TLDR: Social media marketing often pushes brands to build “relationships” with their followers. But brands aren’t people, and building a genuine community around your brand is a more sustainable and impactful strategy. This post explores how focusing on community-building, rather than relationships, can benefit your social media marketing efforts.
The phrase “building a relationship with your followers” gets thrown around a lot in marketing. But (shocker), brands aren’t people. Your followers aren’t texting you at midnight to tell you about their new job or dropping by your DMs to share vacation photos. And that’s okay. Because what really matters isn’t a “relationship”—it’s building a community around your brand.
The difference? Relationships are personal, intimate connections that require constant attention and emotion. Communities, on the other hand, are spaces where your supporters can connect with your brand and with each other, based on shared values, interests, and loyalty. Think about it: you’re not calling a brand when you get a promotion, but you will engage with a community of like-minded individuals who resonate with what the brand stands for.
Why Brands Aren’t Meant to Build “Relationships”
No one expects a brand to be their best friend. Brands are here to deliver value, solve problems, and offer experiences. Trying to force a “relationship” dynamic with followers feels inauthentic because, at the end of the day, we know brands are not people. The idea of a relationship implies personal emotional investment, and while loyalty to a brand can be strong, it’s a different kind of connection.
The good news? You don’t need to build individual relationships to create meaningful engagement. What you need is a community where people feel like they belong and want to be part of something bigger than just a transaction.
Building a community means creating a space where people engage with your brand and each other based on shared interests, values, and loyalty—not forced interactions.
Community vs. Relationship: Why Focus on Community?
1. Communities Foster Organic Engagement
When people feel like they’re part of a community, they engage naturally. They’re not just interacting with your brand because they feel obligated or for the sake of maintaining a “relationship”—they’re there because they’re part of something they care about. They’re contributing to conversations, sharing ideas, and amplifying your brand’s message because it aligns with their values.
2. A Strong Community Builds Loyalty
Unlike relationships that require constant nurturing, a community thrives on shared interests and collective engagement. It’s less about “Did they like my post?” and more about “Are they talking about my brand to others?” A community empowers your supporters to advocate for your brand, creating a sense of belonging and loyalty that’s far more valuable than the one-way street of follower-brand interactions.
3. Communities Offer Value Beyond Likes
Social media marketing isn’t just about likes, comments, and shares—it’s about real engagement. And real engagement happens when people feel like they’re part of a movement, not just following a brand for pretty photos or occasional discounts. A strong community will engage with your content, share their own experiences, and contribute to conversations that extend beyond surface-level engagement.
Building a community means creating a space where people engage with your brand and each other based on shared interests, values, and loyalty—not forced interactions.
How to Shift From Relationships to Communities in Social Media Marketing
So, how do you shift from “building relationships” to fostering a strong, engaged community through your social media marketing?
1. Create Spaces for Engagement
You can’t build a community if there’s no place for your supporters to gather. This could be a Facebook group, a branded hashtag, or even a forum. The key is to give your audience a space to connect with each other and your brand in meaningful ways.
2. Focus on Value, Not Engagement
Instead of pushing posts just to get likes or comments, think about what value you can offer your community. Can you share behind-the-scenes insights, industry knowledge, or exclusive perks for being a part of your brand’s community? The more value you offer, the more people will want to engage with your content naturally.
3. Let Your Community Shape the Conversation
The best communities are built on two-way communication. Ask questions, encourage discussions, and let your community shape the direction of the conversation. It’s not just about pushing out content—it’s about creating dialogues that matter.
Highlight: Building a community requires creating spaces for authentic engagement, offering real value, and allowing your audience to shape the conversation.
Why Building a Community is the Long-Term Play
Relationships are fleeting, but communities have staying power. Your social media marketing strategy can’t just be about gaining followers and hoping they’ll stick around for the occasional post. Building a strong community not only ensures long-term engagement but also turns your supporters into advocates for your brand. They’ll talk about you, recommend you, and even defend you when needed. That’s something no individual relationship can achieve on its own.
By focusing on creating a community around your brand, you’re building a foundation that extends far beyond social media algorithms and fleeting trends. You’re creating a loyal group of supporters who are with you for the long haul, because they believe in what your brand stands for and feel a genuine connection to it.
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Raised Media Co. is a NYC-based commercial photography and video production agency specializing in experiential visual content. We help brands and personalities tell compelling stories through high-impact photos and videos.
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