Marketing
Community and D2C Brands: The Winning Strategic Combo
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Noémie Kempf (The Storyline)
January 7, 2025
The Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) e-commerce market is projected to grow from $142.1 billion in 2022 to $591.3 billion by 2032.
It may seem like stating the obvious, but the D2C model has become an intensely competitive sector, where brands must demonstrate creativity to secure their share of the market.
To make things even trickier, shoppers are increasingly demanding—not just regarding the brand experience itself (product quality, customer service responsiveness, delivery efficiency...) but also the brand’s values and positioning.
Today’s consumers want to buy from businesses that align with their own beliefs and offer more than just a purchase—they want the chance to join a genuine community.
To enhance the customer experience and stand out in a crowded market, D2C brands face a growing challenge: strengthening their relationships with customers through effective brand storytelling and engaging with them not just as buyers but as active members of their community.
In this article, inspired by her book The Power of Communities (Eyrolles, 2023), Noémie Kempf takes you through the essentials of community marketing and the various tools available to help you engage and retain your own community!
1. What is community marketing?
In the years ahead, stop thinking of your audience as just an “audience” and start thinking of it as a community.
Community marketing is a strategy focused on creating a space where a brand’s customers can interact freely—not only with the company itself but, more importantly, with one another.
Rather than fostering one-way relationships on social media (where consumers can only “like” or comment on a post), communities allow for multiplied and amplified interactions.
Through member exchanges, communities significantly enrich the relationship a brand builds with all its stakeholders—starting with its customers.
In marketing terms, a community isn’t just the sum of users who follow you on Instagram, TikTok, or similar platforms.
It’s a group of people actively engaged in your brand’s life, communicating through a dedicated space (such as a Slack channel or WhatsApp group) or even at events.
2. Why should D2C brands build a community?
Creating a D2C brand community does more than generate emotional attachment and boost conversion and retention rates. It also offers several strategic advantages:
- Cultivate potential brand ambassadors who will organically promote your brand and attract new members.
- Spark innovation, testing new products or services before launch.
- Generate authentic content from passionate fans who know your products well and are perceived as more genuine.
- Raise funds via crowdfunding, supporting brand growth or market expansion.
- Enhance traction on social media by making your brand’s content go viral.
For a D2C brand, leveraging community helps reinforce its identity and establish lasting relationships with customers—an effective way to achieve long-term economic stability and profitability.
3. 3 strategies to build and manage a D2C community
If you’re convinced of the value of a community strategy, that’s a great start.
But how do you get started? Building a D2C brand community involves much more than simply posting on social media.
To kickstart genuine community dynamics, consider these strategies:
3.1 Encourage (and reward) User-Generated Content (UGC)
UGC, or User-Generated Content, is a powerful communication tool and engagement driver.
D2C brands can partially delegate content creation to their customers, crafting a brand identity that resonates more deeply with their target audience.
Inspirational example
Brands like Sézane and Rouje have mastered the power of community-driven UGC, showcasing loyal customers wearing their designs on social media and in newsletters.
This authentic content allows shoppers to envision themselves using the products and fosters a genuine connection with the community. Bonus: these brands also host contests to encourage followers to share their posts!
3.2 Involve your employees
A brand becomes more approachable—and therefore more appealing—when it highlights its employees.
After all, employees are not just ambassadors of your employer brand; they’re often the first users of your products or services.
Enter EGC (Employee-Generated Content), the internal counterpart to UGC. This approach humanises your brand and naturally boosts community engagement.
Inspirational example
D2C brand Merci Handy features its employees in social media content.
For instance, the cosmetics company involved Marie, their newest intern, to bring customers closer to the brand.
Marie shared behind-the-scenes moments from her internship, asked for prank ideas, and reinforced the image of a fun, customer-friendly company.
3.3 Host community events
While D2C communities are often built online, they’re solidified in real life (IRL).
To strengthen ties with members, there’s nothing better than organising events where they can meet face-to-face—and interact directly with your team.
Inspirational example
Fitness brand Gymshark regularly hosts events for its community, where members can compete, meet their favourite athletes, attend workshops, raise funds for causes (like Movember), and win prizes.
Community marketing is an incredibly powerful tool for D2C brands to engage their target audience, retain customers, and stand out from competitors.
By creating a true community experience, you’ll strengthen the bond with your consumers, enhance your brand identity...
And maybe even achieve the ultimate goal: becoming a love brand!
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