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Imagine building a brand so magnetic, so deeply connected with its audience, that people don’t just purchase your products—they advocate for them, defend them, and actively contribute to your company’s growth. That’s the power of community building. In today’s fast-paced, hypercompetitive business world, community is more than just a buzzword—it’s your secret weapon. A loyal community transforms customers into brand advocates, drives engagement, and paves the way for collaboration and innovation. In this first blog of our series, we’ll explore why building a strong community around your brand is essential and how it lays the foundation for long-term business success. Welcome to the beginning of your community-driven revolution. 

Transforming Customers into Advocates: Stepping into Building a Community 

Introduction  

In today’s world where everything is connected, building a community around your brand is not just a nice-to-have; I would even go as far as saying that it is a necessity. Think about it—there are likely more devices with internet access today than there ever were actual devices before in the entire history of the world, and people have adopted and adapted to these new ways of connecting and developing connections with each other. 

It should not come as a surprise that humans need to connect with each other. Not only does it give us a sense of belonging, but it also provides a unique perspective of what one might feel by being part of something much bigger than one’s own self. When they find it in a brand community, magic happens. Loyalty increases, engagement deepens, and suddenly, your customers aren’t just buying your product; they’re advocating for it. This blog series will walk you through the power of community building, starting with laying a strong foundation. 

In this and the next blogs, I draw from my own experience after running multiple community groups for over 13 years and being part of many others for most of that time. We are going to explore why community is so crucial for companies. We’ll look at how it helps build trust and loyalty, why creating your own space is far better than relying on social media, and how user groups can become the beating heart of your brand. So, whether you’re starting out building a community or looking to strengthen the one you already have, this is your starting point. 

The Value of Promoting a Community  

“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” – Henry Ford 

85% of companies with online communities’ report that community efforts positively impact their business objectives1. The word “community” gets thrown around a lot in business, but what does it really mean? In its simplest form, a community is a group of people who come together around a common interest or purpose. But in a business context, it’s so much more than that. A community is where your customers, fans, and advocates can come together to connect with each other—and with your brand—on a deeper level. It’s a space where they feel safe, seen, heard, and valued. And when that happens, your brand stops being just a product or service and it becomes part of their identity, a place where they feel they can share their own experiences and collaborate with each other in an effort to build that bond around a common interest.   

A McKinsey report highlights that businesses with a strong community focus can experience a 30% higher engagement rate from their most loyal customers2. Think about how trust plays into this. Customers are bombarded with choices every day, and more likely than not the brands they stick with are the ones they trust. Building a community fosters that trust by showing customers that you’re not just interested in their wallets—you care about their experiences, their opinions, and their feedback. When they feel that their voice matters, they’re more likely to stick around, tell their friends, and, in many cases, become lifelong customers.  

And let’s talk about brand loyalty. In a world where attention spans are becoming shorter and shorter, and competition is fierce, loyalty is everything. Communities provide a space where customers can engage with your brand regularly, creating habits that reinforce their connection to your products or services. They come back not just because they need something, but because they enjoy being part of something bigger—a shared purpose, a common goal, or even just the camaraderie of like-minded individuals. And this loyalty doesn’t just mean repeat purchases; it means that your customers will go out of their way to recommend you to others, defend your brand when needed, and participate in its growth.  

“A true community is not just about being geographically close to someone or part of the same social web network. It’s about feeling connected and responsible for what happens.” – Yehuda Berg 

Why Companies Should Build Their Own Community  

You might be wondering, “Why should I bother building my own community when I can just engage with my customers on social media?” It’s a valid question, but here’s the deal: social media is great, but it’s not your space. When you build a community on Facebook, Instagram, or X (formerly known as Twitter), you’re essentially renting space on someone else’s platform. You’re playing by their rules, relying on their algorithms, and, let’s face it, dealing with distractions from every other brand and influencer out there.  

By creating your own community—whether that’s through a dedicated forum, an app, or even an exclusive membership platform—you own the experience. You set the rules, curate the content, and, most importantly, you have direct access to your members without a middleman controlling the flow of information. It’s like the difference between owning your home and renting an apartment. Sure, renting is easy, but owning gives you control, freedom, and the ability to build something long-lasting.  

