Introduction 

At the heart of great marketing is one simple idea: people trust people. This fact is driving the rapid adoption of brand ambassadors. But what is a brand ambassador exactly? How do they differ from influencers, and why are businesses investing so heavily in ambassador programs? 

This guide will provide a comprehensive overview of brand ambassadors, including their responsibilities, the value they contribute, and a comparative analysis with influencers. Explore ambassadors’ crucial role and discover insights into establishing your Ambassador Program to enhance engagement and return on investment (ROI). 

Brand Ambassador Meaning 

A brand ambassador represents and actively promotes a brand, product, or service in a way that feels authentic and credible. These individuals embody the company’s values and mission, acting as an extension of the brand. 

While the term may conjure an image of a celebrity pitching products, most brand ambassadors are everyday individuals, people like loyal customers and employees. What sets them apart is their genuine belief in the brand, which makes their advocacy feel natural rather than transactional. 

Responsibilities of a Brand Ambassador 

The specific tasks vary depending on the brand, but the typical responsibilities of a brand ambassador include: 

• Promoting Products: Sharing experiences with brand products or services via social media, reviews, or direct recommendations.

• Engaging on Social Media: Tagging the brand, using campaign hashtags, and creating User-generated Content (UGC) to amplify the brand’s message.

• Representing at Events: Attending brand-hosted events, trade shows, or pop-ups to interact with customers and provide a human face to the brand.

• Providing Valuable Feedback: Acting as a bridge between the company and its audience, relaying customer insights to improve products or services. 

Successful ambassadors are characterized by their alignment with the brand’s image and values. Their authenticity is the secret ingredient that fuels strong connections with their audience. 

Mobilize and activate your brand ambassador relationships and secure long-term impact with emotional brand loyalty.

The Job of a Brand Ambassador 

Why Alignment Is Key 

A brand ambassador isn’t just a person holding a product. They are chosen because their personality aligns with the brand’s ethos. Whether you’re promoting eco-conscious coffee or athletic wear, the ambassador must resonate with your target market. 

For instance:

• Patagonia ambassadors are deeply involved in environmental advocacy, reflecting the company’s sustainability mission.

• Lululemon relies on fitness instructors who actively lead healthy lifestyles, making them credible advocates for athletic apparel. 

Activities 

Their tasks often involve in-person interactions, such as attending local meetups, and digital engagement, such as spreading awareness through Instagram or TikTok. This job consists of a blend of creativity and communication. Key qualities include reliability, excellent communication skills, and a genuine passion for the brand. 

How Do Brands Use a Brand Ambassador? 

Done right, brand ambassadors can transform a company’s marketing efforts. Here’s how brands leverage ambassadors to maximize ROI: 

Authentic Advocacy Through UGC 

Brands like Starbucks and Glossier encourage ambassadors to create authentic content showcasing real-world product usage. This User-generated Content resonates because it feels organic, not overly rehearsed.  72% of consumers believe customer reviews and testimonials are more credible than branded content. 

Exclusive Campaigns & Experiences 

To engage audiences, brands often feature ambassadors in exclusive campaigns or launch events. For instance, Adidas worked with ambassadors to launch limited-edition sneakers, creating buzz among their communities. 

Community Building 

Some of the most successful Ambassador Programs focus on promotion and fostering a sense of community. By creating VIP ambassador clubs or private online forums, brands give ambassadors an insider experience, incentivizing deeper loyalty. Think Nike’s exclusive running clubs or Sephora’s Beauty Insider Community. 

How to Become a Brand Ambassador 

Curious about pursuing this role? Here are the steps to becoming a successful brand ambassador: 

Building Your Personal Brand 

• Find Your Niche: Focus on a couple of passions, whether it’s fitness, travel, or sustainable living. Align your interests with brands you’d love to represent. 
• Be Active on Social Media: Create authentic, high-quality posts that engage your audience. Consistency is key! 
• Engage with Potential Brands: Interact with companies you admire by tagging them in posts or using their campaign hashtags. 

Develop Key Skills 

Strong communication skills, creativity, and a knack for storytelling will make you stand out. Brands look for ambassadors who can turn casual conversations into compelling brand moments. 

Apply for Programs 

Many brands have dedicated ambassador applications on their websites. For example, Red Bull’s Student Brand Manager Program recruits college students to promote their products on campus. 

Ambassadors vs. Influencers 

While brand ambassadors and influencers may seem similar, the two roles differ significantly. 

Brands may choose influencers over ambassadors (or vice versa) based on goals. Influencers are ideal for quick visibility, while ambassadors build sustained trust and loyalty over time. 

What Words or Language Do Brand Ambassadors Use? 

Key Messaging Traits 

Ambassadors are trained to be authentic, engaging, and brand-aligned in their messaging. Successful ambassadors avoid jargon or hard selling—they focus on storytelling. Here are some examples:

• Relatable Tone: Sharing personal anecdotes about using a product (e.g., “This cleanser fits perfectly into my busy morning routine!”). 
• Calls to Action: Encouraging followers to try products (“Use my code for 20% off!”). 
• Consistent Branding: Incorporating branded hashtags or slogans. 

Benefits of Implementing an Ambassador Program 

The return on investment (ROI) from ambassador programs is remarkable. Let’s highlight some advantages for brands:

Authenticity Drives Trust 

With 93% of marketers agreeing that customer-created content outperforms branded messaging, investing in ambassadors yields genuine, relatable marketing content. 

Cost-efficiency 

Compared to large-scale advertising campaigns, ambassador programs are cost-effective, offering long-term branding benefits for a fraction of the cost. 

Community Engagement 

Featuring ambassadors help build a tight-knit Community Powered Marketing approach, fostering loyalty and advocacy. 

UGC and Boosted Sales 

76% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase due to peer recommendations or ambassador content. 

Unlock the Power of Brand Ambassadors 

Brand ambassadors are no longer optional but essential in the modern marketing arsenal. Blending authenticity, creativity, and community amplifies brand trust and drives loyalty. 

For marketers, now is the time to leverage ambassadors effectively. Define your brand’s messaging, recruit passionate advocates, and watch the meaningful connections (and ROI) grow. 

Are you looking to drive long-term loyalty through Ambassador Programs? It’s time to cultivate partnerships that add authentic voices to your marketing strategy. The coffee is brewing, and the next big ambassador opportunity awaits. Schedule a demo and start cultivating lasting relationships with a Brand Ambassador Community.

The post What is a Brand Ambassador? appeared first on TINT.

We won’t pretend that brand love can ever replace actual human love, although I’m sure some could argue their relationship with a brand is healthier and longer-lasting than their human counterparts (looking at you, Apple ).

