Community-Led Growth as a Marketing Strategy

The future of marketing isn’t just paid media, it’s PEOPLE. Learn how communities are turning into growth engines for smart brands.

Have you ever joined a community that promised value, only to end up getting nothing but spam and branded ad messages? I have.

I’d call this a marketing failure. But are there brands getting it right? Absolutely. In today’s issue of Dear Digital Marketing Newbie, we’ll explore how to use community as a powerful marketing strategy, plus practical tips to help you do it right.

Why Community Matters More Than Ever

People trust people more than they trust brands.

A study by Edelman found that 84% of people trust recommendations from people they know more than any form of advertising. Community-driven marketing leverages this human truth. When your customers become part of a like-minded group, they don’t just use your product, they champion it, co-create with you, and bring others along.

In this era where customer retention, lifetime value, and organic growth are vital, community provides something transactional marketing never can; “belonging”.

What Is a Brand Community, Really?

A brand community is not just a Facebook group, WhatsApp, Slack or a Discord server. Those are platforms.

A true community is:

• A space (physical or digital) where people with shared interests or goals can connect.

• Centered around purpose and participation, not promotion.

• A two-way street, not a broadcast channel.

Whether it’s Harley-Davidson’s riders, LEGO’s creative fans, Figma’s passionate designers, or Healthy Living Enthusiasts the best communities are places where users feel heard, seen, and empowered, and where the brand is a facilitator, not a hero.

What Makes Community So Powerful for Marketing?

Here’s why community works, and why it’s more sustainable than many marketing tactics:

1. Community Creates Loyalty That Sticks

When people feel part of something bigger, they’re more emotionally invested. You’re no longer just a product they use; you’re part of their identity. For instance; if you as a marketer are in Convertkit community and are the first to test a feature before it is releases, you could give feedback and talk to those people who are ready to listen, take the feedback and modify the product, you get more invested in the product and the brand and would definitely turn into an advocate.

2. It Reduces CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)

A strong community turns your customers into advocates. Instead of spending more on paid ads, you grow through word-of-mouth, UGC (user-generated content), and referrals.

3. It’s a Built-In Feedback Loop

Communities talk. A lot. And that’s great for you, because you get real-time insight into their needs, pain points, and desires. It’s like having a free product research team.

4. It Fuels Content and Co-Creation

From testimonials and reviews to co-hosted events and member stories, your community can generate a flywheel of authentic, high-performing content.

5. It Turns Customers Into Collaborators

Great brands invite their communities to help shape their future. Think of Notion and how their templates are community-driven, or Duolingo’s forums and ambassador programs.

10 Examples of Brands Winning with Community

1. PiggyVest – The Savers’ Tribe: PiggyVest turned saving into a social movement. Their community thrives on Twitter through hashtags, savings challenges, and user-generated testimonials. By celebrating customer wins and encouraging money conversations, they’ve created a tribe of financially aware young Nigerians.

2. Glossier (USA) – Built with the Customer, Not Just for Them: From day one, Glossier treated customers like co-creators. Product feedback was crowd-sourced from their blog community, and they’ve grown a powerful fanbase that markets the brand for them via user-generated content and reviews.

3. Her Network – Women Empowering Women: Her Network curates a strong female-led community through events, awards, and storytelling. They give visibility to women in different industries and keep their audience engaged through daily inspiration and shared values.

4. Figma (Global) – Designers Building Together: Figma turned collaboration into community. With shared design templates, local meetups, hackathons, and a lively online community, designers don’t just use Figma, they grow with it.

5. TechCabal / Techpoint Africa – The Builders’ Hub: These platforms go beyond news, they nurture ecosystems for tech professionals. With events, newsletters, podcasts, and Slack communities, they’ve built spaces for founders, investors, and tech enthusiasts to connect and grow together.

6. LEGO (Denmark) – Fan-Led Innovation: LEGO’s community platform, LEGO Ideas, allows fans to submit, vote on, and help develop new sets. They spotlight creators, celebrate builds, and even turn fan designs into real products. A perfect example of co-creation

7. Feminist Coalition – Movement and Purpose: Though advocacy-led, this group showcases the power of purpose-driven community. They galvanized youth, coordinated fundraising, and amplified unheard voices, all through collective action and digital platforms.