Let’s look at some companies that are doing this very well. Take Nike Run Club, for example. They didn’t just create an app where people can track their runs; they built an entire community around running, with challenges, tips, and a space for runners to connect. It’s not just about shoes—it’s about the lifestyle and the people who live it. Then there’s LEGO Ideas, where fans of all ages can submit their own designs for new sets. If their idea gets enough votes, LEGO might actually produce it. It’s a brilliant way to engage their community in a meaningful way while also crowdsourcing creativity.  

When you control your community platform, you can tailor it to your customers’ needs, build brand loyalty, and create an ecosystem that supports your long-term goals. It’s about more than just engagement—it’s about building relationships that last. 

User Groups and Engagement: A Key Strategy  

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller 

Now, let’s talk about user groups. These are the hidden gems within any strong community strategy. While your overall community might be big and diverse, user groups, both global and local, allow you to drill down into specific segments of your audience. Think of them as smaller, more focused communities within the larger ecosystem. They are where your most dedicated users gather to share tips, solve problems, and, often, become ambassadors for your brand.  

The beauty of user groups is that they provide a space for deeper engagement. Let’s say your company sells software. You might have user groups for beginners, intermediate users, and advanced users. Each group can focus on its own challenges, share solutions, and bond over shared experiences. This kind of segmented engagement helps keep users feeling supported no matter where they are in their journey with your product.  

Companies like VMware (now owned by Broadcom) and DELL have mastered the art of user groups. VMUG (VMware User Group) has local user groups in cities all over the world, uses user groups to gather feedback, and to engage with engineers and experts. DELL, with its vast ecosystem, leverages user groups to share new features, and fosters a sense of community among its thousands of users where users can connect in person and share best practices. These groups don’t just create more engaged customers—they create advocates who spread the word about your brand.  

And that’s the real magic of user groups: they turn passive users into active participants. People don’t just want to be part of a crowd—they want to feel like they’re contributing something valuable. When you give them a space to do that, you turn customers into advocates, and that’s where the real power lies. 

Building Brand Advocacy through Community  

Companies that integrate a strong community strategy report a 54% reduction in customer churn rates3. If there’s one thing that every brand craves, it’s advocacy. We all want customers who love our products so much that they tell everyone they know. But here’s the secret: advocacy doesn’t just happen. It’s cultivated. And one of the best ways to cultivate it is through community.  

When you create a space where customers feel connected to your brand, advocacy naturally follows. Say, when was the last time you raved about a product? It was probably something you loved something that made your life easier, or something you felt emotionally connected to. That’s what a community does: it deepens those emotional connections and gives your customers a reason to talk about your brand.  

Advocacy is the most powerful form of marketing because it’s authentic. When someone raves about your product, their friends and family are far more likely to trust them than they are to trust an ad. And the beauty of community is that it fosters this kind of organic, word-of-mouth marketing. Your most engaged customers become your best marketers, spreading the word without you even asking them to.  

From experience, companies with engaged communities see a reduction in spending on customer acquisition. A great example of this community engagement is the group vExpert, a group of over 1300 individuals from 77 countries who made notable contributions to the VMware community and ecosystem. They built a community where their customers feel like insiders—people who are part of something special. The result? Thousands of people who not only buy the products but also share them on social media, recommend them to friends, and defend the brand when necessary. And it all started with a community that made them feel connected.  

So, how do you create advocates? Start by engaging your most passionate customers. Give them a platform to share their experiences, reward their loyalty, and make them feel like they’re part of something bigger. Before you know it, they’ll be spreading the word on your behalf.  

If you are at a point where you do not have those passionate customers yet, don’t worry. Start engaging with customers and other contributors to start building brand awareness and come up with creative ways to get your product out there. 

Conclusion  

We’ve covered a lot in this first blog—everything from why community building is crucial to how user groups can transform your customers into advocates. But this is just the beginning. Building a community is one thing, but once you’ve got that foundation, it’s time to take things to the next level: collaboration.   

In the next blog, we’ll dive into how communities can become powerful engines for collaboration, driving business growth and innovation. We’ll look at how brands like GitHub and Stack Overflow have harnessed the power of community to create something far bigger than just a product. Stay tuned—you won’t want to miss it. 

Author- Daniel Pascua

Director of Product and Engineering at GUARDDOG AI 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dpascua/