Online communities are everywhere—and every brand wants one. They’re celebrated as the future of customer loyalty, support, and engagement. But here’s the reality: most brand communities don’t work. They become ghost towns, or worse, “online embarrassments” (Futurist Speaker). Gartner once predicted that 70% of online communities would fail, and unfortunately, that warning still rings true (The Community Manager).
Why? Because most community strategies are backwards. They’re built to serve the company first, not the member. Businesses want lower support costs, more marketing reach, or a new sales channel. But people don’t join communities to be marketed to—they join to connect, share, and belong. The result is predictable: company-first communities fizzle, while member-first ones thrive.
This post breaks down the seven biggest mistakes brands make (the “seven sins of community strategy”)—and lays out a blueprint for how to fix them in 2025.
The Seven Sins of Backwards Community Strategy
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