How to Build a Brand Community: The Ultimate Guide (+ 15 Key Examples)

More than ever, customers are gravitating towards more personal, authentic experiences from the brands they choose to engage with.

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Enter the rising era of brand communities—a dynamic time where businesses are thriving by creating meaningful connections with their audience where members of this community connect with like-minded individuals. While your brand “community” already exists within the customers that love your brand, a formal brand community takes this to the next level. These often operate as a platform where your customers can interact with, share, and help grow your brand. Empowering emotionally-connected customers to engage in this shared space allows for better customer-driven decisions, customer loyalty, and word-of-mouth growth.

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Building a brand community can look different for every business, but understanding the ins and outs of building one isn’t just a strategic move anymore, but a vital necessity for your brand’s success. According to CMX Hub, brands with strong communities enjoy 54% greater customer retention rates compared to those without. Community members feel a sense of belonging and loyalty, making them less likely to switch to competitors. Plus,according to Harvard Business Review, customers involved in communities spend up to 19% more than customers who aren't. 

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These communities are becoming so important that a business strategy without an active brand community can be a waste of time, money, and other resources. 

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In this guide, we'll navigate the changing tides of consumer preferences, exploring why authenticity is the new currency in the digital marketplace. In a world where 90% of customers say that authenticity is essential to choosing the brands they support, we’re here to help your brand prepare for this new era, and cultivate brand communities that resonate with the authentic brand vibe that today's consumers reach for.

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What you’ll Learn:

1. What is a brand community?
2. Why is it so important?
3. How do you build one?
4. 15 successful examples (and why they’re so great!)
5. Next steps for your brand!

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What is a brand community?

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A brand community is a group of like-minded customers who are emotionally invested in a brand and connect over this shared bond. 

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Your brand’s community is the loyal fans that connect with you on social media, repeat purchases from you, refer  friends and family, and crave a space to connect over their shared dedication. A brand community is the perfect example of brand loyalty and something that can push your brand success to the next level.

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Why is it so important? 

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Groups are powerful, and having one with your brand’s top enthusiasts can be a game changer. Here’s why:

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1. Builds customer loyalty: Customers feel seen and included when they’re a part of a brand community, which increases the odds that they stay loyal and keep coming back.
2. Increases brand awareness: When you gather a group of your most loyal and enthusiastic customers, they’re more likely to share their positive experiences with others. This word-of-mouth marketing is a key organic growth strategy that you’ll want to take advantage of.
3. Gathers your target audience: When you’ve gathered your most loyal and target audience in one place, it’s easier to gather insights and communicate with them through a direct line of communication, helping you improve your brand satisfaction and letting your customers feel important and included. Plus, 64% of consumers trust brand messages more when they are communicated by fellow customers rather than the brand itself, according to Nielsen.
4. Improves brand reputation: Setting yourself apart as a brand that cares and engages with customers sets yourself apart from the competition. In times of brand criticism, your brand community can even help protect brand reputation and turn the tides for potential customers on the fence. 
5. Reduces Support Costs: Brands that have communities can reduce support costs by as much as 25%, as community members often help each other, resolving issues without needing your company to get involved. This works well in forum-based communities, which we’ll get into later!
6. Increases authenticity: Lastly, when you give customers a chance to engage with your brand other than just purchases, you let them feel like they’re part of something greater. Customers are much more likely to interact with brands they continuously connect with than other competitors. This is huge, and something that gives you a competitive edge in your niche.

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So, how do you do it?

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Chances are, your brand community already exists whether on social media or online forums. However, it is up to you to harness it, define it, and use it to your advantage. In the end, keep in mind that brand community building at its core is about bringing people together and giving them a sense of belonging.

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1. Define your brand identity: What are your brand’s mission, vision, and personality? Your brand’s target audience? Philosophy? Name? These are all crucial pieces of information to lay out before you get started in order to captivate the exact type of customer you’re looking for. 
2. Establish clear community objectives: After establishing your brand identity, you’ll need to ask yourself some questions before establishing your brand community identity. Here are a few to keep in mind to get you started: 

1. What are the goals of your brand community? What is its purpose?
2. What will you do to keep your brand community engaged?
3. How will you measure your brand community’s success?
4. How will your brand community help support your brand’s identity and success?

1. Brand ambassadors are a key group of individuals that many successful brands have grown with. Brand ambassadors are a smaller group of representatives within your community that can help drive customers and sales, and thanks to the limited number, it's a lot easier to determine why exactly they’re interested in your brand and how to best properly represent your community. We’ll get into more details later!

3. Select an Appropriate platform: Nowadays, there are plenty of ways to host your brand community, whether it be active social media engagement, a brand forum, events, the possibilities are endless! Choose your platform based on the brand identity and goals you’ve established earlier. Bonus if you are able to use an owned channel rather than relying on everchanging algorithms of social media (plus, you own the audience and data!). 