But consumers can be very emotional about the brands they purchase. In our State of Community Powered Marketing study, we found that 69% of consumers believe the brands they buy reflect who they are.

This goes beyond affinity and Net Promoter Score to signaling the opportunity to form direct, emotional, and engaging consumer-brand connections that can have a powerful impact, from inspiring advocacy to increasing purchase frequency and forming lasting emotional loyalty.

So this Valentine’s Day, we’re looking at the top ways marketers can create authentic brand love with consumers, borrowing from some of the key ingredients for fostering love in any relationship. 

Key Love Ingredient #1: Validation

Validation is about feeling seen, heard, and understood and is a central element in creating a connection with humans and brands alike. For marketers, this can be achieved through personalized messaging. 

While “personalization” has been on the marketer must-have list for a while, many organizations limit personalization to surface-level data like demographics, purchase history, and/or other passively collected behavioral information. Sometimes this backfires. There is a fine line between the validating feeling of “you know me” and the creepy sensation of “how did you know that?” 

Brands should aim to elevate their personalization efforts by focusing on values, core beliefs, interests, and passions. Collecting this kind of information, also known as zero party data, equips you to be able to deliver more meaningful content, offer relevant website experiences, tailor email campaigns and target ads. And as we all know, there are few things more attractive than showing someone that you “get them” and their needs are important . 

By validating consumers in a meaningful way, they will show you love in return. In fact, 97% of consumers are motivated to be loyal and purchase more frequently when a brand listens to their opinions and feedback. 

Key Love Ingredient #2: Empathy 

At the end of the day, we all want to know we’re not alone. We won’t lie though; empathy from brands is a tough business. “We’re here for you” and “We’re all in this together” triggers involuntary eye-rolls more often than not. To have an impact, brands must go beyond messaging and truly live and breathe the “we understand” sentiment.  

A key way to show empathy is by facilitating a sense of belonging. In an increasingly divisive world, people are seeking meaningful connections. And they are increasingly turning away from social media’s synthetically picture-perfect and ad-focused environment – Gartner predicts 50% of consumers will significantly limit their use of major platforms by next year – toward the authentic and personalized experience of online communities. In fact, 40% of consumers say their involvement in online communities will increase in 2024. 

Starting an online brand community for like-minded people is a way to show your consumers that they’re not alone and there are other people who are like them. And building connections with others will strengthen those with your brand; 67% of consumers report feeling more connected to a brand through community than social media.

Stripes, a fast-growing holistic menopause solutions brand founded by actress Naomi Watts (also one of our clients), wanted to empower women to embrace midlife and take away the stigma and anxiety of experiencing menopause. When they launched the Hot Spot community, it became a home for women to connect with the brand and each other. Stripes supports this dialogue through an active discussion forum that allows members to share stories, tips, and recommendations for navigating their midlife journey.

Key Love Ingredient #3: Appreciation

Consumer appreciation can be shown in many different ways. It can seem complicated, but really the hardest part is remembering to do it. 

Showing appreciation to consumers does not stop at providing a quality product or service at a reasonable price. The next level is ensuring the entire brand experience is as smooth as possible AND goes above and beyond. However, 54% of U.S. consumers say customer experience at most companies needs improvement. That’s a pretty large gap. 

Going above and beyond can be anything from surprise and delight moments and offering complementary products or services, to personal notes or even involving consumers in upcoming company decisions. 

Plush stuffed animal manufacturer, Squishables, states they are a democracy and has operated “Project Open Squish” for consumers to submit and vote on designs for upcoming products. Fast-growing condiment brand, Sir Kensington’s, often includes hand-written thank you notes and provides additional resources like nutritionists to its online brand community Taste Buds (ps they’re also a client). 

By tapping into the voice of the customer, brands can understand what will engage their audience and give them all the feels. With an online community, marketers can harness discussions, polls, surveys, and focus groups to stay on top of preferences and then put those insights into action, delivering meaningful experiences, offers, and content. 

Key Love Ingredient #4: Trustworthiness 

It used to be that a brand was considered trustworthy when people could believe in how the company was run, and if it stood behind its products or services. Over time, for younger consumers in particular, it grew to include consideration for a corporation’s ethical practices and the footprint it leaves on the planet.

Today, however, many brands are no longer just manufacturers or service providers. They’re actually technology companies in disguise. Some brands openly admit this, like when Dominoes said they are a “tech company that sells pizza.” While consumers certainly care how your product is made and how you market yourself, when you become a technology company, trustworthiness grows to mean something more. 

71% of consumers say it is more important to trust the brands they buy from or use today than in the past. And being a trusted brand today includes being transparent about your data practices. 

We all know that consumers are seeking more control over their data. But control doesn’t have to equal absence – 93% of consumers are willing to share their data in exchange for unique experiences and offers. Follow-through is as important for brands as it is in any relationship so don’t risk your consumers breaking up with you by not delivering on your promises – 67% of consumers are disappointed when they share their data and a brand does do anything with it.

Another way to make your brand more trustworthy is to create a brand mission statement on data collection. Consumers want to know not just the who, what, where and how of data collection, but also the “why.” Why does your brand believe data is helpful? How does it rhyme with your brand story and your unique value proposition? Data is an undeniable part of our lives now. Take a stand on how your brand believes data plays a role. 

Key Love Ingredient #5: Authenticity 

86% of consumers say authenticity is important when deciding what brands they like and support, however, more than half (57%) of consumers think that less than half of brands create content that resonates as authentic. 

Brands knew about the importance of “authenticity” long before Merriam-Webster recognized it as the word of the year. And smart marketers realize that being “real” is not about telling the story about who you are as a brand. It’s about empowering people to tell the story of who they are and what they stand for. 

The best way to make your message authentic is to have other people say it for you. You can do this by empowering advocates to share their stories. Brand advocacy should be the cornerstone of every effort you make to “be real.” Spark advocacy from your consumers by providing useful content, thoughtful and exclusive brand experiences, and new information.

And then acknowledge and reward their efforts by showcasing their UGC, ratings & reviews, and testimonials for the world to see, on your website, community, social media, packaging and more. Because nothing is more authentic than wearing your heart on your (digital) sleeve.  

Inspired to take the plunge?

If you have questions about how the TINT community platform can build direct, emotional, and engaging consumer relationships that last, let’s talk.

Sign up for a demo today.

The post 5 Ways Marketers Can Foster Brand Love appeared first on TINT.

Meta recently announced it was going to cut off third-party access to Facebook Groups. This was a surprise announcement telling brands and developers they have 90 days before they are deprecating the ability to schedule and automate posts in Facebook Groups as well as engage with consumers through the Groups API. 

