With the rise of remote work and digital nomadism , brought about largely because of Covid-19 pandemic , people are no longer limited by geographical constraints . This has led to the formation of online communities where remote workers , freelancers , and digital nomads can connect , collaborate , and support each other .
community is when members interact with one another without any brand involvement . You need people to be excited about joining your online community for it to appeal to members . The main value of a brand community is the ability to interact with other like-minded customers , so you need to encourage your passionate customers to join so others can see value in it .
By actively engaging with online communities , brands can gain a competitive advantage by staying informed about industry trends , customer expectations , and emerging opportunities . This knowledge allows brands to adapt quickly , make informed business decisions , and stay ahead of their competitors .
When a brand understands the interests and preferences of community members , it can tailor its messaging , share relevant content , and run targeted campaigns that resonate with the community . This focused marketing approach can lead to increased brand awareness and conversions .
Online communities serve as a platform for customers to seek help , share experiences , and find solutions to their problems . By actively participating in these communities , brands can provide timely support , address customer issues , and demonstrate their commitment to customer satisfaction . This proactive engagement can contribute to positive customer experiences and brand reputation .
Brands seeking to achieve business growth through innovative product developments , new features , and enhanced solutions that better meet customer needs can also take advantage of the online communities to tap into the collective knowledge and creativity of their audience .
At Ipsos in Kenya , online communities offer the unique ability to move seamlessly between qualitative and quantitative research and address a range of goals in one place , with speed and simplicity - it ’ s no wonder communities have become an increasingly important insights tool for our clients and one of the fastest growing research methodologies in the industry .
Because the overarching purpose of a community is unique to each client , it is critically important to right-size the community to the client ’ s learning objectives and customize the strategy to achieve quality engagement regardless of size .
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With the rise of remote work and digital nomadism , brought about largely because of Covid-19 pandemic , people are no longer limited by geographical constraints . This has led to the formation of online communities where remote workers , freelancers , and digital nomads can connect , collaborate , and support each other .
Ipsos in Kenya manages communities in a wide range of sizes , from as small as 50 members , to as many as 5,000 or more , because we know that one size does not fit all .
A question we sometimes get is , how is it possible to achieve intimate consumer connections , and ensure value to our clients , even in very large communities ?
We recently evaluated a sample of existing Ipsos communities to understand the impact community size may have on engagement rates and found that all communities achieved similar rates of participation , regardless of size .
Larger communities are , however , a powerful means of delivering authentic human context at scale . They enable both in-depth qualitative and robust quantitative to drive efficiencies in the research process , without sacrificing depth or intimacy , bringing holistic and actionable consumer insights to life .
At Ipsos in Kenya , we have intentionally designed our recruitment process and reward systems to drive authentic engagement in both small and large communities . And for large communities , we apply analytical models that allow us to go deeper with more people .
To build successful , vibrant , and engaged communities , brands must appreciate that having the right recruitment is critical for a good start .
In selecting the best recruitment sources , and in the screening process of the right community members , brands need to identify those people that are primarily intrinsically motivated to be part of the community , and ideally have a broad range of intrinsic motivations at play .
They should avoid attracting people that are just there for immediate monetary gratification , while encouraging brands to access their own databases of consumers who already have a brand relationship .
The value that members will gain by joining the group should also be given enough thought and effort . This value proposition , and following through with it for longterm exchanges , will define what type of participants join and , therefore , the success of the community .
In cases where rewards are offered to entice people to join a community , it is critical to keep up and build upon these motivations . In this way , if you have identified why people want to participate and what their expectations are , it is much easier to satisfy their needs with the various levers available in managing a community - from how to craft activities to how to acknowledge contributions .
In conclusion , the benefits of online community engagement are plentiful . They are being used to drive more leads , improve brand loyalty , and increase retention .
It ' s also much more cost-effective to promote your business with an active and engaged community instead of advertising on Facebook , Google , and other digital platforms .
Enock Wandera is the Chief Client Officer at Ipsos Limited . You can commune with him on this and related matters on mail via : Enock . Wandera @ ipsos . com .