1. Maintain ongoing and active engagement: Most importantly, engaging with your brand community consistently is an absolute must! Encourage conversations, answer questions, and include as many people as you can. Give your community members a reason to stay with helpful engagement and perks!

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Examples of Successful Brand Communities

1. Forum-based communities: Forum-based communities allow customers to connect through conversations, Q&A, and a shared passion for your brand. 
2. Creator communities: Creator communities provide a place for members to collaborate, inspire, and elevate each other, turning a shared passion for what your brand offers into a thriving hub of expression and mutual support.
3. Affiliate communities: Brands that work with affiliates turn loyal customers into advocates who drive brand growth, share experiences, and contribute to a collective success story.
4. Goal-oriented communities: In goal-oriented communities, individuals unite around common objectives, supporting and motivating each other to achieve personal milestones, transforming aspirations into shared triumphs.
5. Wildcard communities! Can’t fit your brand community in one box? No problem! Wildcard communities combine many different outlets for members to engage with so there’s a space for everyone. This unique style provides a memorable experience for your customers to connect with.

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Forum-based communities:

1. Apple: With some of the most loyal customers out there, Apple's genius lies not just in its sleek devices but in the creation of a global brand community united by a shared appreciation for innovation. Apple’s products and brand community sells a lifestyle, and this is seen through their forum-like community where users can ask questions about their products and experiences. By engaging in the community, users also have the opportunity to earn points which can give rewards like access to exclusive news, community events, and the ability to create user tips. These rewards are motivating for dedicated and knowledgeable users of Apple products, encouraging them to learn and participate more for even more community-centered features.

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2. Sephora - Beauty Insider Community: Sephora's Beauty Insider Community is a makeup haven where beauty enthusiasts unite. The genius here is the fact that users can engage with each other in posts, groups, and mini-communities within it like “Skincare Aware” and “Fragrance Fans”. Users can ask questions, share successes, participate in challenges, and even upload photos in a group of like-minded beauty enthusiasts, making them feel super engaged in the conversation. By integrating this brand community within the main retail website, it also gives users another reason to visit more frequently and make more purchases. By creating a space where everyone is welcomed and embraced, Sephora establishes a brand community that goes beyond makeup—it's about empowerment and acceptance.

3. Airbnb: Airbnb goes beyond being a mere accommodation platform; it's a global brand community. The Airbnb Community Center is a forum that allows hosts and travelers to connect, share experiences, offer advice to one another, and even attend local host clubs in their area. With regular community posts seeking questions, advice, and reflections organized by topic and goal, hosts feel empowered to improve their own spaces while contributing to helping others improve their brand experiences at the same time. This transforms hosts from mere service providers into local heroes, helping both visitors and other hosts enjoy their stay. This also encourages more successful bookings and more positive experiences with the Airbnb brand as a result.

4. Tesla - Tesla Motors Club: Tesla's online forum provides a platform for owners to discuss, share, and troubleshoot. As electric vehicles are still a fairly new technology, having a brand community of individuals who share the same product and experiences help ease individuals into the transition and can be a great resource for help as well. The Tesla Motors Club cultivates a brand community where electric vehicle enthusiasts feel seen and supported, giving them a better brand experience as a whole.

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5. Patagonia - Worn Wear: Patagonia's Worn Wear demonstrates their knowledge of their customer base and effectively designing a company mission. Known for being a sustainable and ethical brand, many of Patagnia’s customers share their values, so by encouraging customers to give a second life to their well-loved gear, Patagonia builds a brand community around sustainability and longevity. Customers on both ends benefit, as it provides a place to get rid of used clothing and also offers it at a cheaper price with benefits to the environment. As this is integrated and easily accessible from their main shopping website, Worn Wear gives customers all the more reason to support the brand.

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Creator Communities:

6. Lego - Lego Ideas: Lego has cracked the code for building not just brick structures but an entire brand community. Lego Ideas invites fans to contribute to the creative process, turning customers into co-creators. This encourages fans to continuously find new ways to use their Legos, and more reasons to add to their collection to participate in themed challenges like building their own game or designing the coolest space build. With the ability to participate in challenges, submit ideas, and vote for fellow Lego enthusiasts, Lego Ideas elevates Lego beyond a toy—it's a shared universe of creativity where every brick tells a story and every creation is a testament to the limitless power of creativity.

7. Canva: Canva's user-friendly design platform extends beyond pixels and vectors—it's a collaborative canvas. In Canva’s brand community, there are a variety of groups individuals can be a part of: creators, teachers, experts, and so on. Within these groups, that primarily operate on Facebook, users share designs, feedback, and ideas, while also having the chance to become a verified expert (with added perks!) through active and quality engagement.  By fostering a brand community where creators can share, learn, and inspire, Canva transforms its software into a playground of ideas, a community where professionals and amateurs alike come together.