While newsfeed algorithm changes once dominated headlines, today all eyes are on API access, with platforms like X and Reddit imposing hefty charges. Let’s not forget all of this is unfolding against the backdrop of Google’s elimination of third-party cookies. Marketing is fun. 

Community managers and businesses are stating this new change is “devastating” and that “this is platform risk in real-time.” Developers are “shocked,” and one community manager said, “The removal of third-party access to Facebook Groups could significantly alter the digital landscape.”

What does Meta’s change mean for community-building on social networks?

Social media undeniably revolutionized how brands connect with their audience, catapulting many brands into stardom with viral moments. It’s tempting to equate your follower or group count with a thriving brand community. However, Meta’s recent moves serve as a stark reminder of the dangers of over-reliance on third-party platforms.

Today’s modern marketers know that community-building is what separates brands that last from those that fizzle. Actively cultivating connections with brand advocates and influential creators unleashes the power of word-of-mouth, generating authentic, ongoing UGC that translates into tangible sales.

While nurturing audiences on a social network is crucial, particularly for drawing in new brand enthusiasts, the issue arises when social media becomes your primary avenue for community-building. Once you try to scale that effort and create workflows around it (or even a whole business), you’re at danger of having the rug pulled out from under you.

In our State of Community Powered Marketing report, we found 60% of marketers are concerned they are one algorithm change away from losing access to their audience on social. This latest change heightens it as a real fear and risk. 

We’ve seen this film many times before. Meta enticing companies with seemingly unbridled free access, only to gradually tighten restrictions and alter the rules. These changes send shockwaves through organizations, forcing them to frantically adapt their strategies. 

The challenge for marketers in building communities on social media lies in sustaining long-term engagement. Once someone follows your page or joins your group, you must provide continuous and increasing value – and there’s a limited amount of depth you can achieve on social. Consumers have come to expect personalized communication, exclusive and captivating content, and to be treated like a VIP. 

The diversity of interaction on social is limited and ultimately, we are reminded again today that you do not own these relationships. You are simply renting a booth from the social networks. They can change the rules at any time without consulting you. You don’t develop years-long consumer relationships at a booth. 

Your community of consumers will always span various online channels, but having a centralized place for community engagement is paramount. Think of it as your brand’s community headquarters, where brand enthusiasts can connect, converse, and co-create with like-minded individuals.

So, what’s the takeaway? Facebook is teaching marketers another important lesson. Your Facebook Group or social media audience is a stepping stone to community-building. Making it the entire path will ultimately put your brand at increased risk. 

It’s time to take control of your community-building efforts and create a space where your brand can truly thrive. Remember, your brand’s community is more than just a number on a social media profile. It’s an evolving entity that deserves a home of its own. So, start building – on your own turf.

Ready to get started building your owned brand community? Learn how TINT powers community initiatives for the world’s largest brands. Schedule a demo today.

The post API and Algorithm Anxiety? Stop Building Your Brand’s Community On Someone Else’s Site appeared first on TINT.

These expressions wield a unique influence, shaping perceptions and steering purchase decisions in ways that traditional marketing falls short, and have endured the test of time as the ultimate beacons of trust. 

Brands that harness the power of UGC position themselves not only as active participants in the conversation but also as genuine contributors to the stories that unfold. The images, videos, and experiences shared serve as the building blocks upon which brands can cultivate lasting relationships with their customers. We’re proud to enable these relationships between brand and customer.

What Lies Ahead in 2024: Embracing Community Powered Marketing

As a brand’s UGC journey unfolds, our team hears a common question: “How can we deepen connections with our community of passionate consumers and create more conversation?” And ever since our earliest brand customers, marketers have turned to us to help build their army of advocates. 

Over the years, this type of community-building has evolved into a fundamental pillar of modern marketing. In fact, our annual State of Community Powered Marketing study releasing later this month reveals that nearly seven out of ten marketers are prioritizing community-building in the next two years (view some early results here). 

We find ourselves in a distinctive era where the community you foster as a brand shapes your identity in the marketplace, defining not just what you sell but the very essence of who you are as a brand. 

As we step into the new year, TINT proudly upholds its legacy of excellence in UGC curation and distribution. Bolstered by platform advancements, the strategic acquisition of Vesta last year, and many invaluable new insights collected, we embark on 2024 with an invigorated mission. 

TINT is set to transform how brands approach consumer engagement, advocacy, conversion, and loyalty by going all-in on Community Powered Marketing.

I believe that the holy grail of marketing involves the skillful mastery of fusing authenticity and trust, personalized experiences, and relationship building. By recognizing that the voice of the customer is the voice of the brand and crafting personalized experiences for their consumers, brands create emotional loyalty that is the foundation for advocacy which in turn builds direct relationships with community at the core.

The customer-obsessed brands of today and tomorrow embrace the power of community engagement to drive new customer acquisition and fortify long-term retention and brand preference. 

Expectations for 2024: Platform Expansion and Game-Changing Capabilities

We are pioneering a platform that catalyzes genuine community connection for brands across the entire customer journey, from the moment a consumer is first exposed to your brand to when they become steadfastly loyal. A platform that enables advocacy activation and hyper-personalized engagement through the rich tapestry of first and zero-party data. 

The TINT platform is undergoing exciting expansion, and we’re introducing game-changing capabilities — empowering brands to craft immersive community destinations for their customers. These spaces are rich with diverse engagement opportunities from social sampling, ratings & reviews, and identifying content creators to dynamic surveys, vibrant discussion boards, curated offers, and gamified interactions.

Our powerful AI-driven UGC collection and curation will ensure a seamless scale-up of these valuable community relationships, complete with efficient rights management, social commerce integrations, and connectivity across an extensive network of distribution channels. 

With these new capabilities, TINT is a first-of-its-kind engagement ecosystem, unlocking an environment where brands can make real wins in the market by mobilizing their ardent supporters – at greater speed, ease, and impact than ever before. 

Some of the many exciting enhancements ahead include: 

• An innovative commerce solution that elevates your ecomm PDP conversion through Community Powered Ratings & Reviews 
• An AI-Powered Audience Builder with hyper-personalization that identifies your best advocates and matches audience cohorts with custom dynamic user-generated content and offers
  
• A Community Growth Toolkit with everything you need to build a thriving consumer community for your brand
  
• A revolutionary Community Powered Rewards program that puts community at the core of driving retention
  
• Dozens of new interactive brand engagements easily tailored and deployed to your consumers, collecting valuable zero-party data
• More integrations to streamline efficiencies and value across your martech stack 

As we embark on this exciting journey into 2024, we’re not just reimagining the future of our platform; we’re reshaping how brands connect and engage by putting community at the heart of marketing. 

