How to Build a Loyal Community
As social media professionals, we hear a lot about brand loyalty and how to achieve it. We have heard the same strategies, tactics, and tips many times, but what we do not always hear about is how to build a loyal community.
As I mentioned in a previous article, an online community is different than an audience:
Online communities are very similar to in-person communities, the main difference is that online communities are, well, online. Online communities still provide the same sense of belonging, shared interest, and connection. However, like any community, it takes time to build up that trust and loyalty. It is likely that it will take some time for users to engage in your online community—they have to build up their trust in order to start the conversations themselves. But how do you get users to trust your new community?
Meet Josi Pellicano. Josi is a social media fashion influencer based out of Southern California. Currently, she has 234k followers on Instagram and, what I believe to be, a loyal online community. Yes, her online community is a little different than a Facebook Group, but I have followed her for years and can truly see the difference between the online community she has built versus other influencers. Here’s what Josi does differently:
Josi Shares Content She Wants to Share
Josi shares content she is genuinely interested in. She is primarily a fashion influencer, but that does not stop her from posting about her love for interior design, food/cocktail recipes, or just what she happens to be doing that day. Instead of just trying to fit the mold of being a fashion influencer, her content is genuinely hers, and that makes her stand out from others. In return, she has built a community that actually cares about her content and chooses to follow her because of it. Her followers know that they will always see content with passion behind it.
The lesson here: in order to build a loyal community, create and share content that you are passionate about, which will ultimately speak for itself. If you’re passionate, you’ll find the community that is passionate about it too.
Josi Engages
Josi actually engages with her audience. There have been plenty of times I have direct messaged Josi asking her where she got a clothing piece, etc. and she always responds. Not only does she respond, but she does it with kindness. She makes you feel welcomed and like a friend. She responds to comments on her Instagram posts and talks to the camera on her Instagram Stories like you are FaceTiming a friend. This allows users to feel like they are encouraged to participate in the conversation she is starting. She also uses features native to Instagram Stories to engage with her audience, such as polls and question boxes.
The lesson here: be part of the conversation and engage! The problem with brands on social is that they can be one-sided—actually encourage and keep the conversation going with comments, Instagram Story features, etc. and you will in return see even more engagement. Additionally, this helps people feel welcome to engage!
Josi Can Be Vulnerable
This is what makes Josi stand out from the rest. Social media truly is a highlight reel—you only see the good part of peoples’ lives and it can have a negative effect on the way you perceive your own life. Josi actually makes an effort to let her community know that she’s a real person too—she goes through hard times and has bad days, and she is not afraid to share it with her audience. I believe this makes people trust Josi even more—she has created a safe space for herself and her community to feel like they are not alone with struggles that come in life. Instead of just being an influencer, she is a real person that people can trust to be honest.
The lesson here: just be real with your audience. A community is a place of belonging, and that does not change just because it is online. Share what you’re comfortable sharing online—this will help create meaningful connections in your community.
Josi has successfully built a loyal community that feels like they can trust her. While it probably took some getting used to sharing some aspects of her personal life on the internet, she shared what she was passionate about, engaged with her community, and was genuinely herself—three things that anyone can replicate to create a strong, loyal community.
References
Elder, D. (2021, November 26). What is an online community? (and how you can grow one). Tribe Blog. Retrieved January 9, 2022, from https://tribe.so/blog/what-is-online-community/
