11 Tips for a Stronger Online Community

In February, back when being in a room full of 200 people felt normal, not naughty, we delivered a talk called ‘How to build strong online communities’. We set out to distil some of the things we’d learned working with big brands, small brands, side hustles and our own agency brands into a simple list of tips.

We began by asking the audience why they felt strong online communities were crucial to brands, landing on a list that included things like connection with customers, trust and loyalty. Fast forward to today, and those virtues have never seemed more important.

Most smart marketing brains can see that 2020 has changed the way brand communication is - and should - be done. The core insight? Community is key.

Over the past few months, we’ve seen a clear distinction between two categories of brands. Those that have invested in building meaningful online relationships with their customers have been able to make sense of things with them, in a way that felt welcome and supportive. Meanwhile, brands with weaker (or non-existent) online communities felt distinctly isolated, panicking about how to reach customers without it smacking of opportunism or intrusion.

Our online community building tips have taken on a whole new relevance, both for brands bolstering existing communities, and for those hustling to build connections right now. So here they are, 11 tips for building strong online brand communities, filtered and fettled for the state of things right now.

Click here to download the report.

Christian Perrins is head of strategy at Waste Creative