Stay tuned for an exhilarating year of Community Powered Marketing innovation and collaboration. A heartfelt thank you to our dedicated team and cherished customers.

Here’s to the remarkable year ahead!

Sameer

The post Future-Forward Brands Look to Community Powered Marketing in 2024 appeared first on TINT.

In the past few years, word-of-mouth has become more impactful than ever. Most of social media’s existence has been primarily used to connect with existing friends and family and to share entertaining and valuable content. While that is certainly still the case, the connections and relationships built from pure digital communities have become integral to our social lives. 

In our Big Online Brand Community Study of more than 4,900 consumers, we found 56% of consumers said their participation in online communities has increased in the past three years. This was clearly an outcome propelled by the pandemic, where online communities were a lifeline for creating connection and a sense of belonging.

With the rise of TikTok, swaths of internet strangers gathered together to connect and exchange stories and ideas. The brands we buy naturally became a part of the conversation. We’ve all experienced clicking with someone by saying, “oh I love that brand!” Now we can say that with millions of other consumers online, creating a powerhouse for building brand advocacy. 

This was happening so much on TikTok that the hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt became a staple among users and today sits at 51.7 Billion views. 

There is no question that brands are a prominent backdrop for creating community connections. How can you maximize community-driven brand conversation to drive sales? Let’s talk about it. 

What is Community Commerce? 

TikTok defines community commerce as “creator-driven word-of-mouth marketing.” Community commerce sits at the intersection of community, shopping, and entertainment. The company denotes it as a subset of social commerce, citing the authenticity of community connection as a key differentiator. 

For brands looking to define it as a marketing practice, leveraging community commerce is a business strategy to harness the collective power of community-driven recommendations to generate awareness and conversion. 

On TikTok, anyone can become a content creator, and one viral post on the For You page can attract thousands of followers in just seconds. When one of those creators recommends your brand, it can break through significant clutter in a crowded advertising space. 

Furthermore, when your product or brand becomes part of an overall community trend, it can drive massive reach and sales. One of the most viral examples was the e.l.f. Cosmetics #eyelipsface challenge. This effort was later hailed as the “most influential campaign on TikTok” by Adweek and garnered 7 billion views and 5 million user-generated videos. 

Why is Community Commerce Important for Brands? 

Community commerce is often associated with product discovery – meaning consumers who find out about products and services for the first time and are convinced to purchase them because of community endorsements. It is an excellent tactic to drive new consumer acquisition, especially for securing successful product launches. 

• A study from GlobalWebIndex found that 70% of consumers say they have been driven to purchase on social media even though they didn’t look for anything specific to buy
• In our study, 1 in 3 consumers ranked “product recommendation from others” as one of the top benefits of an online brand community
• Nielsen’s Trust in Advertising study found 88% of people most trust recommendations from people they know
• TikTok’s study with WARC and Publicis found 85% of consumers have purchased a product or service after seeing it advertised or reviewed on social media

The power of community is unparalleled in its ability to move conversation into conversion. Community commerce also offers the intangible benefit of forming deeper consumer relationships that can boost emotional loyalty and retention.

Strategies for Community Commerce 

Create Entertainment Through Everyday Moments and Memes 

Memes are the digital secret handshake of online communities, and they are one of the biggest reasons why people love TikTok so much. TikTok became especially famous for its sound memes, and with its purposeful unpolished nature, brands can quickly jump into these trends.

An example is the “Everything is Cake” meme, where people created hyper-realistic versions of everyday objects that were later cut into and revealed as just cake. Adidas jumped in on the meme and made a limited edition edible Adidas cake that looked exactly like its Original ZX 2K Boost sneakers. The brand actually produced and sold the cake in London. 

Inserting your brand into a meme requires the right timing and relevance. Get those two parts right, and it can be the combustion engine of community commerce. It’s important brands don’t just jump onto any trend, as we saw many marketers do with “newsjacking” in the Twittersphere many years ago. It must make sense for your brand to participate. 

Shoppable Content to Encourage Trial and Speed to Checkout

Most advertising aims to achieve enough repetition and exposure with a potential buyer that your brand will be top of mind and ultimately drive conversion. 

With community commerce, when consumers are inspired by their digital community about a brand, they often want to buy the product right that second. Speed to cart is a critical part of community commerce. 

Shoppable content, especially shoppable videos, is a massive opportunity for brands. There is usually a gap for marketers between telling a compelling story and securing the final sale. Shoppable content is the perfect solution. For livestream shopping, conversion rates are hugely successful. McKinsey found them to be up to 10 times more than standard ecommerce.

An example of this is when QVC and Netflix partnered in 2022 for “Stranger Things Day” in a lifestream event for video commerce, enticing consumers to buy themed products, toys, and memorabilia as exclusives on QVC. 

TikTok widely promotes its partnership with Shopify and will likely grow its integrations with other ecommerce platforms in the future. Businesses can connect their TikTok account to Shopify to generate in-feed shoppable posts from videos. They can also engage in brand takeovers and branded effects like filters and stickers. 

Cultivate an Owned Online Brand Community Channel 

Brands can drive community commerce on third-party sites like TikTok and Instagram, but they also have a unique opportunity today to cultivate an owned channel of community commerce through an online brand community. 

With the right online community platform (think TINT), brands can create their own ecosystem of community commerce to achieve increased volume. Online brand communities can activate targeted consumers to share on third-party sites and boost social share of voice and advocacy. 

Our study found: 

• 78% of consumers say being a part of an online brand community makes them more likely to purchase new products/services from the brand 
• 74% of consumers say being a part of an online brand community makes them more likely to leave a review for the brand
• 88% say they share content and offers from online brand communities they are a part of
• Almost two-thirds (61%) of Gen Z consumers say they are more likely to create video content as part of an online brand community 

Hero Cosmetics, creator of the famed “Mighty Patch” acne product, partnered with TINT to mobilize its Hero Skin Squad community as a destination for loyal brand users to exchange product recommendations and offer helpful tips. The brand often uses personalized product sampling to spark conversation among the community. In just 100 days of launching their community, they saw over 400 product reviews. 

Final Thoughts

Community commerce has emerged as a powerful tool for brands to connect with their consumers. It has enabled even the smallest brands to reach a global audience and compete with more prominent players. As we move forward, it’s clear community commerce will only continue to grow in importance, providing new opportunities for brands to thrive and for consumers to discover unique products. 

How TINT Helps With You With Community Commerce 

TINT’s online brand community platform empowers you to amplify your community commerce efforts. Our solution helps you to mobilize your consumer community in a dedicated branded destination, cultivate lasting relationships, and drive sales velocity and awareness on key ecommerce channels. With more than 20+ engagement activities available to brands, consumers can be assigned a wealth of activities to participate in – including writing product reviews, creating user-generated photos and videos, completing surveys and polls, participating in discussions, and much more.

