Latest / Social Media Marketing with Fexingo: Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Platform Strategy / How Brands Use Social Media for Niche Community Building
Transcript
- Lucas: There's this assumption that social media success is about reach — millions of followers, viral posts, broad appeal. But if you look at the brands that people actually form emotional attachments to, they're not playing that game. Luna: You mean the ones with smaller, louder communities? Like Patagonia's climbing forums or Glossier's private groups? Lucas: Exactly. Patagonia has this forum called 'The Cleanest Line' — it's not just a blog, it's a community hub where climbers and surfers share stories, gear hacks, environmental activism. It's not even on a mainstream social platform — it's on their own site. But they cross-post to Instagram and get a fraction of the engagement there compared to the forum. Luna: And that's fine, right? Because the forum members are their core customers. They're the ones buying the jackets and showing up to protests. Lucas: Precisely. The numbers are small — maybe a few thousand active users — but the lifetime value is enormous. Patagonia doesn't need a million likes on a post about recycled down. They need a hundred people who will actually repair their old jacket instead of buying a new one. Luna: But is this replicable for a brand that doesn't have Patagonia's built-in subculture? Like, what does a mattress company do? Lucas: Fair point. But let's take Glossier. Early on, they created a private Facebook group called 'Into The Gloss' — it was basically a focus group that never ended. They'd ask members what products they wanted, what shades, what textures. Those women became evangelists. When Glossier launched a new moisturizer, the group already owned the narrative. Luna: So it's less about the size of the community and more about the depth of the feedback loop. They were literally co-creating products. Lucas: Right. And that's the second layer. A niche community isn't just a marketing channel — it's a product development lab. Lego does this with their Lego Ideas platform. Fans submit designs, vote, and Lego manufactures the winners. Those sets sell out immediately because the community already has skin in the game. Luna: But there's a risk of echo chamber, right? If you only listen to your superfans, you might miss what the broader market wants. Lucas: That's real. But I'd argue the bigger risk is trying to please everyone and pleasing no one. A well-run niche community actually surfaces pain points faster than any survey. Duolingo's subreddit is a great example — it's full of power users who complain about specific features, but also suggest improvements that Duolingo has actually shipped. Luna: I remember they changed the streak freeze mechanic after Reddit backlash. That's a direct line from a tiny subreddit to a product decision. Lucas: Exactly. And the key is that the community self-selects. The people who join a brand's forum or subreddit are already invested. Their feedback is higher quality than a random Twitter poll. Plus, they defend the brand in external conversations — you get organic advocacy. Luna: So how does a brand start? Do you need your own platform, or can you use existing ones like Discord or a private Facebook group? Lucas: I'd say start where your audience already hangs out. For B2B, LinkedIn groups or Slack communities work. For consumer brands, Discord is huge now — especially for gaming, fitness, or creative tools. The important thing is that the space feels exclusive and purpose-built. A public Instagram comment section is not a community. Luna: Exclusivity is interesting. A lot of brands are afraid of putting up barriers, but that's what makes people want in. Like the 'waiting list' model for a community. Lucas: Yes. Strava does this well with their local clubs — you have to request to join, and there's a sense of belonging. Even if it's just a virtual club for runners in your city, it creates identity. And identity drives retention. Luna: So the metrics shift. Instead of reach, you're measuring engagement rate, churn within the community, and net promoter score. Lucas: Absolutely. And the cost structure changes too. Maintaining a Discord server or a Facebook group is cheap compared to running ads. The ROI comes from reduced churn and higher customer lifetime value. A study from the Community Roundtable found that engaged community members have a 19% higher retention rate. Luna: But there's a dark side. If the community goes toxic — which happens — the brand can get dragged. You need active moderation. Lucas: You do. And that's a real cost. But the alternative is worse: having no community means your customers are talking about you on someone else's platform, and you have zero influence. At least with a owned community, you can set the norms. Luna: Speaking of owned communities, there's a trend of brands building their own social networks from scratch. I'm thinking of what Fabletics did with their VIP membership — which is really a private community with perks. Lucas: That's a smart model. The community becomes a retention engine for the subscription. But it's a big lift. Most brands are better off starting small: a private Slack group for your top 100 customers. See what happens. Luna: And then you've got the content side — community members generating UGC that you can feature. That's like free influencer marketing. Lucas: Exactly. GoPro's entire marketing strategy is built on user-generated content from their community. They don't need to hire models or travel to exotic locations — their users do it for them. And the authenticity is through the roof. Luna: But there's a risk of over-curating. If you only repost the best content, the community might feel used. You need to give back — early access, discounts, or just recognition. Lucas: Agreed. The best communities feel reciprocal. Sephora's Beauty Insider community gives points for engagement, not just purchases. That's a smart way to incentivize contribution without making it feel transactional. Luna: So what's the one takeaway for a brand listening today? If they want to start a niche community, what's step one? Lucas: Identify your most engaged 50 customers. Invite them to a private space. Ask them one question: 'What do you wish we did better?' Then listen. Don't pitch. Just listen. That's the seed. Luna: And if they don't have 50 engaged customers? Then maybe they need to focus on product first. Lucas: Yeah, that's a different problem. But even a new brand can build community by being transparent about the journey. A founder 'building in public' on Twitter or LinkedIn can attract early adopters who feel like insiders. Luna: If these marketing conversations have sparked something you've actually used in your work, that's exactly the kind of value we try to bring every week. Lucas: And honestly, if today's episode was worth a coffee to you, you can find us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a small way to keep this completely ad-free. Luna: Totally. We're here because we love this stuff, and knowing it helps someone out there makes it worthwhile. Lucas: Anyway, back to the community thread — one thing I didn't mention is the role of events. Even virtual events can supercharge a niche community. Peloton does this amazingly with their themed rides and leaderboard challenges. It turns a solo workout into a shared experience. Luna: Right, the community aspect of Peloton is what keeps people subscribed. It's not just the bike, it's the group dynamic. Lucas: And that's what every brand should aim for: turning your product into a platform for connection. If you can do that, you don't need to chase algorithms. The community becomes your moat. Luna: Well said. Let's see if any of our listeners build one this month. Lucas: I'd love to hear about it. Drop us a note — or better, start that community and let us know how it goes.