Types of Communities: a guide for marketers

The 5 types of communities and why it matters for marketing

Communities shape every aspect of human behavior, from the products we buy to the brands we trust. They’re the invisible networks that influence our decisions, validate our choices, and define who we are.

Think about your last major purchase. Chances are, you didn’t make that decision in isolation. You probably asked friends, read reviews, checked forums, or sought advice from people who share your interests or circumstances. That’s community influence in action, and it happens millions of times every day across every industry.

The most successful brands don’t just market to communities: they become valued members of them. They understand that authentic engagement creates organic growth as community members naturally share messages they find meaningful. This approach builds deeper, more sustainable relationships than traditional advertising ever could.

1. Communities of Interest

What defines a community of interest

Communities of interest bring together people united by shared passions, hobbies, or enthusiasms. Unlike professional networks or neighborhood groups, these communities form around what people love to do, talk about, and experience together. Members connect to explore, celebrate, and deepen their interest through knowledge-sharing and social interaction.

These communities thrive on collective excitement and identity formation around specific interests. Whether it’s vintage motorcycles, Korean skincare, plant-based cooking, or fantasy football, the shared passion creates a strong sense of belonging that often becomes part of how members see themselves.

Real-world examples

Gaming communities represent some of the most vibrant interest-based groups online. Discord hosts thousands of communities where members discuss strategies, share accomplishments, and build genuine friendships. Gaming companies don’t just sell to these communities—they participate in them, sponsoring tournaments and collaborating with respected community leaders.

Fitness communities have transformed how people approach health and wellness. Peloton created spaces where members share achievements, support each other’s goals, and form identities around their fitness journeys. The community aspect often becomes more valuable than the actual equipment.

Food and cooking communities show how traditional industries can reinvent themselves through community building. King Arthur Flour transformed from a commodity product into a beloved brand by building a community of home bakers who share recipes, troubleshoot problems, and celebrate baking successes together.

Marketing strategies that work

Create content that celebrates the passion itself, not just your products. REI doesn’t just promote outdoor gear: it publishes guides, stories, and resources that enrich people’s connection to nature. This approach builds trust by demonstrating genuine understanding of what matters to community members.

Listen carefully to community conversations for unfiltered insights into what your audience truly cares about. Monitor discussions to understand evolving interests, pain points, and trends that can inform product development and messaging. These communities often reveal needs and opportunities that traditional market research misses.

Partner with authentic community voices rather than traditional celebrities who lack genuine connection. Members trust each other far more than they trust brands, so collaborating with respected voices within these communities yields better results and feels more natural to other members.

Invite community members into your development process through testing programs or idea workshops. They’ll provide invaluable feedback and often become your most loyal advocates when they feel ownership in your products or services.

2. Communities of Practice

What defines a community of practice

Communities of practice unite people who share a common profession, craft, or discipline. Unlike casual interest groups, these communities focus on professional development, problem-solving, and advancing skills within a specific domain. Members come together to learn collectively, exchange techniques, and establish standards of excellence in their field.

These communities significantly influence how professionals identify themselves, approach their work, and evaluate products and services. They develop shared vocabularies, methodologies, and values that shape purchasing decisions and determine what information they consider credible.

Real-world examples

Developer communities gather on platforms like Stack Overflow and GitHub to share code, solve problems, and discuss best practices. Companies like DigitalOcean built their reputation by creating valuable educational content for these communities rather than pushing products. They understood that developers value knowledge sharing above sales pitches.

Healthcare professional networks on platforms like Doximity and Medscape have become essential hubs where medical practitioners exchange knowledge about treatment approaches and research findings. Companies like Medtronic build credibility by providing peer-reviewed research rather than marketing materials, respecting the community’s emphasis on evidence-based practice.

Design communities on platforms like Behance bring together graphic designers, illustrators, and digital artists who share work, offer feedback, and discuss industry trends. Adobe nurtures these communities by providing not just tools but educational resources and events that showcase community members’ creative work.

Marketing strategies that work

Provide technically accurate content that genuinely advances professional practice. HubSpot built its reputation by creating comprehensive resources that helped marketing professionals improve their craft rather than just promoting their tools. This positions you as an enabler of professional success rather than just another vendor.

Offer webinars, workshops, and certification programs that enhance professional skills. This demonstrates respect for the community’s focus on continuous learning and positions your brand as a valuable resource for career development.

Take time to understand the tools and processes the community already uses, then show how your products enhance rather than disrupt established practices. This demonstrates respect for their expertise and makes adoption feel natural rather than forced.

Celebrate community expertise by highlighting members’ achievements and knowledge. Salesforce’s MVP program recognizes community contributions, creating aspirational paths and strengthening community bonds while building brand loyalty.

3. Communities of Place

What defines a community of place

Communities of place form around shared geography: the social connections among people who live, work, or gather in particular locations. These might be neighborhoods, towns, cities, or regions where physical proximity creates shared experiences, concerns, and local identity.

Unlike online communities that transcend geography, place-based communities are rooted in specific locations, local cultures, and shared infrastructure. They shape how people identify with their surroundings, make local purchasing decisions, and respond to messages that reference their locality.