Using TINT, brands can drive new customer acquisition significantly, secure emotional and long-term brand loyalty, and “future proof” with agile insights and ongoing data collection. Get started today.

The post What is Community Commerce and Why Should Brands Care appeared first on TINT.

That’s why a Community Powered Marketing strategy can help your brand survive and thrive in a crowded space in this decade and beyond. 

At TINT, we believe every brand has a consumer community. It’s just a matter of how you interact with them, how much business value you get from that engagement, and how you can maximize your relationship with your consumer community. 

Is your community sitting in an untapped database collecting dust?

Is your community trapped behind a gatekeeper called Meta who requires you to pay up to talk to your audience? 

Is your community slowly turning into Transaction Drones in a rewards program where they will quickly abandon you for the next shiny thing? 

Or is your community engagement a combination of headache-inducing Excel spreadsheets that require manual management? 

Perhaps you already have a dedicated community strategy, or your brand IS your community. You may need new ways to nurture your audience into the future. 

No method of engaging with your consumer community is wrong, nor is Community Powered Marketing about throwing away everything you’re doing and starting from scratch. Let’s talk about the ingredients of a Community Powered Marketing strategy and what it can offer to your brand. 

What is Community Powered Marketing?

Community Powered Marketing is an organizational mindset centered on identifying, integrating, and maximizing engagement channels to foster community connection, ultimately increasing customer retention, driving new acquisitions, and delivering valuable insights to move your brand forward. 

Why is a Community Powered Marketing Strategy Important? 

Our digital communities have become an immutable part of our overall social connection, especially in the past few years. Marketers have taken notice. 

In our landmark study of more than 4,900 consumers, The Big Online Brand Community Study, we found 56% of consumers said their online community involvement has increased in the past three years, and 84% of consumers say the community surrounding a brand has an impact on how they feel about the brand. This was especially prevalent for Gen Z consumers, with 92% saying community has an effect. 

Communities are becoming increasingly valuable (vital even!). The study also found: 

• 79% say community is important when it comes to engaging with their favorite brands
• 74% say a brand community makes them more likely to write a product review
• 78% say a brand community makes them more likely to try new products/services from the brand
• 88% of consumers who participate in a brand community say they share content and offers from the community often 

Combining this information with shifts in ecommerce demands, the disappearance of third party cookies, and a heightened focus on privacy, marketers are putting considerable emphasis on direct consumer relationships to maintain market share amidst sweeping changes in the next three to five years. 

It’s clear brands of the future will be defined by the community of consumers they cultivate. These power brands will prioritize building relationships supported by shared values and experiences. 

You don’t just have to take our word for it, either. A McKinsey report recently named “community” as the big idea in 2020’s marketing. Harvard Business Review’s article “When Community Becomes Your Competitive Advantage,” quotes, “Communities are going to change the nature of how we interact with brands, products, and other people.” 

Additionally:

• In a study of 400 marketers, 86% believe having a branded online community positively impacts core operations, and 85% believe it improves the customer journey and increases trust
• 49% of businesses with online communities report cost savings of 10% to 25% annually
• Consumers rely on emotional connection, personalized marketing, and values alignment to determine whether to purchase your brand
• The average community ROI increases with age, reaching as high as 5,000% after ten years 
• A brand community was shown to produce a 13X greater customer lifetime value than any other marketing channel 

A recent report from Gartner identified the top priorities for CMOs in 2023 that included: 

• Aiming for high-value personalization
• Customer journey orchestration creating value 
• Restructuring teams for operational effectiveness
• Build teams that drive short- and long-term digital growth 

A Community Powered Marketing strategy is exactly the digital experience to win over consumers and provide an efficient powerhouse to your marketing efforts. Community Powered Marketing helps you to:

• Create a digital ecosystem for consumers to feel connected to your brand
• Deliver personalized brand experiences fueled by zero party data
• Streamline your marketing stack and amplify existing marketing efforts
• Achieve immediate results with word-of-mouth advocacy as well as long-term loyalty 

Steps to Building a Community Powered Marketing Strategy (And Who Is Getting it Right)

With more than 13 years of experience engaging millions of consumers in online communities on behalf of brands, our team loves to share the wisdom we’ve collected to help you cultivate a thriving community for your brand. 

Step 1 – Assess How You’re Currently Engaging With Your Consumer Community 

Look at your overall marketing channels and identify how and where you engage your audience. 

Some marketers may find that most of their community engagement happens in their email list or database. Others may say it is their loyalty or rewards program, while many might see it’s their social media brand page or hashtag. 

Again, none of these channels are wrong when it comes to community engagement, but it’s essential to understand how you’re currently engaging with your audience.

How Hero Cosmetics Assessed Community Engagement 

Hero Cosmetics, creator of the popular “Mighty Patch” acne product, is a leader in utilizing digital and ecommerce platforms to build a booming business. The brand knew it had a passionate consumer base but needed help activating consumers to help achieve ecommerce goals – namely, driving authentic product reviews and user-generated content. 

The brand created its Hero Skin Squad as a destination for consumers to connect with the Hero brand, sample new products based on personalized information, and share their thoughts and opinions with others. Consumers feel valued and empowered to be a part of the brand’s growth. 

VP of Marketing at Hero, Amy Callhoun Robb, says, “We are incredibly excited to see the immediate impact our community is having on our brand. The Hero Skin Squad is actively sharing their positive experiences with our products, participating in product development, and helping us spread the word about our new launches. The activities and insights coming out of our community are creating great value.” 

Step 2 – Identify Gaps in Current Engagement 

Typically, marketers run into the same three gaps regarding their consumer community engagement. These gaps are: 

1. Community ownership – includes data ownership and having to pay third-party gatekeepers to access your community.
2. Community activation – involves your ability to go beyond one-way communication and get your community to take action. Marketers may be challenged by delivering personalized communication to drive purchase conversion, participation in brand promotions, or generate word-of-mouth advocacy. 
3. Community connection – many brands struggle with connecting consumers in a meaningful way through either knowledge exchange or shared values 

Once you identify the gaps in your community engagement, you can prioritize how a Community Powered Marketing strategy can best serve your brand. 

How Clio Snacks Identified Engagement Gaps 

Fast-growing yogurt brand, Clio Snacks, struggled with creating an effective strategy as most of their community interaction lived on their brand’s Facebook page. 

In addition to having their community owned by a third party, they were stuck using Excel spreadsheets to try to run activations with their consumers. They realized it was not a sustainable model for long-term engagement and decided to cultivate their community as an extension of their brand website. 

