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Concept
Community
Community is a group bound by genuinely shared value, where members extend trust and help to one another. It runs deep: thoughts of self and of one's group share brain circuitry. Brands exploit this to become a cheap substitute for belonging, which works and is hollow.
Why it matters
Real community is the most durable form of distribution and the least fakeable form of trust. It also cannot be manufactured without eventually being exposed.
Common misconceptions
- That a customer base is a community. An audience that relates only to you, not to each other, is not a community.
- That community can be manufactured quickly. It forms slowly around real value and collapses when faked.
- That the brand should sit at the center. A healthy community is about its members, not the logo.
How it connects
- Network effectsCommunity value grows with its connections.
- IdentityPeople join what fits who they are becoming.
- DistributionA community is a channel that carries your work for you.
- Word of mouthCommunity is word of mouth with a home.
- PositioningA community forms around a clear position, not a vague one.
- TrustCommunity is trust made mutual.
Essays exploring it
Books that shaped my thinking
The books behind this idea will appear here as the shelf grows.
Case studies applying it