Content is Shifting — Community is Your Brand’s Survival Kit

1/09/2025

As a brand, you've heard the term ‘community-building’ thrown around a lot. I even said in a previous post, "Brands can provide more value to their customers by educating, entertaining, and building community." But what does this look like in practice? And why does community-building matter now more than ever?

The Shifting Content Landscape

Before diving into the role of community, it's important to understand why this conversation is happening in the first place. Here are three major shifts shaping the digital world:

1). The rise of AI-driven search is putting SEO into the background. Tools like ChatGPT, Grok, Perplexity, and Google's AI-powered search are changing how people find information. Traditional link-based searches are becoming less relevant, meaning brands that relied on SEO may struggle as users get direct, AI-curated information instead of browsing websites.

2). AI-generated content overload. Brands and creators are increasingly using (or will be using) AI to churn out content, which will eventually flood the internet with mass-produced material. As a result, people will become less engaged with generic content—especially if they don’t know who actually created it. This makes authenticity and originality more valuable than ever. 

3). The privatization of content. Some of the best creators are moving their content to platforms like Substack, Discord, Reddit, and paid private newsletters. Since much of this content is behind a paywall, we’re seeing a shift toward exclusive, members-only information.

Why Community Matters

So, where does community fit into all of this?

If your brand only relies on content, SEO, or ads, you’re competing in an increasingly impossible game. Brands need to think beyond just publishing content—they need to create owned spaces where people can connect, engage, and stay loyal. Community ensures people don’t find you by accident—they remember you on purpose.

5 Quick Tips When Approaching Community-Building

✅ Take it offline. We’re online for everything these days, so consider giving your customers an IRL experience.

✅ Eliminate the friction. Many brands struggle with community-building because they expect customers to come to them, to join, log in, participate, create, or follow. The best way to make people care? Just give it to them. Crowdsource a product. Surprise customers with exclusive products or gifts. Invite them to the table with no strings attached.

✅ Consider time. Oftentimes, people don’t engage because you ask them—they engage because they fear missing out.

✅ Be wildly original. Use new AI tools to your advantage, but wherever possible provide the human touch. Unmistakably original content will become more and more valuable to your brand’s storytelling and your relationship with your customers.

✅ Invest in your community management across all social platforms. This is a bare minimum!

If your brand builds a real community, you own your audience, you become part of their identity, and you create something that can’t be replaced by AI or algorithms.

So, the next time a 26-year-old strategist tells you ‘to build a community’ you'll hopefully understand why it’s not just a buzzword—it’s a strategic  move to stay ahead in a quickly evolving landscape.