This post makes a clear point that chasing community as a buzzword won’t drive real growth. The brands that win focus first on owning direct relationships with their audience through channels they control rather than renting attention on platforms they don’t own.
People show up repeatedly when there’s a clear, personal reason to do so, not because a brand calls something a community. Habit beats hype every time.
What you’re pointing to around ownership really matters, especially now. Data from Campaign Monitor shows email still delivers an average ROI of £36 for every £1 spent, precisely because it removes the algorithmic lottery.
Without direct permission and continuity, even well-funded “communities” fade once the incentives stop. I’m seeing the same shift towards quieter, more durable channels that reward consistency rather than noise.
Most “community” efforts fail not because people don’t want connection, but because the relationship is built on borrowed attention and short-term incentives.
This post makes a clear point that chasing community as a buzzword won’t drive real growth. The brands that win focus first on owning direct relationships with their audience through channels they control rather than renting attention on platforms they don’t own.
The experiential layer of a community is unbelievably important - it's here that most communities fail. Brilliant article mate 🤓
People show up repeatedly when there’s a clear, personal reason to do so, not because a brand calls something a community. Habit beats hype every time.
What you’re pointing to around ownership really matters, especially now. Data from Campaign Monitor shows email still delivers an average ROI of £36 for every £1 spent, precisely because it removes the algorithmic lottery.
Without direct permission and continuity, even well-funded “communities” fade once the incentives stop. I’m seeing the same shift towards quieter, more durable channels that reward consistency rather than noise.
Building direct relationships is definitely challenging with so much of noise, but you're right that could be such a crazy advantage.
This hits the nerve, most “communities” fail because they’re built for extraction, not belonging.
Most “community” efforts fail not because people don’t want connection, but because the relationship is built on borrowed attention and short-term incentives.
This explains why so many efforts fade once incentives stop.
So well captured. Can we come up with a new word to replace “community” please? I’ve been in search of it for a while now :)