What does it take to build a community that’s more than just a sea of followers?
Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to moderate a panel at the Digital Marketing World Forum in NYC with some of the top voices in the social media world: Shayna Macklin from Playboy Enterprises, Deissy Villa from Grande Cosmetics, and Kali Fletcher from Nickelodeon. These experts manage brands that aren't just household names—they’ve mastered the art of creating spaces where people want to engage, connect, and stay loyal.
We didn’t just talk about metrics or numbers. This panel dove into the heart of what makes a community thrive: authenticity, trust, and relationships that go deeper than a like or share. From playful mascot strategies to cultivating long-term loyalty, our conversation was filled with fresh perspectives on how to truly connect with audiences in a way that matters. Below are the most impactful insights and strategies we discussed.
Quality Over Quantity: The Power of Organic Engagement
One of the standout themes was the importance of quality over quantity when it comes to followers and engagement. Kali Fletcher from Nickelodeon shared how engaging with users on posts can lead to a ripple effect of organic interaction. She mentioned that simple actions, like commenting on posts, can surprise and delight audiences. For example, if Nickelodeon comments on a fan’s post, that interaction can receive hundreds of likes, even if the fan doesn’t follow Nickelodeon. This organic engagement helps build deeper, more meaningful connections, even if it’s not immediately reflected in traditional metrics.
Shayna Macklin from Playboy Enterprises emphasized how brands like Wendy’s changed how brands interact with their audience by adopting a funny and snarky persona on social media that made everyone laugh and want to jump into or share a fun conversation. Wendy’s mastered the art of community-building through bold, authentic communication, and other brands have taken notice. This type of engagement goes beyond surface-level metrics and helps brands foster genuine, long-term relationships.
Creating Authentic Connections: Personalizing at Scale
Building trust with your audience means making them feel heard and understood. Deissy Villa highlighted that brands can personalize interactions in various ways, one of which is using mascots or key figures. She cited Duolingo's use of their owl mascot to create a more humanized, relatable brand experience. At Grande Cosmetics, they’ve even given their star mascara a persona, naming it Sheila to add a fun, engaging element to the brand. While not every brand needs a mascot, this is one approach to building a personal connection with your audience.
Shayna emphasized that the key to authentic community-building is knowing your brand voice and using it consistently in every interaction. Your audience expects a certain personality from your brand, whether that’s playful, professional, or bold. Knowing how to balance this with human interaction helps create deeper, lasting relationships.
Long-Term Vision: Sustainable Community Building
Deissy Villa emphasized the importance of building long-term relationships by rewarding loyal community members and leveraging influencers and affiliates. She shared how Grande Cosmetics nurtures smaller creators and followers, recognizing their importance in driving engagement and spreading brand awareness. These "brand loyalists" are often more influential than a viral post, as they consistently advocate for the brand.
Kali Fletcher supported this idea, explaining that community-building is a long game. Brands should reward loyal followers and those who engage frequently, no matter how big or small their reach. These consistent engagements are key to fostering a thriving community over time.
The Crucial Role of Community Managers
A particularly insightful topic was the distinction between social media managers and community managers. Deissy Villa highlighted how these roles are often misunderstood. A social media manager focuses on content creation, scheduling, and engagement metrics, while a community manager embodies the brand’s voice in every interaction.
Shayna Macklin shared an inspiring example of how Playboy hired one of their biggest fans, Amber, to be their community manager. Amber had built such an organic connection with the brand and understood the audience so deeply that she was the perfect person to engage with the community authentically. Shayna emphasized how critical it is to hire community managers who truly "get" the brand and its audience, as they are key in making every interaction feel personal and genuine. Brands that want to build lasting, engaged communities need to invest in dedicated community management, not just social media management.
Balancing Human Intuition with AI in Community Management
Sentiment analysis came up as we discussed how brands can better understand community feedback. All panelists agreed that while AI tools can help track sentiment at scale, there’s no substitute for human intuition. Kali Fletcher mentioned how AI can sometimes misinterpret emotional tone—like flagging "I’m dying" (meant humorously) as a negative sentiment. Community managers are key in bringing the human touch to sentiment analysis, ensuring brands get an accurate read on how their audience feels.
Shayna added that the speed at which social media evolves means brands need to remain agile. AI tools help track trends, but they can’t replace the human ability to adapt quickly to changes in audience sentiment or platform algorithms.
Building Communities with Heart and Strategy
Our conversation underscored that community-building is about human connection more than ever. While AI and data tools can help brands measure and track engagement, the real magic happens when brands prioritize authenticity and meaningful relationships over surface-level metrics.
If you’re looking to build a thriving community, focus on quality interactions, make your approach personal, and balance the use of technology with a human touch. The insights from these industry leaders remind us that building a brand is not just about numbers—it’s about creating meaningful relationships that stand the test of time.
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