Welcome to another issue of Future of Marketing!
Let’s get existential. Today’s issue explores social despair. Not the type that triggers a mid-life crisis, but the perceived decay in the quality of social media sites.
Gartner predicts that 50% of consumers will significantly limit their use of major platforms by 2025. This is exacerbated by the emergence of the “splinternet,” a fracturing of social media and the wider internet into smaller pieces due to changing use patterns, content filtering, censorship, and more.
It’s a natural development as consumers reject the overly-curated and inadequacy-inducing feeds of the most popular social sites.
And it’s why over 60% of marketers are concerned about losing access to their brand’s fans on social media.
An Evolving Landscape for Digital Community
“O brave new world, That has such people in’t.” Miranda (The Tempest, A5S1)
Consumers are seeking authenticity and meaningful connection over picture-perfect influencers. The rise of interest-based communities shows they want a place to explore and discuss the products they love without “polluting” their social feeds with content that wouldn’t fit in their personal curation.
Engagement within these private digital communities builds relationships and shapes brand affinity. That’s why 40.1% of consumers are more likely to stay loyal to a favorite brand after engaging with it in an online brand community.
More so, 39.1% of online community members feel a brand’s community provides more personalized, tailored, and relevant experiences than its social media account.
An owned community allows marketers to deliver a fully realized, holistic, and brand-aligned experience that resonates more strongly with fans and builds lasting connections between them and the brand.
Growing a Community Around Veggies?
Does anyone actually like kale?🌽💁♂️
Veggies Made Great is proving that vegetables can be cool. They’re on a mission to build a community of health-conscious consumers who have had enough of boring greens. Veggies Made Great is harvesting emotional connections through a personalized, engaging, and undeniably fun community, proving that veggies can be the life of the party.
“A Facebook group or an Instagram profile feels very linear, very static,” said Christine Higley, Senior Brand Manager. “…They come to the Community to be heard. Building a community has allowed us to engage with consumers on so many different levels.”
One notable community campaign asked their community members, aptly named “Veg Heads,” to plant discount coupons in stores nationwide and then spread the word on social media. Members were delighted to surprise fellow shoppers, and the Veggies Made Great team was delighted with the business outcomes, a coupon redemption rate that is 30% above the industry average.
Read more about how Veggies Made Great sprouted impressive results.
Recommended Reads:
- Creating a Community: How to Tap Shared Identity for Growth
Building when the vibe is “Oh, I love that brand.” - 10 Community Building Ideas You Need to Try
Building a thriving brand community. - Podcast: CPM w/ Tiffany Pegues, Church & Dwight Co.
Building a community around everyday consumer goods.
ICYMI
The State of Community Powered Marketing report is here! Download the report
Ready to Build & Grow Your Community?
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