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Influencer Marketing vs Community-Based Marketing
The influencer marketing landscape, once a go-to for fashion brands, is now experiencing a dramatic shift. Consumers are starting to prefer recommendations from their personal network over celebrity endorsements.
Influencer marketing has increased in popularity over the past few years, with social media stars shaping trends and driving consumer behaviour. Initially, influencers offered fashion brands a new way to engage with their audience through authentic and personal endorsements. However, as the market has become extremely crowded with countless influencers competing for attention, the effectiveness of this strategy has begun to decline. The oversaturation has also led to a fall in consumer trust and engagement.
Amidst the decline, fashion brands are now pivoting towards a community-based marketing approach. This new approach to marketing emphasises the value of genuine, trusted recommendations, and develops a deeper customer relationship rather than relying on high-profile sponsors. An SEO agency can assist in this transition by optimising content to engage your community effectively and build lasting relationships.
The Rise of Influencers
Influencer marketing began to take shape in the early 2010s, with the birth of Instagram in October of 2010 and the growing power of other social media platforms like YouTube and Twitter. Initially, influencers were just people with personal stories or skills, who began to build large followings on social media. Brands quickly recognised the potential of these individuals to reach and engage their audiences in a way traditional advertising couldn’t.
Impact on Fashion Brands
Influencers quickly become valuable especially within the fashion industry. Brands began to collaborate with these individuals to promote products, creating engaging content that would resonate with their followers. Influencers and celebrities provided a more relatable and personal touch. This strategy proved effective in influencing buying decisions and driving trends, leading many brands to invest heavily in influencer partnerships.
The early success of influencer marketing can be credited to its believed authenticity as influencers were seen as everyday people who genuinely used and liked the products they promoted.
Current Trends
Despite its initial success, the influencer market has become increasingly crowded and competitive. Today, there are tens of thousands of influencers, ranging from micro-influencers with smaller but engaged audiences, to mega-influencers with millions of followers, all fighting for attention. This saturation on the market has led to a decrease in the impact of influencers, as consumers are becoming bombarded with sponsored content from multiple sources.
Challenges with Influencers: Authenticity Issues
As the market has become flooded with influencers, the authenticity of their endorsements has come under scrutiny. Consumers are growing more sceptical, questioning whether influencers are in fact passionate about the brand or products they promote, or if they are simply there for the financial gain.
The recent legal troubles involving influencers promoting an unauthorised foreign exchange trading scheme on Instagram has further highlighted significant concerns about the credibility of influencer endorsements. Many consumers now feel that influencers prioritise payday over genuine product likeness.
The Shift to Community-Based Marketing
Community-based marketing is a strategy where brands build and nurture a dedicated audience, focusing on authentic and personal interactions. Unlike influencer marketing which relies on high-profile or famous individuals, community-based marketing uses the collective voice of the brand’s customers. This new approach focuses on fostering genuine relationships and encourages natural support and advocacy from the community.
Benefits for Brands
Community-based marketing has many advantages that can significantly enhance a brand’s relationship with it’s audience and drive long-term success.
Enhanced Trust
Recommendations from peers and fellow customers are often perceived as more credible than those from influencers. When customers share their genuine experience and opinions, it resonates more with potential customers because it feels more relatable and trustworthy. This kind of personal endorsement builds a stronger sense of trust in the brand, as consumers begin to rely more on the word of someone like us rather than a paid promotion.
Increased Engagement
Brands that engage with their community typically foster stronger relationships. By actively involving customers in the brand’s activities, such as through interactive social media posts or community events, brands create a sense of belonging. This increased interaction leads to a more engaged audience, who are more likely to participate in discussions, attend events, share their experiences online, and overall contribute to the brand’s growth. Often a more engaged audience results in higher customer retention and satisfaction rates.
