Why Personal Brands and Businesses are Shifting to Niche Community Groups Online

Community groups are doing the most on social media this year. Personal brands who have large followings are shifting towards personalised and engaged online interactions.

Let's do a quick show of hands. How many influencer or brand channels have you been added to this year on Instagram? "You've been invited to join X channel". Now, how many have you accepted and muted ;) I see you.

Facebook groups have been doing it for a while now where business owners connect with their audience to offer advice and promote their services or products.

LinkedIn is also following this trend by encouraging (and favoring) users to connect with followers and potential clients through DMs. They've even launched a new feature for company pages, allowing users to connect with brands via DMs, which wasn't possible before.

I covered this in my fortnightly video feature update.

IMO, LinkedIn groups have a long way to go. They're not as fluent as other social media groups for a number of reasons - posts and comments typically need admin approval, which can slow down discussions and members can't directly engage with posts made by admins.

40.9% of consumers say their involvement in online communities will increase in 2024. That’s an increase of 9% year over year

So why are community groups becoming more pOpuLar with consumers?

1. Connection: People are wanting to feel more connected and find value in being part of smaller, niche communities that align with their interests and with people who share common ground.
2. Targeted Content: Community groups allow for more intentional content to be shared two and from. I've been part of the money money money (previously My Millennial Money Facebook group for years now and I still find it valuable when I see money stories flood in.
3. Finding your People: People like to belong to something. When they love a person or company and its products and find others who think the way they do, they naturally gravitate toward the community.

Impact on Social Media Strategy

One-way communication just doesn't cut it anymore. Community-building is evolving, focusing more on genuine connections rather than just relying on followers and algorithms. Here's how this shift is impacting social media strategies:

• Engagement Over Reach: The focus is shifting from sheer follower counts to active, engaged communities.
• Monetisation Opportunities: Smaller, engaged groups can lead to higher conversion rates, loyalty and well, $$$ eventually.
• Personal Branding: Individuals and brands can build a more authentic online presence through direct interaction in these groups. Tell me, are you more inclined to reach out via a comment for the world to see or in an intimate community group or DM?

I only see this trend growing as more people and brands realise that having a huge following and going viral doesn't always mean more money or real connections. Algorithms will always be there, but true engagement is what counts.

We’re consuming and sharing huge amounts of content online, and these communities offer a space for connection and belonging in the wild but wonderful online world.

What are your thoughts on community groups on social media, and more specifically on LinkedIn? Do you find them valuable for connection to the person or brand?

Let me know below or reach out via DM.

?? Hi, I'm Abbey. I help professionals, leaders and brands build their personal brand and business to increase their influence and revenue growth on LinkedIn.

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