8. Adobe Community: Adobe tools can be complicated and they know it. By creating a forum where users can easily ask questions, offer advice, and share work from their favorite Adobe apps, a brand community is built around all levels of Adobe users, from beginner to advanced. Aside from their forum, Adobe has also started Behance, a place where Adobe users can showcase their creations for others to view, like, save, and draw inspiration from.

9. Figma: Figma is not just a design tool; it’s home to a collaborative design community. By allowing real-time collaboration on design projects, uploading and sharing files, and social profiles, Figma creates a space where designers worldwide can ideate, iterate, and innovate together. With this structure, users benefit greatly by being able to create more easily and find inspiration all in one place, encouraging them to use the platform even more.

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Affiliate-based communities:

10. Glossier - Into the Gloss: Glossier's Into The Gloss blog was monumental to the beauty company’s early success. By sharing stories, tips, and interviews, Glossier adds to their authentic image where beauty is a celebration of individuality, turning makeup into an art form. Their interviews aren’t just the standard interviews most people would encounter online, but feel like authentic connections with the interviewee. 

After moving past their blog as their main brand community building tactic, Glossier expanded to their affiliate program, allowing almost anyone to be an advocate with a personal affiliate code offering 10% off for anyone who uses it. When customers see their favorite, relatable accounts featuring the brand, it doesn’t just feel like an advertisement, but a genuine connection and recommendation from someone they trust.

11. Lululemon Sweat Life: Lululemon is another brand with a cult following. They seamlessly blend the worlds of athleisure and brand community through The Sweat Life. They provide online classes, training guides, real stories, and frequent blogs, all of which helps foster a brand community that celebrates the journey to well-being. It's a savvy move that positions Lululemon as more than a clothing brand—it's an authentic lifestyle.

Goal-oriented communities:

12. Nike - Nike Run Club, SNKRS, Nike Training Club, Nike App: WIth the enormous popularity they have, Nike transcends the typical sportswear brand through four apps catering to different types of fans ranging from apparel enthusiasts to runners. For example, the Nike Training Club app provides a wide variety of workouts and training programs so that anyone can be included. Throughout all their platforms, Nike offers their members a community to set goals, and connect with others across the globe. By tapping into four major types of consumers, Nike not only promotes a healthy lifestyle but also creates a worldwide running tribe. These apps transform workouts, jogs, and sneaker collections into  collective endeavors, transforming the iconic swoosh into a symbol of shared achievement and personal bests.

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13. Peloton: Peloton isn't just an exercise bike; it's a portal to a fitness community. By offering live and on-demand classes with a side of real-time encouragement, Peloton transforms solo workouts into a collective sweat session. They’ve also built out an engaging blog that caters to every type of workout enthusiast and lifestyle, while featuring personal stories for a more authentic experience. For Peloton,  it's not just about pedaling; it's about pedaling together towards shared fitness goals.

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Wildcard Communities!

14. Harley Davidson - H.O.G.: Harley-Davidson understands that their motorcycles are not just modes of transportation but vessels for a shared lifestyle. With this deep understanding of their values and customers, Harley-Davidson offers events and rallies, along with other practical benefits like roadside assistance and insurance to help customers get the most out of their relationship with the brand. Their community program offers a little bit of everything, allowing customers to feel engaged in the ways they’re most comfortable with all while repping the Harley-Davidson brand. By doing this, they greatly expanded into the motorcycle space to become the powerhouse it is today with a fanbase that all share a love of motorcycling. Harley-Davidson creates a brand community that echoes the spirit of freedom and camaraderie throughout all of it’s various features.

15. Red Bull - Red Bull Music Academy: Red Bull's foray into the music realm with the Red Bull Music Academy energizes a community of music enthusiasts along with their energy drink fans. By sponsoring events, showcasing emerging artists, and creating spaces for musical exploration, Red Bull gets their name out there as not only a top brand in the energy drink market, but also music. This unique and memorable combination strikes out to customers.

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In this era where brands are not just sellers, these communities have cracked the code. They don't just sell products; they sell experiences, connections, and a sense of belonging. They understand that a community-centered approach is a pathway to building communities where customers don't just buy; they invest, engage, and become part of something greater.

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Next Steps!

We hope these tips help you along your journey of building your brand and inspire you to give it a community of its own. Whether it's through ambassadors, creator communities, forums, or a wildcard approach, keep in mind that there is no one-size-fits-all method, and that recognizing the audience, goals, and mission of your brand community is crucial for its success. 

Ready to build your own brand community and foster authentic relationships with your customers? Rippl rewards is a next-generation SaaS platform that allows brands to authentically engage throughout the full customer lifecycle to redefine the loyalty category. By giving brands the technology they need to offer a mission-aligned program, we aim to provide them with customer relationships that go beyond transactions. Learn more in a demo here.