Loyalty and Advocacy
A well-nurtured community are more likely to become loyal brand advocates. When consumers feel valued and connected to a brand, they are more inclined to remain loyal and continue shopping over time. This loyalty translates into advocacy, where satisfied customers will actively promote the brand to their friends, family, and across their social media platforms, not only helping in acquiring new customers through word-of-mouth but also strengthen the brand’s reputation and credibility.
Additional Benefits
- Consumer Insights: Engaging with a community provides brands with valuable insights into customer preferences, behaviours, and feedback. This information can guide product development, marketing strategies, and customer service improvements.
- Cost-Effective Marketing: Community-based marketing can be more cost-effective than traditional marketing or influencer partnerships.
Brands Using a Community-Based Marketing Approach
Refy Beauty
Refy Beauty, a relatively new entrant into the beauty industry has quickly gained attention with its innovative community-based marketing strategies. Earlier this month, Refy invited 8 members of their community on an exclusive, branded trip with their co-founder Jess Hunt to Mallorca. Using their Instagram Broadcast channel to promote the trip, they not only created an exclusive sense of community, but it also allowed for the opportunity to provide direct feedback to the brand’s founders. By creating a memorable and personal experience, Refy not only strengthened its relationship with key community members, but also generated authentic content for their marketing. This event demonstrates how Refy leverages community engagement to build trust and loyalty, positioning itself as a brand that values and listens to its customers.
Gymshark
Gymshark is another prime example of a brand that has effectively used community-based marketing to build a strong, loyal customer base. Founded in 2012, Gymshark has grown rapidly into a major player in the fitness industry, largely due to its focus on community engagement. Gymshark has successfully fostered community engagement through a variety of events and activities. The brand’s World Tour brings fitness enthusiasts together globally for meet-and-greets, workout sessions, and exclusive product launches, creating memorable experiences. They have also ran multiple free events from local run clubs to Pilates sessions, as well as Gymshark Lift Off for those weightlifting enthusiasts. These events not only promote a healthy lifestyle, but also build loyalty among participants. Gymshark effectively strengthens its community ties, enhancing brand trust and loyalty while driving organic advocacy.
Lego
LEGO have also successfully built an engaged and vibrant community through its LEGO Ideas platform, where fans can submit their own designs and vote on others’ creations. Winning designs have the potential to be turned into official LEGO sets, giving their customers a sense of contribution and ownership. This engagement not only fosters creativity and innovation, but also strengthens the bond between LEGO and its audience.
Building a Community
Strategies for Engagement:
- Creating Forums and Groups: Establish online communities where customers can discuss products, share experiences, and provide feedback. Dedicated spaces for interaction help build a sense of belonging and facilitate meaningful conversations.
- Hosting Events: Organise both virtual and in-person events to bring community members together and strengthen connections. Events such as product launches, meet ups, brand trips, and workshops create opportunities for direct engagement and relationship building.
- Encouraging Participation: Actively involve community members in content creation and brand activities. By empowering customers to contribute their voices and experiences, brands foster a sense of ownership and commitment.
Role of User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) is important for community building. Encouraging customers to share their own photos, reviews, and stories provides authentic content that resonates with potential buyers. UGC not only offers social proof but also enables customers to become brand advocates. To enhance your UGC strategy, consider our content marketing services.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Fashion Marketing
The shift from influencer marketing to community-based marketing reflects a broader change in how brands engage with their audiences. As consumers become more sceptical of influencer endorsements, fashion brands are finding value in building authentic relationships. Looking ahead, community-based marketing is likely to play a central role in the future of marketing, particularly within the fashion industry.
Brands that invest in genuine community engagement will be better positioned to foster trust, loyalty, and sustainable growth. For eCommerce marketers aiming to enhance their online presence, embracing community-based marketing strategies can be a game changer. By focusing on building a loyal and engaged community, brands can achieve deeper customer relationships and long-term success. To explore how you can adapt your marketing strategy to a community-based approach, check out our digital marketing services.
