While all brand communities should be working hard to provide value to their audience, it is important to look into all the benefits they give back to see why the challenging work is worth the effort. Communities take time and hard work through unique content and creativity that inspires your members to grow with you and others outside the group.
Here are four vital ways communities provide endless value to your business:
Communities Make You Stand Out Against the Competition
When you host a vibrant community that makes the audience feel heard, you will stand out from your competitors in a big way. Of course, not everyone builds a community the same way, so what works for your members may not work for someone else. However, how you run the community will make people stick to you.
If your audience needs answers fast and they get them from you quickly through the group, they will return repeatedly and skip going to the other person. Most people just want solutions as quickly as possible.
Communities Are a Source of Vital Quality Content and Education
Not only will you educate your community using content, but you will also get content ideas from your members. Audiences like to discuss issues within smaller communities, and you can be like a fly on the wall watching the discussion. The questions and the conversation can open you to many more content ideas than never being part of a community.
Every question, review, criticism, and discussion within your community is a fabulous source of vital information that you can use to create quality content and educational materials.
Communities Provide Customer Support and Guidance
If you have a community, be ready for most people to come to that group first for customer care. Then, of course, you can redirect them to your customer care system, but it can also be really helpful for you to service them right in the group. When people see how valuable you are, it helps them feel safe.
The really neat thing about allowing for customer care to happen inside your groups is that your loyal customers who receive this care will also start doing it for you when you’re not around, free of charge.
Communities Supply Customer Input and Direction
When you really get your community hopping with daily information, discussion, and interaction, you’ll end up with a never-ending supply of input that you can use for more products and services. Plus, you can use the information to better direct your customers toward the products and services they need.
Communities provide a space for your customers to learn about your offers, get educated about the topic, and also review your products and services, so you know where to improve or what to create next to show your target audience how much you value them as you provide the solutions they need.