Branded Communities: Who, What, Why, When, & Where

SocialEngine - Community Software

Branding your community takes it to the next level. First, it benefits those in the community by requiring them to clearly identify ideology, methodology, foundations, and goals. Second, it creates a natural and effective way to reach out to others, resulting in growth in numbers and maturity of purpose. So let’s explore five essential aspects of what it means to brand your community.

Who: A group of friends, acquaintances, family, or anyone else who shares common interests and goals and have grouped together to enjoy the process of reaching those goals.

What: Branding your community involves determining a recognizable ideology, setting objective and attainable goals, and creating a memorable symbol that represents. A brand represents who you are, what you do, and why you are doing it.

Why: Clearly stating who you are in words and symbols builds credibility, setting your community apart as legitimate in a memorable and sharable way. It makes a clear statement about who you are that attracts like-minded individuals, sparks interest among those who do not yet know your community, and is an easy way to share your goals.

When: As soon as you have laid the foundational principles and determined the goals of your community, start creating a brand. Building it along with your community gives it authenticity. No worries, however, if you have already passed that stage — it is never too late to develop a brand for your community.

Where: Now that you have your brand constructed, you can market it, giving other the chance to become acquainted with it. When sharing or broadcasting, choose locations carefully as you are building associations — as much as possible, show your brand alongside others that are reputable or serve for an effective comparison.

Conclusion

Creating a brand for your community is a process that takes time, energy, and resources. But making that investment has many benefits for your community:

  • Focus
  • Clarity
  • Recognizability
  • Memorability
  • Growth
  • Shareability

Ready to invest in your community? We are here to help you each step of the way.