They started the Clio Cravings Club, where they can directly engage with their community. In just 100 days of launching, they saw an 18% increase in Net Promoter Scores and a 25% lift in brand loyalty. 

Step 3 – Find Areas to Leverage Community Throughout Your Brand Funnel 

Community Powered Marketing is about utilizing your strong consumer base to amplify your marketing initiatives. 

Your consumer community can help throughout the business funnel. This can include anything from:  

• Product ideation
• Product development 
• Audience research
• Marketing and creative testing
• Product testing and feedback
• Reviews and recommendations on key ecommerce channels
• Traffic to your website
• User-generated content
• Conversion and promotion amplification 
• Purchase follow up 
• Continued loyalty 
• Brand advocacy

How DSE Healthcare Utilized its Community in Go-To-Market Strategies 

DSE Healthcare Solutions, a provider of specialty health brands, created its Upside Community as a place to fuel innovation and success for new product launches. 

Iron supplement brand, Fergon, utilized its consumer community throughout the go-to-market strategy for its Fergon Iron Restore product. 

Michele Muhammad, the company’s Chief Sales & Marketing Officer, stated, “Fergon Iron Restore was completely developed with the help of the community. They helped us name the product, sampled it, and gave us reviews. That whole thing happened within The Upside community.” 

Step 4 – Mobilize Consumers in a Dedicated Community Space 

For many brands, an online community can be the missing piece to a complete digital presence. It’s important to determine the right online community platform for your brand. 

With TINT, we empower your team to mobilize your consumer community easily through a customizable community platform that can be set up in as few as four weeks. 

You can create a community destination that matches your brand’s look and feel and link directly from your website. We also integrate a wide selection of existing tools for streamlined efficiency in your tech stack. 

Inside your brand community, consumers can access a personalized dashboard of brand activities – from surveys to polls to sampling programs, word-of-mouth campaigns, exclusive content, and much more. 

Consumers can also access a dedicated community discussion forum where they can interact with other community members to ask questions, share stories, and engage in an ongoing way in-between purchases. 

Step 5 – Grow Ongoing Community Value

A cautionary finding from our Big Online Brand Community Study was that 78% of consumers believe brands are overusing the term “community” without providing a real community experience. 

Community must be more than a buzzword marketers use to entice consumers to engage with them long-term. 

Creating a community engagement strategy that will produce long-term results and lasting business impact is essential. 

At TINT, we developed the Comm-U-N-I-T-Y engagement model to give brands a structure for creating a positive experience for consumers. A strong community strategy will: 

U – Use Reliable Frequency – ensuring community members have regular opportunities to participate and will achieve the “Goldilocks” zone of engagement (not too much, not too little, just right). 

N – Nimble in Growth – embraces evolving growth with time and welcomes opportunities to co-create the community culture. 

I – Impactful Motivators – deliver engagement efforts focusing on fulfilling research-backed high-impact emotional motivators for consumers. This includes making consumers feel like they “stand out from the crowd,” “have confidence in the future,” “have a sense of thrill,” and “have a sense of belonging.”

T – Trusted Environment – offering a dependable, easy-to-use, mobile-optimized platform. A brand will also keep itself accountable to the community, do what it says it’s going to, and maintain consumer privacy and security paramount. 

Y – Yields Value – provides a strong value exchange for what consumers will receive for participating. This value can be in personalized experiences and discoverable activities that surprise and delight consumers. 

How TINT Can Help With Your Community Powered Marketing Strategy 

TINT’s online brand community platform empowers you to mobilize your consumer community in a dedicated branded destination and cultivate lasting relationships. With more than 20+ engagement activities available to brands, consumers can be assigned a wealth of activities to participate in – including writing product reviews, creating user-generated photos and videos, completing surveys and polls, participating in discussions, amplifying eCommerce, and in-store efforts, and much more.

Using TINT, brands can drive new customer acquisition significantly, secure emotional and long-term brand loyalty, and “future proof” with agile insights and ongoing data collection. 

Interested in more?

Sign up for a demo today.

The post How to Create a Community Powered Marketing Strategy appeared first on TINT.

One growing approach is cultivating a dedicated online brand community, which can be a powerful marketing tool for engaging and activating Gen Z consumers – driving brand advocacy, long-term loyalty, and agile insights. 

However, to succeed, marketers must create an authentic and inclusive community that aligns with the values and interests of Gen Z consumers.

Gen Z is known for its unique characteristics and digital-native mindset, and marketing to them requires a deep understanding of their values, preferences, and behaviors.

We piloted a landmark study, the Big Online Brand Community Study, surveying over 4,900 consumers about their thoughts and opinions of online brand communities. We explored what makes brand communities flourish and flounder, and how online brand communities will shape consumer opinions and purchase decisions in the upcoming years. 

In our study, we found significant contrast in Gen Z’s preferences and behaviors compared to other generations. 

Here are five things you should know if you’re thinking about Community Powered Marketing with Gen Z consumers. 

1. Gen Z Considers Community More Important than Any Other Generation 

As digital natives, Gen Z is known to utilize online connections to foster a sense of belonging and to develop digital relationships with like-minded individuals. How does this translate to their relationship with brands? 

Our study found:

• A whopping 92% of Gen Z consumers agree the community surrounding a brand impacts how they feel about the brand, demonstrating the power of communities to shape brand opinion. 
• When we look at Gen Z consumers, there is a 13 percentage point increase above the average for those who consider community “very important.”  (43% vs. 30%)

The message is clear for marketers; if brands want to attract and retain Gen Z consumers, investing in a brand-owned community is paramount. And now is the moment to strike before other brands or competitors will. 

2. Online Brand Communities Move the Needle on Increased Purchase Frequency and Brand Trust for Gen Z 

Community Powered Marketing through online brand communities drives numerous business results for your brand. It is a platform to directly engage with your target audience, gather valuable insights and feedback, build brand advocacy, and ultimately increase sales and customer retention.

Our study found that online brand communities make consumers more likely to try new products, recommend your brand to others, and purchase your brand more frequently. 

Regarding how online brand communities influence purchase frequency, there is a sharp increase in Gen Z consumers compared to other generations. 

• 81% of Gen Z consumers say being a part of an online brand community makes them more likely to purchase the brand more often, 13 percentage points higher than other generations (68%)
• 83% of Gen Z consumers say being a part of an online brand community makes them more likely to trust the brand, 19 percentage points higher than other generations (64%)

An online brand community is a huge asset for marketers looking to drive repeat purchases among young consumers. While an online brand community is often regarded as a “soft” marketing practice, it delivers tangible results to your brand’s bottom line. 