8. Nike Run Club (Global) – Runners United: More than a fitness brand, Nike built a lifestyle community. Their app connects runners, tracks progress, offers coaching, and encourages shared goals, making users part of something bigger than a pair of sneakers.

9. AltSchool Africa – Learning as a Community: AltSchool uses peer support, alumni stories, cohort-based learning, and a sense of shared purpose to turn its users into a learning tribe, not just customers. They engage via Telegram, webinars, and collaborative assignments.

10. Notion (USA) – Productivity Meets Passion: Notion champions its users, from creators and educators to startup teams. Their global Notion Ambassadors, community meetups, template-sharing platforms, and online forums make users feel like insiders.

How to Build Your Brand Community (Strategically)

1. Start with Purpose

What belief or mission can bring people together beyond your product? What conversation already exists that your brand can contribute to meaningfully?

People don’t rally around products. They rally around ideas, lifestyles, and identities.

2. Choose the Right Format

It might be:

• A Slack or Discord group

• A LinkedIn or Facebook community

• A local meetup or virtual event series

• A community-driven newsletter

Pick based on where your people already gather and what kind of interaction fits them best.

3. Make It About Them, Not You

Community is not a marketing channel; it’s an experience. Avoid constant sales talk. Focus on:

• Facilitating valuable conversations

• Showcasing members

• Hosting AMAs, workshops, or virtual coffees

4. Assign a Community Manager

Community doesn’t manage itself. Invest in someone who understands both people and strategy to nurture engagement, moderate discussions, and evolve the space. It doesn’t have to be a social media manager.

5. Incentivize Participation

Reward members who contribute through shoutouts, early access, exclusive perks, or co-creation opportunities. Make them feel like insiders.

6. Measure What Matters

Track metrics like:

• Engagement rate

• Retention or churn

• UGC volume

• Referrals

• NPS (Net Promoter Score)

But also pay attention to qualitative signs: Are members helping each other? Are they showing up voluntarily? Are relationships forming?

Are Communities for All Brands?

The short answer? Not necessarily. But most brands can benefit from one — if approached the right way.

Here’s the long answer:

While not every brand needs to build a massive standalone community, every brand can tap into the principles of community; connection, conversation, and co-creation.

Let’s break it down:

Brands that benefit the most from communities include:

• Mission-driven brands with a strong “why” (e.g. sustainability, inclusion, financial freedom)

• Lifestyle brands that fit into daily habits (e.g. fitness, beauty, productivity)

• Educational platforms where peer support boosts learning

• Tech and SaaS brands that rely on evangelism and user-generated value

• Creator/entrepreneur-focused brands where members thrive on shared growth

Brands that may not need a full-blown community (yet):

• Brands that haven’t found product-market fit

• Brands without a clear identity or customer type

• Products that are one-off purchases with little engagement potential

But here’s the twist:

Even if your brand doesn’t build a community from scratch, you can still:

• Tap into existing communities by partnering or sponsoring

• Foster micro-communities (e.g. VIP groups, customer spotlights, referral circles)

• Create community-like experiences in your customer journey (via storytelling, feedback loops, etc.)

What Not to Do in/with a Community

1. Don’t make the community all about your brand or products.

2. Don’t ignore or dismiss feedback from community members.

3. Don’t over-moderate or censor honest conversations unnecessarily.

4. Don’t start a community without a clear purpose or shared goal.

5. Don’t allow the community to become inactive or forgotten.

6. Don’t onboard new members without guidance or a proper welcome.

7. Don’t try to appeal to everyone with a one-size-fits-all approach.

8. Don’t forget to recognize and celebrate active or loyal members.

9. Don’t build your community on platforms your audience doesn’t use.

10. Don’t treat community building as an afterthought or low-priority task.

Community Is the Future of Marketing

People are craving connection more than ever. And brands that lean into building rather than broadcasting will win.

Community is not a quick growth hack, it’s a long-term asset. It requires commitment, care, and consistency. But when done right, it becomes a moat no competitor can replicate.

So, if you’re asking:

• How do I differentiate in a crowded market?

• How do I build lasting brand love?

• How do I grow without just pouring money into ads?

Start with this question instead:

“What kind of community could we build, and how can we make it irresistible to be a part of?”

In a world that’s becoming more automated and impersonal, brands that choose to get closer to people, by building community, will stand the test of time.

Because the most powerful marketing isn’t about clicks.
It’s about connection.

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