A community is a group of people connected by shared interests, goals, or experiences, who interact regularly and create value together. Unlike a simple audience, a community features two‑way or many‑to‑many interactions between members.
Key traits:
- Shared purpose or identity
- Ongoing participation and rituals
- Member‑to‑member interactions (not just creator‑to‑audience)
- Norms, roles, and governance that evolve over time
Why it matters for creators and brands:
- Stronger retention and loyalty than one‑way channels
- Higher trust, faster feedback loops, and co‑creation
- Compounding network effects as members help each other
Common formats: Discord servers, Telegram groups, forums, memberships, and private circles. Communities can be free or paid and often mix content, events, and peer support.
