I keep catching myself doing this thing lately: staring at an Instagram ad, listening to a podcast intro, scrolling past a post — and wondering, ‘Wait, is this AI?’ It turns out I’m far from alone. It turns out I’m not alone. survey by Getty Images states that 76% of people agree: ‘It’s getting to the point where I can’t tell if an image is real’. This simple feeling of uncertainty about whether an image is real or fake raises a question that marketers and content creators need to answer: how can we change the narrative and focus on trust?
After reflecting for some time now on what makes me really trust online, the answer is always the same: connection. It’s only when I feel connected that I can trust something.
Then it dawned on me that I needed to do more. We need to replicate what AI is incapable of doing. We make connections. We are building community. Real, human community. Only people, not technology, can increase trust. In an age when so many things feel synthetic, your greatest asset is going to be trust.
You may be wondering why I am so passionate about community building. It’s because it has transformed me. In 2021 I created my first community, which started with just 20 members and quickly expanded to over 140. We evolved the fellowship into a fully-fledged program in less than one year. It continues to be offered today by the European EdTech Alliance.
This experience has given me some great news to share with small business owners and creatives. What you need to do is build trust. WorldCom has published an interesting article about the growth of micro- and Nano-influencers. This is because trust that you create goes deeper. The brands are taking notice. creators who prioritize connection over clout tend to have more engaged communities. That kind of impact, then, is the best proof of a meaningful and deep connection. It’s something that takes time to develop, and not just created.
In this article, I’ll share why I believe building community can be your superpower right now — not just for marketing, but for building real trust and deep connections. In this article, I will explore what makes community a lasting strategy. How to create and maintain one, as well as how AI can help (without substituting) human touch.
A well-built, sustainable community is more than just a marketing campaign or a content piece. It can be a part of the mission and evolve over time. This is what makes them so powerful. What makes it so powerful?
Community taps something more than just metrics: emotions and belonging. The desire to belong is strong. You’re creating trust when you make members feel supported and engaged.
The trust you build creates bonds, and not just among members. It also strengthens the bond between your brand and community. As time passes, you will gain a reputation as more to them than a brand or a product. It’s not that you made a big ad but you showed up consistently for your customers. They felt valued, connected, and like they belonged.
They will talk about you. When people feel good about being part of your community, they talk. Your advocates become them. It is not possible to buy this kind of authority and social proof. You have to build it. The true power in community is that it brings people together. The community is something that people want to participate in. Due to your positive community experience, members are likely to love your brand.
In 2021 when I founded EdTech Female Founders, AI was not even on our radar (it still wasn’t a big thing for many marketers). The community thrived. The community thrived. It brought people together, stimulated ideas, increased brand awareness and pushed content on social media. But most importantly it made others want to join. This was a great idea in the pre-AI era, and I think it will work even more effectively now. Building community, in fact, is essential now more than ever. People crave human connections in a world transformed by AI. The brands and creators who succeed will deliver spaces which unite.
What community means to you now more than ever
Your audience will not be satisfied with a simple post or a sale when they see the people behind your product. With them, you’re creating and building.
You’re known by your first followers. They’ve DM’d you. Your lessons and stories from behind the scenes have been seen by them. You are known for what you believe in. It creates a level emotional equity for brands that is hard to attain.
AI may be able to generate thousands of sentences in a matter of seconds but it cannot create trust, loyalty or a sense that you belong. You can build these things through real, consistent interactions. How can you start?
,
If everything seems artificial to you, then authenticity is your key.
Begin with real people, real values and a purpose your community will embrace, not because they sound good but because the message resonates.
You might ask yourself, “What are you already doing to bring people together?” What’s the one thing you’re missing?
- You may be innovating a niche. Can you set up a place for specialists to exchange ideas?
- Can you create a platform that elevates voices who are often ignored if your segment is lacking in diversity?
- Is your community able to help you launch a product which reimagines the way people live and work?
It doesn’t have to be a huge community to be meaningful or to make an impact. But it must make sense. Your community should be in line with what you are trying to achieve. want Build it. If you do it for the sake of marketing, then that’s not authentic and defeats your purpose. Strong communities are real and offer value. They grow from care and genuine intention.
The community is not just a business transaction. It’s also a relationship that requires care and consistency.
Consider how you could show your support for those around you. What do they value most? What is the main reason for them to stay connected? Build one now!
Keep the spark going by giving people things to ignite it. You can achieve this by following these ideas:
- Offer exclusive value: Consider what resources are available for free that would be of interest to your audience. It can range from webinars and behind-the scenes material to thought-leadership content or tutorials.
- Encourage meaningful conversation Make spaces that allow members to network, share ideas, and see each other. This could include a dedicated Q&A channel or a space for members to share their own experiences and insights with each other. Take the initiative and start a discussion if you see this channel is quietening down.
- Create regular touchpoints: Your community engagement can be varied by choosing different venues. To do so, you can expand to virtual meetups or even physical ones.Send them community newsletters or the awesome resources that you created for them. Keep things interesting and reach out to your members wherever they are.
You will gain more respect the more you consistently demonstrate your value. It’s this kind of loyalty that can turn passive supporters into your most loyal fans, those who support you even when they’re not around.
You might think it’s a lot. Nobody said that building a group was easy. Hey, we are in the AI age, right?
Integrating AI with the Human Touch
It may come as a surprise, but AI is a powerful tool that can help us grow, including in the community-building process. It’s how you use AI that matters.
AI is a tool that should be used to support community building, and not as a substitute. You should think of AI as an aid and not a driving force. When you want to build something meaningful, don’t exhaust yourself by trying to handle everything on your own. It’s important to keep the warm feeling that first made people want to care.
This is how you can strike the balance.
- You can use AI to find out more about your ICP. AI can help you understand your users and the issues they are concerned about. It can identify trends, emotions, and sometimes unmet requirements.
- AI is a great way to get people talking. AI helps you come up daily with ideas for content.
- AI can streamline the onboarding process. AI is a great way to make new members comfortable from the start. From welcome messages that automate to useful chatbots. Don’t forget a personal touch.
AI should be used to assist the individual who runs the community and not to replace it. This will give managers more time to focus on building those relationships.
How this works: Real businesses, real communities
What does community look like?
You might find inspiration in these 3 examples of community involvement.
Women are leading the global climate discussion, connecting across borders and driving real business impact. Slack is a channel that brings together more than 4,500 people from all over the globe, providing an opportunity for collaboration and daily exchange of ideas. Their speaker database is a standout, as it helps to connect climate experts and event organizers. This ensures that fresh voices from around the globe are heard.
Notion’s users became its best educators. The community actively helps others learn the tool through workshops, events, videos, and templates. How does it work? The Notion team is made up of people who are actually using Notion on a daily basis, which makes learning real and not just rehearsed. There’s something for everyone, whether you are into design, productivity or teaching.
Buffer is a must-have. Buffer’s community isn’t only for social media specialists, but it’s also a hub of co-creation. The platform is actively shaped by users, who offer suggestions for new features and feedback on products. Users can stay on track with initiatives like Creator camp, and casual check-ins encourage genuine interaction. The feeling is like being in a home with everyone contributing to the construction.
Build what AI cannot, and let it assist where it can
A real community is the best thing to build in a world that’s rapidly becoming populated with everything generated by machines. It’s not just that it makes you feel good, though it certainly does, but it also gives you an edge in the long run: belonging, loyalty and trust.
Take a minute to do something completely different. Something timeless.
Create community because it’s the only way to keep the magic alive.
