What is a brand community?

Brand communities tend to be made, or at least encouraged, by a specific brand itself. Brand communities can take many different forms; some common forms include:

• Online forums

• Social media groups

• Fan clubs

• Events

Members of a brand community are often considered brand advocates. Brand advocates are the most vital part of a brand advocacy strategy because they are the people who believe in the brand, product, or service and are willing to recommend it and share it with others.

Brand advocacy is an important use of brand communities as it relies on the premise that consumers are more likely to trust recommendations from people they trust and peers, rather than through traditional advertising means. Brand advocacy can also be supported and encouraged through several different practices, such as:

• Providing rewards or other forms of incentives to brand advocates

• The creation of a community of brand advocates to share their experiences and connect

• Engaging with brand advocates on social media platforms and through other channels

Brand communities can often have many different valuable and positive results from their formation. Some common benefits and advantages include:

• Increasing brand awareness for an organization

• Building brand loyalty amongst a customer base

• Drive sales and grow revenue

• Help differentiate a brand from its competitors by making it stand out

• Generate valuable feedback and insights from a brand community

For the members of a brand community, some positive outcomes include:

• A sense of belonging

• Social support

• Access to exclusive brand content and experiences