Latest / Community Marketing with Fexingo: Discord, Slack Groups, and Brand Communities / How Buffer Built a Transparent Social Media Community
Transcript
- Lucas: So there's this company called Buffer — you've probably heard of it, the social media scheduling tool. But what most people don't realize is that Buffer's real product isn't the scheduler. It's their community. And they built it with a very unconventional ingredient: radical transparency. Luna: Radical transparency — you mean like publishing salaries and revenue publicly? That Buffer? Lucas: Exactly that. Since around 2013, Buffer has been publishing its internal salary formula, everyone's individual pay, monthly revenue, even diversity numbers. And a lot of people thought they were crazy. But it turned out to be one of the most effective community marketing plays I've seen. Because instead of spending on ads, they turned their own operations into content that people actually want to read and share. Luna: It's almost like they made their business a case study for other entrepreneurs. I've definitely clicked on a 'how much Buffer pays' post before. Lucas: Right. And that's the hook. Buffer's open blog — which they call their 'transparency page' — gets hundreds of thousands of visitors a month. At its peak, it was driving over 100,000 monthly readers. And those readers aren't just passive consumers. They're potential customers who now trust Buffer because they've seen the company's inner workings. Luna: So the community isn't a forum or a Slack group. It's this audience that forms around the transparency content itself? Lucas: Exactly. It's an audience as community model. Buffer doesn't have a big branded community platform. Instead, they have a blog, a podcast, and active social channels where they engage with people who comment on their transparency posts. And that engagement builds a sense of belonging. People feel like they're part of something honest in an industry full of spin. Luna: If these marketing conversations have sparked something you've actually used or tried, that's exactly what keeps this show going. We don't have sponsors, no ads — it's just listener support. So if today was useful to you, buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo is where you can help keep this ad-free. Lucas: Yeah, it really does make a difference. And speaking of transparency — Buffer's approach is a good example of how being open can actually be a growth strategy. Let's get into the specifics. Luna: So how did they start? Was there a specific moment when they decided to go transparent? Lucas: It was 2013. Buffer's co-founder and then ceo Joel Gascoigne wrote a blog post explaining why they were going to publish salaries. The reasoning was simple: they wanted to attract talent that valued fairness and openness. But what happened next surprised them. The post went viral. Suddenly, thousands of people were reading about Buffer's compensation philosophy — people who had never even used the product. Luna: So the transparency became a marketing channel in itself. What were some of the specific numbers they shared? Lucas: They published a formula that calculated each person's salary based on role, experience, and location. Then they published every individual salary — including the CEO's. At the time, Joel was making about $165,000 a year. They also published monthly revenue, which was around $1.5 million annually back then. And they kept doing it. Every month, they'd release a new revenue update. Luna: And that consistency is key. It's not a one-off stunt. They've been doing this for over a decade now. Lucas: Exactly. And the trust compounds. When you see a company share bad news as well as good — like when revenue dipped or when they had to lay off staff — it actually strengthens the community. People respect the honesty. Buffer had a round of layoffs in 2017, and they handled it publicly, explaining the decisions in detail. The community response was largely supportive, because Buffer had built up so much goodwill. Luna: That's rare. Most companies go radio silent during layoffs. Buffer did the opposite. Lucas: They did. And that's the lesson: transparency isn't just about sharing wins. It's about sharing the full picture. Buffer's community doesn't expect perfection — they expect honesty. And that honesty creates loyal customers who feel like insiders. Luna: Let's talk about the numbers. How did this transparency translate into business results? Lucas: Buffer has over 4 million registered users, and it's profitable. They've never taken venture capital beyond a small seed round. Their community marketing through transparency has been a major driver of that growth. In 2020, they reported that their open blog was one of the top sources of new sign-ups. And because they don't spend heavily on ads, their customer acquisition cost is very low. Luna: So it's a virtuous cycle: transparency builds trust, trust builds community, community drives sign-ups, and sign-ups fund more transparency content. Lucas: Exactly. And it's not just about the blog. Buffer also has a podcast called 'The Science of Social Media', which is part of their content community. They engage with listeners on Twitter and LinkedIn, answering questions about social media strategy. That engagement reinforces the feeling that Buffer is a partner, not just a tool. Luna: What about the risks? Transparency can backfire — competitors can see your numbers, employees might feel exposed. Lucas: That's the big question. Buffer has acknowledged those risks. They've had to balance transparency with privacy. For example, they stopped publishing individual salaries for a while after some employees