment and class technology to create a fitness world that is entirely their own. Users hop on their bikes in their own home and connect with people exercising across the globe. Peloton has enlisted approachable and motivational coaches that implore their users to “show up”, motivate them, and consistently invite these users back in to be a part of a larger community.
With a social integration through Facebook and elements like leaderboards, badges, and challenges, Peloton keeps their users active in their workout and with one another. Everyone is in it together.
Aerie
Aerie has always been a brand that represented women’s empowerment, inclusivity, and body positivity. With their #AerieREAL Ambassador community, the brand has taken these ideals a step further by curating a diverse group of women including students, mothers, working professionals, and more. We love #AerieREAL because it’s just that — real. No airbrush, no retouching. It challenges stereotypical standards of beauty, and inspires customers to be their true selves and comfortable in their own skin.
Not only do their ambassadors live in Aerie products, but are inspired to promote change through Aerie’s mission of empowerment and positivity. Through body positive ad campaigns, inviting customers to tag #AerieREAL in their content, and changing the conversation about beauty standards, Aerie has built a strong community of advocates.
Hims
As telemedicine grows in popularity, Hims is setting itself apart from the rest as one of the fastest growing men’s wellness brands in America. Hims has built an incredible community focused on “empathy first” and breaking the barriers of vulnerability and stigma that surround men’s health. They understand that the stigmas around healthcare, especially when it comes to topics like erectile dysfunction and hair loss, can be difficult conversations to have. That’s why Hims uses real people to drive awareness and create better dialogue around men’s health and wellness.
Not only is Hims taking an authentic approach to their community by using normal, everyday people to talk about their products — they’re utilizing their community to educate a broader consumer audience. Hims’ blog, Instagram, and other online platforms serve to inform consumers more about men’s health and instills trust in Hims as a leader within the telemedicine space.
Building Your Community.
What do each of these brands have in common? They invited their biggest fans — real people — to be a part of their story. So, how can you cultivate your own brand community? Let your fans help you tell your story, engage them, and reward them. Brand communities evoke a more valuable brand experience for your consumers, and strengthens their relationship and loyalty to your brand.
