Why Community Marketing Beats Content

For the longest time, content was king. But nowadays, it’s a commodity that means nothing without the real star of the show: attention.

Getting attention is easy, but keeping it? That’s a challenge that haunts marketers and egomaniacs alike. I should know…I’m both. 

In this post, I’m going to break down one of the most powerful, yet challenging tools to master in marketing - and that’s community. Let's get into it!

The Attention Economy

Today, marketers are fighting for attention on two fronts: against competitors, and against the very platforms we depend on.

On Google, AI Overviews slashed click through rates to websites by 58%. On social media, organic reach is down, while noise is up. And email open rates are lower than my tolerance for people who create Instagram accounts for their pets.

With so much invested in these channels, it's fair to ask: what's the value of a like or a click today?

Not zero, but not enough.

Brands and customers alike need something deeper and more meaningful that that cuts through the noise. That's why more brands are making community marketing a huge priority in 2026.

Here's a stat: A study from Sprout Social, Inc. found that 51% of social media users are migrating to community-driven platforms in 2026.

That number is simply too big for marketing teams to ignore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXGgunW_P1Y

What is Community Marketing and How Does it Work?

Simply put, community marketing is about creating owned spaces where people connect and engage around a shared interest. Think of it as a refreshing escape from algorithms, noise, and AI slop. It’s a space you control - where attention is not stolen, but earned and turned into a self-sustaining engine for your marketing. 

Communities are built on two foundational pillars - human interaction and the exchange of real value.I say real, because too often, marketers treat value like a bait and switch. Just lure leads into Hubspot with gated content and blast them with automated emails until everyone converts, dies, or even worse, unsubscribes.

In community marketing, value is an evergreen thing that’s exchanged between members - advice, connections, inspiration, support. This creates a self-sustaining ecosystem where people show up because the community itself is truly valuable.

That saves your marketing team budget and resources. It also means less time spent torturing ChatGPT for good content ideas. 

Nail these two pillars and you’ll have something scarce: genuine attention from people who actually care. And that’ll go a lot further than trapping someone in a 47-step automation just because they downloaded a whitepaper they never opened…and never will.

A comprehensive list of community marketing apps - you're welcome!

The 5 Types of Communities

So what does this look like in action? Let’s get into the five types of communities you can build, with some real-life examples of brands making them work.

Product Communities

These communities revolve around learning, and mastering your product. Members help each other grow by answering questions, sharing tips, and troubleshooting problems. The result: lower support costs and empowered users who become your strongest brand ambassadors. 

An example of this comes from Net Health, a healthcare software company. Net Health hosts both an online community and in-person events to help users learn from each other, exchange ideas, get early product announcements and more.

Lifestyle and Interest Communities

These are centered on shared interests, hobbies, professions, or identities that align with your brand. This is where networking and relationships spark and your brand gets to be the matchmaker that gets all the credit.

Pendo, a product experience software company, uses its Slack community, Mind the Product, to connect and inspire product leaders. Members share insights, discuss best practices, and stay ahead of trends, making it a resource that keeps on giving.

Creator Communities 

These communities are built around people actively creating content, projects, or work related to your brand's theme or using your product as a tool. 

Canva’s Creators community lets designers publish their work, like templates and graphics, directly into Canva’s marketplace. This helps their work get seen and used by countless Canva clients, while earning royalties. Meanwhile, Canva gets to use UGC to grow its platform. Win-win all around!

Fourth, Insider or VIP Communities

These are velvet-rope communities that grant special perks to your most loyal customers. This could be discounts, early access to products and services, invitations to special events and more. 

Salesforce’s MVP program is an invite-only community that recognizes top contributors to Salesforce’s Trailblazer community. MVPs get invites to exclusive events, direct access to product teams, and networking opportunities. This is a smart way to motivate your community members to stay engaged and keep contributing. 

That’s more generous than my company, where hard work gets a pat on the back and some Kohl’s Cash. Don't get any ideas - we’re not hiring!

Mission-Based Communities. 

These communities are united around advancing a specific cause or mission. These communities exist for one reason: to create change. 

PatientsLikeMe, a patient community platform owned by Fuze Health, connects people living with chronic conditions to share experiences, support one another, and contribute data to improve health outcomes. Nothing builds a strong community like an even stronger cause.

Building Communities Works, But It Ain’t Easy

I won’t sugarcoat it, building and maintaining a community takes a lot of work - but that’s part of what makes them so special. 

Nowadays, anyone can create content and get likes or clicks. But building an owned space that's powered by real relationships, real value and deeper engagement with your audience? That's not easy to replicate. And when done right, it not only goes further for your audience, it goes further for your business.