7 great brand community examples for 2023

Your brand needs more than just awareness. It needs a community of people rallying around it and sharing the benefits of your products or services with their friends and families. And here's the good news: you don't have to start from scratch or reinvent the wheel. Instead, you can learn from a variety of established brand communities out there and take inspiration from their success stories.

In this article, we'll delve into the world of brand communities, exploring what they are and why they matter. We'll share practical insights on how to build a vibrant and loyal community around your brand, explore some examples of brand communities, and draw inspiration from real-life businesses that have harnessed the power of community to propel their brands to new heights.

Whether you're a seasoned marketer or just beginning your journey, this guide will provide valuable strategies to start building a strong brand community of your own.

Discover why adapting to shifts within the online community landscape is essential for harnessing your brands' full potential online.

A brand community is a group of your most engaged customers. While these communities can exist both online and in person, they consist of loyal customers sharing their love for your brand, engaging with your brand’s content, and, of course, buying your products or services.

Members of your brand community come together because they find your brand's values or products align with their own preferences and lifestyles. These communities represent a space where individuals can express themselves, connect with like-minded people, and reinforce their self-identity through their association with the brand.

But a brand community doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s not formed just because one person makes a purchase. In fact, your brand community likely already exists online as people organically post about your products or services. You can tap into what’s already there to make it a powerful tool for your business. That’s because brand communities thrive on two-way communication, and engaging with your base in the form of seeking input, feedback, or ideas helps strengthen your relationship and build trust.

Customers who feel a sense of belonging with and through your brand will make repeat purchases and become unofficial brand ambassadors to other people in their lives. Brand communities also provide valuable insights for companies to understand their customer base, prevent customer churn, and learn more about market trends. Finally, brand communities can help build resilience, particularly during crises, because digital users can answer each other’s questions and support one another, taking the burden off your customer support team.

Perhaps one of the most recognizable brands of the 21st century, Apple has a dedicated fan base of users that often connect through online forums, social media groups, and in-person events.

The tech company has a dedicated landing page on its website for its Apple Support Communities, where users can discuss their experiences, share tips and tricks, and earn points by providing technical support to each other.

Users who rack up enough points can create their own user tips, get exclusive news about the brand, and access an exclusive members-only area to share ideas and generate new content.

In addition to Apple’s official support community, numerous unofficial Apple support groups exist all over the world, with thousands of members in each community engaging with each other, answering questions, and connecting over their shared identity as Apple users.

Another highly-recognizable brand, Starbucks fans make their presence known online and during pumpkin spice latte season, the latter being much more than just a sweet little example.

The incredible success of the pumpkin spice latte and its ability to play into many people’s favorite time of year inspired Starbucks to create its own Facebook page that celebrates fall all year long, Called “Leaf Rakers Society,” the group has more than 43,000 members who connect with each other over their shared love of Starbucks and the fall season. In addition to these types of social media groups, Starbucks has also built a thriving brand community based on its mobile app, which gives users points based on their orders to unlock special deals.

Harley-Davidson has one of the most iconic brand communities in the motorcycle industry. Owners of Harley-Davidson motorcycles often participate in group rides, rallies, and events, creating a strong sense of camaraderie and shared passion for the brand. Many motorcyclists consider their bikes as an extension of themselves, part of their lifestyles.

With the brand’s Harley Owners Group, members get perks like access to Harley-Davidson’s lifestyle magazine, free entry to the Harley-Davidson Museum, and even an elite Visa credit card.

By embracing its customer base, Harley-Davidson has cultivated one of the strongest brand communities in existence, reaching a brand valuation of nearly $8 billion.

LEGO enthusiasts, known as AFOLs (Adult Fans of LEGO), have a passionate brand community with a Reddit group of 28,000 members. They share their creative builds on platforms like Instagram and connect through fan conventions and online forums to discuss their love for LEGO bricks and sets. A quick search on TikTok for LEGO content yields a multitude of user-generated content.

LEGO also has a forum for members of its brand community to share their ideas for future LEGO products, where other members can support each other’s ideas and send them to LEGO for consideration.

Airbnb's brand community is built around the idea of sharing unique travel experiences. Hosts and guests often form connections through their shared experiences in various destinations. This sense of adventure and exploration creates a strong emotional bond with the brand.

And, because Airbnb encourages users to share their travel stories and reviews, users can connect and relate to the other 150 million users' experiences while sharing valuable information and tips.

The brand’s Community Center also provides a hub for resource sharing, local host clubs, and user-generated content.

Sephora has cultivated a brand community centered around inclusivity and self-expression. The brand offers a wide range of products catering to diverse beauty needs, allowing customers to find products that resonate with their individual styles.

Sephora’s Beauty Insider community has more than six million members, including mini-groups focusing on specific elements of beauty such as skincare, hair care, lip colors, and more. These groups, in tangent with reviews and ratings for products, foster a sense of community among cosmetics enthusiasts.

GoPro, known for its take-anywhere action cameras, has a vibrant brand community of adventure enthusiasts. GoPro not only connects with thrill-seekers’ daring lifestyles but also provides value to this group by giving them a way to capture and share their riveting experiences, inspiring more bold people like them and expanding the community.

Users share their action-packed videos and photos on social media, participate in challenges and contests, and offer feedback on product features.

GoPro’s Instagram account boasts 20.5 million followers and features countless first-person videos of users exploring the world using these cameras.

Building a brand community is a strategic process that requires deliberate effort, ongoing support, and the use of effective tools and platforms.

Here are some general steps to guide you in building a thriving brand community:

• Understand your audience: Conduct thorough research to understand your target audience's preferences, values, and interests. What motivates them? What problems can your brand solve for them?

• Define your brand’s values: Clearly articulate your brand's values and mission. Your community should align with these core principles to foster a genuine sense of belonging.

• Select the right platform: Choose the platform(s) that best suit your target audience. Whether it's social media, online forums, or a custom-built community website, select the medium that your audience is most comfortable with.

• Create engaging content: Develop and share content that resonates with your community members. This could include blog posts, videos, podcasts, or interactive posts that encourage participation. Make sure these posts provide value to your audience, like exclusive insights, educational resources, or access to industry experts.

• Facilitate discussion: Actively engage with your community members. Respond to comments and questions, and encourage members to interact with each other. Don’t forget to establish clear guidelines for engaging within your community, and moderate content to keep a safe and positive environment.

• Reward and recognize: Recognize and reward active community members. This could involve badges, special access, or exclusive content to motivate ongoing participation.

• Gather feedback: Continuously seek feedback from your community to improve your offerings and community experience.

• Measure and analyze: Use analytics to track the performance of your community. Understand what's working and what needs improvement.

Building a brand community requires dedication, time, and the right tools to effectively manage and engage with your members. Khoros offers a platform to help you develop, launch, and nurture your brand community, leveraging our expertise in community management, engagement strategies, and data analytics.

With Khoros, you can create a vibrant and loyal community around your brand, driving long-term success and customer loyalty. We’re sure you'll have more questions about brand community-building, so check out our comprehensive FAQ for answers to anything we didn’t cover — from timeline implementation to measuring the success of your brand community using data.

Engage your customers like never before and turn their passion for your brand into results with Khoros. Request a demo of our services today.