expressed discomfort. But they still publish the salary formula and ranges. And they've never published customer data or proprietary technology. So it's selective transparency — they're open about culture and finances, but not about trade secrets. Luna: So the key is knowing what to share and what to keep close. What advice would you give to a brand that wants to try a similar approach? Lucas: Start small. You don't have to publish your entire P&L on day one. Buffer started with just salaries. You could start by sharing your company values, or how you handle customer support, or even your product roadmap. The goal is to invite your audience behind the curtain in a way that feels authentic to your brand. And then be consistent — once you start, you can't stop without breaking trust. Luna: Consistency is huge. Buffer's been doing this for over a decade. That's what makes it a community, not a campaign. Lucas: Right. And there's another layer: Buffer also built a community of remote workers. They've been fully remote since 2015, and they share extensively about how they manage remote culture. That attracts people who are interested in remote work, many of whom become Buffer customers. So the community expands beyond just the product. Luna: So they're essentially running two parallel communities: one around social media marketing and one around remote work. And transparency is the thread that ties them together. Lucas: Exactly. And they engage with both communities actively. On their blog, they have a section called 'Open' where they post updates about the company. They also have a 'Buffer Community' on their own platform, where users can share tips and ask questions. It's not as large as some brand communities, but it's highly engaged. Luna: What's a specific metric that shows the community's impact? Lucas: One that stands out: Buffer's Net Promoter Score has consistently been around 60 or higher, which is excellent for a SaaS company. And their customer retention rate is above 70% annually. Those numbers are directly tied to the trust built through transparency. When customers feel they know the company, they're much less likely to churn. Luna: So transparency is a retention tool as much as an acquisition tool. Lucas: Absolutely. And it's also a hiring tool. Buffer's Glassdoor rating is 4.1 out of 5, with employees frequently citing transparency as a reason they joined and stayed. That helps them attract talent without expensive recruiting campaigns. Luna: I want to circle back to the community aspect. How does Buffer actually foster interaction among its users? Is it just the blog comments? Lucas: They have a few channels. There's the Buffer Community platform, which is a private forum for customers. They also have a very active Twitter presence, where they engage with users directly. And they host virtual events, like webinars and AMAs with the CEO. But the real community glue is the shared identity of being a 'Buffer user' — someone who values transparency and simplicity in social media management. Luna: So it's more of a brand identity community than a structured membership community. That's a lighter model, but it works for them. Lucas: Exactly. And it's scalable. You don't need to manage a massive Discord server. Instead, you create content that sparks conversation, and you participate in those conversations wherever they happen — on Twitter, LinkedIn, or your own blog. Buffer's team is known for replying to almost every comment and tweet. That personal touch is what makes the community feel real. Luna: Let's talk about the open salary formula. How exactly does that work? Lucas: Buffer created a formula that starts with a base salary for each role, then adjusts for experience and location. For example, a customer support specialist in a low-cost area might have a different base than one in San Francisco. The formula is public, so anyone can calculate what they'd make if they worked there. That transparency eliminates negotiation anxiety and ensures fairness. Luna: And that builds trust not just with employees, but with customers who see that Buffer walks the talk on fairness. Lucas: Exactly. And it's a differentiator. In a market where social media tools are fairly commoditized, Buffer's transparency culture sets it apart. It's a reason to choose Buffer over Hootsuite or Sprout Social, even if the features are similar. Luna: One last question: has Buffer ever had a transparency crisis — a moment when being open backfired? Lucas: The closest was probably in 2017 when they had to lay off 10% of their staff. They announced it publicly, explained the reasons, and even shared the severance packages. Some critics said it was performative. But overall, the community response was supportive because they handled it with dignity. If anything, it reinforced their reputation for honesty. Luna: So even the hard moments can strengthen the community if you handle them right. Lucas: That's the takeaway. Transparency isn't a marketing tactic you turn on and off. It's a commitment. Buffer has shown that when you treat your community as true partners — sharing both the good and the bad — you earn a level of trust that no ad campaign can buy. Luna: And that trust becomes your most durable marketing asset. Lucas: Exactly. So if you're building a brand community, consider: what could you share that would make your audience feel like insiders? Start there. And if you want to see how Buffer does it, their open blog is still live — just search 'Buffer transparency'. Luna: Great episode. I'm actually going to check out their salary formula myself. Lucas: Do it. And if you found today useful, you know where to find us.