3. Gen Z is Less Focused on Rewards Than Other Generations and More On Knowledge Exchange 

With a platform like Vesta, an online brand community can offer a lot to your consumers. From completing surveys and polls to participating in discussions, earning rewards, and engaging in personalized brand activities. Which aspects of an online brand community are most important to Gen Z consumers? 

When we asked consumers what they consider the top benefits of being a part of an online brand community, we found that younger consumers deviate from the average when it comes to rewards and knowledge exchange. 

• 50% of Gen Z consumers consider rewards for their participation a top benefit of an online brand community. This is notably 12 percentage points lower than other generations (62%), highlighting a critical insight into where Gen Z finds value in online brand communities. 
• 53% of Gen Z consumers say a top benefit of an online brand community is “learning information about my special interest.” In a swap with what we found regarding rewards, information exchange is 12 percentage points higher than other generations (41%).

While earning rewards is a strong value exchange for consumers in most marketing strategies, marketers looking to establish themselves with the Gen Z crowd should also focus on creating value through information. 

An online brand community is a perfect destination for consumers to trade tips, seek support, and hear stories from others like them. This will help them feel more knowledgeable about things they care about. 

4. Gen Z is Turned Off if Your Online Brand Community Lacks Identity 

Sometimes, the best lessons in marketing are learning what consumers don’t want from brands. 

Younger generations like Gen Z and Millennials have high standards for brands. Gen Z has a reputation for being consumers who prioritize authenticity, social responsibility, and personalized experiences when making purchasing decisions. 

Overall, our study found that consumers are tired of brands using “community” as a buzzword. Across the board, 78% of consumers think the term “community” is being overused by brands that aren’t providing a real community experience. 

• 48% of Gen Z and Millennials say they have already been let down by an online brand community where expectations fell short, an 11 percentage point increase from the average (37%)
• Notably, 41% of Gen Z consumers cited a “lack of identity” as a reason to leave an online brand community, compared to an average of 30% 

Community should be a core channel to enhance your overall digital footprint. With online community software like Vesta, an online brand community can seamlessly integrate into your overall online ecosystem. It can bring your brand values to life through real stories and personal experiences.

5. Gen Z is Especially Motivated to Create Video Content Through Online Brand Communities 

User-generated content (UGC) is often considered the holy grail for brands. Studies show 93% of consumers find UGC to be helpful when making a purchasing decision. And the authenticity of the content is invaluable – 87% of brands use UGC to share ‘authentic content,’ and another 72% believe it increases engagement with audiences.

While UGC of the previous decade often concentrated on photo filters, UGC of this decade will be heavily centered on videos. This is highlighted by the fact that over 60% of Gen Z consumers are on sites like TikTok. 

• 61% of Gen Z consumers say being a part of an online brand community makes them more likely to create video content for a brand, a staggering 22 percentage point increase from the average (39%)
• 72% of Gen Z consumers say they are more likely to take photos with a brand as part of being in an online brand community, roughly 13 percentage points higher than average (59%)
• Gen Z consumers who participate in an online brand community are also more likely than other generations to write a product review for the brand (85% vs. 74%)

Despite all the new tools and channels in marketing, the power of brand advocacy and word-of-mouth will always stand true. Any brand looking to sustain long-term growth needs a dedicated strategy for brand advocacy. Online brand communities can be an essential channel for generating ongoing product reviews and driving new UGC. 

Consumer trends change quickly with new generations, and brands must stay on top of each cohort’s most effective marketing tools. This latest study demonstrated how valuable online brand communities can be for fostering new sales and retention among Gen Z consumers. You can read the study’s full results if you want to learn more. 

Interested in more?

Sign up for a demo today.

The post [New Research] 5 Things Gen Z Wants From Online Brand Communities appeared first on TINT.

Community marketing has been generating all the buzz lately – McKinsey even named “community” the big idea of marketing in the 2020’s.

And it’s no surprise given that online communities are rapidly on the rise. 56% of consumers said their involvement in online communities has increased in the past 3 years. And 36% say they anticipate their involvement in online communities will continue to increase in 2023. 

These insights are key for strategic marketers as ecommerce demands continue to evolve, third-party cookies become obsolete, and concerns around privacy heighten. Online communities present a massive opportunity for brands to forge direct connections with consumers amidst the sweeping changes of the next three to five years.

And while community is worth all the noise, it’s important that marketers be warned not to only use community as a buzzword. 

Today’s consumers expect online communities from brands, and the failure to meet their expectations could result in a loss of trust and brand loyalty. Eight in ten consumers already feel that brands are making this mistake by misusing the word community. And 68% of consumers said they would feel more negatively about a brand that fails to deliver a true community experience. 

Meeting these consumer expectations for community are critical. Get the full picture by downloading the infographic here. 

Interested in more?

Sign up for a demo today.

The post Warning for Marketers: Community Must Be More Than a Buzzword this Year [INFOGRAPHIC] appeared first on TINT.

Online communities are not a new concept, and dedicated community websites have been a staple of the internet for a long time. Why should you care now? Like so many areas of our lives, the past few years have sparked a massive shift in online behavior and propelled slow-moving trends into fast-moving targets for marketers. 

Digital communities quickly became integral to our social connection. We’re sharing huge amounts of content online, and online communities are a vital touchpoint for genuine connection and a sense of belonging in the digital world. Marketers are taking big notice of this, and “community” was named the big idea in 2020’s marketing. 

For many years, there has been a face-off between owned channels like brand communities versus social media pages as the resource for creating communities. However, marketers continue to feel the increasing sting of third-party gatekeepers. 

Many run to loyalty or reward programs to create a community but struggle to keep consumers interested. Others may look to their email marketing, CRM database, or SMS but get stuck in a one-sided communication. 

With additional shifts in ecommerce demands, the disappearance of third-party cookies, and a heightened focus on privacy, marketers are putting a considerable focus on direct consumer relationships to build and maintain market share and to insulate themselves from sweeping changes in the next three to five years. 

Brand-owned online communities are a natural fit for the needs of the moment. 

The challenge for many organizations is creating a digital environment that delivers the community connection consumers seek and one that also drives tangible business results. 

What makes an online community flourish and what makes one flounder? What should your brand be thinking about when it comes to community powered marketing? 

Read on to discover the five BIG takeaways from our new Big Online Brand Community study. Or to access the full report, click to download below. 

1. Online Communities are on the Rise, and Consumers Says Yes to Brand-Run Communities 

Online communities are gaining momentum, and participation is expected to increase in 2023. Our study found 37% of consumers say they anticipate their participation in online communities to increase. 

With regards to an online community run and operated by a brand, we found consumers are open and interested in participating. Online brand communities are also well-received by consumers, with 73% saying they have a positive opinion of brand communities. 

