From Engagement To Community | Blog

For years, brands have chased likes, shares, and impressions, believing these metrics equate to success. But do they? What if true success lies in building genuine communities and fostering long-term loyalty?x

Why Traditional Engagement Metrics Fall Short

Counting likes and shares is easy, but these numbers don't necessarily reflect trust or loyalty. Relying solely on engagement metrics can lead brands to:

Partner with overexposed creators: Collaborating with influencers who promote multiple products can dilute authenticity.
Prioritize virality over connection: Chasing viral moments often overlooks meaningful audience engagement.
Focus on transactions, not relationships: High engagement doesn't always translate to lasting customer bonds.

The Shift to Community-Driven Marketing

Forward-thinking brands are redefining success by emphasizing community over mere engagement. They delve deeper into understanding their audience's preferences, values, and affiliations. For example, brands like Ssense curate Instagram campaigns that showcase their deep understanding of customer personas by highlighting signature brands and products their audience loves.

Harnessing Brand Adjacency & Creator Partnerships

A brand's true community is often reflected in its "brand adjacency graph"—the network of brands its audience gravitates toward. For instance, if a fitness influencer frequently collaborates with Lululemon, Oatly, and Hoka, it reveals more about their audience's lifestyle and values than engagement numbers alone.

Implications for Brands:

Seek authentic alignment: Partner with creators who genuinely resonate with your brand's identity.
Leverage adjacency insights: Identify collaborations within the right brand ecosystem to foster genuine connections.
Avoid superficial metrics: Focus on meaningful partnerships that build lasting loyalty, rather than just high engagement.

The Importance of Local Brand Partnerships

When entering new markets, aligning with local brands that your target audience already trusts can be invaluable. These partnerships aren't always evident from a creator's content feed alone.

Consider this scenario:

A new coffee brand launching in Austin might be tempted to collaborate with a popular lifestyle influencer based solely on follower count.
However, by analyzing local brand adjacency data, they might discover that their target customers are already engaged with local favorites like Patika Coffee and All the Bitter.
Collaborating with these local entities through pop-ups or co-branded campaigns can lead to more authentic community engagement.

Rethinking Success Metrics

Overemphasis on traditional engagement metrics can undermine authenticity and hinder long-term growth.

Alternative Success Indicators:

Brand overlap: Understanding which other brands your customers trust provides deeper insights than basic demographics.
Creator alignment: Assessing whether a creator's community shares your brand's values ensures genuine partnerships.
Customer retention: Focusing on repeat engagement indicates a strong, loyal community.

Embracing Data-Driven Brand Partnerships

To build lasting communities, brands should shift their focus from superficial metrics to deeper insights:

Identify trusted creators: Collaborate with influencers who already have credibility with your target audience.
Align with value-sharing brands: Partner with brands that resonate with your audience's lifestyle and beliefs.
Utilize partnership data: Leverage insights to deepen relationships and drive sustained engagement, rather than aiming for one-time sales.

By focusing on brand adjacency and community building, brands can cultivate meaningful, long-term relationships that transcend traditional engagement metrics.

Want to Explore Brand Adjacency for Your Strategy?

Instead of the usual call-to-action, let's offer something more tangible:

Reach out for personalized insights: Contact us, and we'll share brand adjacency insights tailored to your industry.
Discover your customers' trusted brands: Let's discuss how we can map out your audience's brand network.
Identify key creator partnerships: Provide us with a brand name, and we'll reveal the top creators they collaborate with.

By transitioning from traditional engagement metrics to a focus on brand adjacency and community building, brands can forge deeper connections and achieve sustainable success.