In fact, 4 in 5 consumers consider “community” important to brand engagement, and 84% agree that the community surrounding a brand impacts how they feel about it. 

Communities are also becoming increasingly important (vital even!) among younger generations. Forty-three percent of Gen Z consumers say community is “very important,” 13 percentage points higher than average. 

What This Means for Marketers

One-way communication is no longer enough. Having an online brand community will positively impact your brand, and consumers view brands with a dedicated community positively and are willing to get involved. This is especially true for brands targeting younger consumers. 

As consumers are not yet saturated with too many communities, this is a prime opportunity for your brand to maximize a community footprint. Waiting too long could lead to a huge missed opportunity.  

2. Online Brand Communities Drive Purchase, Advocacy, and Brand Loyalty 

Marketers’ major priority is driving new revenue, maximizing sales velocity, and expanding their overall footprint with consumers. A benefit of an online brand community is its ability to deliver these concrete business results. 

Our study revealed that for 8 in 10 consumers, being a part of an online brand community makes them more likely to purchase new products/services from the brand. 

An online brand community also sparks brand advocacy and valuable word-of-mouth to drive awareness and trigger new customer acquisition. 

Seventy-three percent of consumers say being a part of a community makes them more likely to recommend the brand’s products/services to others. 

In today’s ecommerce world, reviews are king, and online brand communities can help deliver much-needed content, as 74% of consumers say being a part of an online brand community makes them more likely to write reviews for the brand. 

Furthermore, we found that Gen Z is especially motivated by community participation to share brand love through photos and videos and is 54% more likely to create visual content than other generations. 

Lastly, an online brand community deepens brand loyalty. Close to 7 in 10 (69%) of consumers say being a part of a community makes them more likely to purchase the brand more often. 

What This Means for Marketers

Online brand communities have been referred to as a “soft” marketing strategy, but that should no longer be the case. Your community of consumers can be an always-on resource to delivering key market objectives in driving acquisition, household penetration, and sustained market share. 

Community is no longer an optional add-on for brands and will reap many business benefits from investing in this channel. 

3. Online Brand Communities Can Be a Goldmine for Zero Party Data Collection 

One of the biggest benefits of an online brand community is the collection and application of zero party data, a prized data set in modern marketing. 

In a study by Forrester, a whopping 90% of marketers are actively responding to data depreciation by capturing zero party data, yet 42% admit they don’t know how to use zero party data effectively. 

An online brand community solves the paradox of designing an effective strategy that builds emotional loyalty while also creating owned data channels that respect consumer privacy and don’t rely on third parties.

Even in an era of increased privacy concerns and heightened focus on data collection, we found almost half (45%) of consumers say they are willing to share personal data while participating in an online brand community. 

Additionally, 74% say being a part of a community makes them more likely to trust the brand. 

What This Means for Marketers

Marketers need to be prepared for a world without a firehose of data available. Consumers are increasingly more selective with whom they share their personal data.

Online brand communities are an effective way to establish a trusted data channel to help marketers combat declining access while also providing consumers with benefits.

4. Brands Must be Careful in Overusing the Term “Community” Without Delivering a Real Community Experience 

The consumers made it very clear; brands must fulfill their promise and make community more than a buzzword, or they could be at risk of turning consumers away. 

A staggering 78% of consumers agree “community” is currently being overused by brands that aren’t providing a real community experience. 

Not delivering a true community experience can have a negative impact on brand opinion, with 68% of consumers saying they would feel somewhat more negatively about a brand that did this. 

Our study found that younger consumers (Millennials and Gen Z) have increasingly higher standards and expectations from brands. Almost half (48%) say they have been let down by a brand promising a community but falling short of expectations.

Some of the biggest reasons why a consumer would leave a community include the community not being active (52%), not having enough value in being a member (50%), and one-sided communication (41%). 

What This Means for Marketers 

Consumers are losing patience with brands pretending they have a community when they don’t dedicate the resources to fostering a true community experience and authentic connection. 

Community should be a core channel to enhance your overall digital footprint. Brands paying lip service to providing a brand community could risk consumers taking their time, energy, and money elsewhere.

5. To Create a Successful Online Brand Community, Consumers Want Two-Way Communication with Consistent Activity, Value, and Exclusivity 

When we asked consumers what they are looking for in an online brand community, 62% said “activities to participate in,” and 60% said “member-exclusive content or offers.” 

Rewards and incentives for participation were desired by 57% of consumers, and regularly updated content was important to 44%. Having a strong purpose and mission was important for 41% of consumers as well. 

Online brand communities are especially powerful in providing a backdrop for consumers to connect with like-minded people. It is also a way to bring brand values “to life” through real stories from real people. 

Our study found 4 in 10 (43%) consumers prized “discussion among members” as a sign of a successful online brand community. 

Communities thrive when there is a shared community purpose and identity and a dedicated community engagement strategy. 

As an article from Harvard Business Review stated, “They want to be a part of something; to belong; to influence; to engage. It’s not enough that they feel good about your purpose. They want it to be their purpose too. They don’t want to be at the other end of your for. They want to be right there with you. Purpose needs to be shared.”

What This Means for Marketers 

Online brand communities are most successful when there is consistent activity with a solid value exchange. A mixture of evergreen conversations and timely activations that are geared directly toward the community provides the best environment to achieve results. 

Make sure there are plenty of opportunities for community members to exchange conversation, product support, and tips to foster connection and strong community identity. 

Interested in more?

Sign up for a demo today.

The post 2023 Study – What Consumers are Looking for in an Online Brand Community appeared first on TINT.

As economic threats loom and the impending third party “Cookiepocalypse” nears closer, marketers are scrambling to adapt strategies, secure loyalty, and stay ahead. What some have not realized is that their most impactful solution exists right within their own community of consumers. 

TINT’s CRO (previously Vesta’s Founder and CEO) Sue Frech, recently joined Matthew Schwartz on the ANA’s Champions of Growth Podcast to discuss how Community Powered Marketing is the most powerful tool for marketers today. 

Check out the episode and hear Matthew and Sue chat about… 

• Why community is the superpower of brands in the post-pandemic era 
• How Sir Kensington’s wins as a challenger brand with community
• Why bigger brands need to be taking a page from the playbook of smaller brands to build stronger relationships
• How Community Powered Marketing utilizes nontransactional engagement and rewards to fill the gaps of traditional loyalty programs
• Tapping into community for first and zero party data to power segmentation and personalization at scale 
• And more! 

Interested in more?

Sign up for a demo today.

The post Vesta CEO Sue Frech Appears on ANA Champions of Growth Podcast appeared first on TINT.