Real-world examples

Neighborhood business alliances often form communities that coordinate efforts, create local identity, and drive foot traffic. The Portland Business Alliance brings together over 1,900 local businesses to promote economic vitality through events, advocacy, and neighborhood improvement projects. Organizations that support these initiatives demonstrate

Regional identity movements like “buy local” campaigns and place-based cultural initiatives create strong community identities that influence consumer choices. Portland’s Stumptown Coffee built its identity around association with regional character and values, creating loyalty that extends far beyond the local market.

Marketing strategies that work

Customize your messages to reflect local cultural references, dialect, landmarks, and concerns. McDonald’s balances global brand consistency with localized menu items and messaging that resonates in specific regions, showing respect for local preferences and culture.

Support local events, infrastructure, or causes that matter to the community. REI builds strong connections by funding local trail maintenance and outdoor spaces that community members value, demonstrating genuine investment in local priorities.

Use precise geographic targeting through modern digital advertising platforms. IP addresses, GPS data, and postal codes enable hyper-local targeting that allows you to reach specific neighborhoods or business districts with messaging tailored to local context and relevance.

Partner with respected voices in specific geographic communities, from neighborhood social media administrators to local radio personalities. These partnerships build trust through established community relationships and local credibility.

Feature real locations and community members in your content. Ben & Jerry’s often highlights the Vermont communities where their products originate, creating a sense of place and belonging that resonates even with consumers elsewhere.

4. Communities of Action

What defines a community of action

Communities of action unite people working toward specific goals or changes in the world. Unlike communities based on shared interests or location, these groups form explicitly to make tangible impact: whether environmental protection, policy change, social justice, or community improvement.

These purpose-driven communities are characterized by their focus on outcomes, collective efforts, and shared values. Members identify strongly with the cause and evaluate organizations partly based on alignment with their mission.

Real-world examples

Environmental activism groups like Surfrider Foundation bring together people committed to ocean conservation. Patagonia has built exceptional loyalty by actively supporting and participating in environmental communities of action, going beyond surface-level messaging to take concrete action on issues that matter to these communities.

Mutual aid networks form during crises to address immediate needs through collective action. Companies like Airbnb have built goodwill by supporting these communities during disasters, offering concrete assistance rather than just sympathetic messaging, which demonstrates authentic commitment to community welfare.

Health advocacy organizations focused on specific causes, from cancer research to rare disease advocacy, unite around improving outcomes for affected populations. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has built deep trust by authentically engaging with childhood cancer communities through research, support programs, and advocacy efforts.

Marketing strategies that work

Clearly communicate your genuine commitment to values that matter to action-oriented communities. TOMS built its identity around shared purpose with communities focused on global development, making their social mission central to their brand story rather than an afterthought.

Collaborate with communities to create concrete, measurable change rather than just raising awareness. Dove’s partnership with body positivity activism demonstrated commitment through sustained action beyond surface-level messaging campaigns, creating lasting impact that community members could see and feel.

Use your resources and platform to elevate community voices rather than speaking for them. Ben & Jerry’s regularly highlights activists and causes, lending its reach to community priorities instead of co-opting their messages for brand benefit.

Offer skills, infrastructure, or tools that help communities achieve their goals. Google’s provision of technology tools to nonprofit organizations builds meaningful relationships with change-oriented communities by providing practical value that advances their missions.

Share honest assessments of your journey toward shared goals, acknowledging both progress and shortcomings. Communities of action respect honesty more than perfection and will appreciate authentic commitment over polished presentations.

5. Communities of Circumstance

What defines a community of circumstance

Communities of circumstance form among people sharing common life situations, challenges, or transitions—often unexpectedly. Unlike communities chosen through interest or profession, these groups form because members find themselves in similar circumstances, such as new parenthood, health diagnoses, career transitions, or relocation.

These communities provide essential support, information exchange, and validation during significant life changes. They strongly influence how people make decisions during vulnerable or transitional periods when traditional support systems might not fully understand their specific challenges.

Real-world examples

New parent groups, whether online forums or local meetups, form strong communities to navigate the challenges of child-rearing. Companies like Frida have built loyalty by speaking authentically to these communities, acknowledging real challenges instead of presenting idealized parenting scenarios that don’t match lived experience.

Health condition support groups bring together people diagnosed with specific conditions to share coping strategies and emotional support. Cancer Council builds trust within these communities by providing support groups, helplines, and educational resources for cancer patients and their families, addressing both practical and emotional needs.

Relocation communities help people moving to new cities or countries share adaptation strategies and resources. Airbnb has created content platforms where these communities can share location-specific knowledge, helping newcomers navigate unfamiliar environments more successfully.

Marketing strategies that work

Develop resources that address the unique challenges of transitional periods. Insurance companies that create simplified products for major life changes demonstrate understanding of circumstantial communities’ needs for clarity and support during complex times.

Offer straightforward, actionable information that helps people navigate unfamiliar territory. Financial institutions that provide clear guidance for first-time homebuyers support these communities beyond promotional messaging, building trust through genuine helpfulness.

Create platforms where people in similar circumstances can find each other. Dating app Bumble expanded into BFF mode, recognizing the need for friendship connections during life transitions when existing social networks might not provide adequate support.

Understand the emotional journey of different circumstances and time your outreach appropriately. Funeral service providers that offer resources without immediate sales pressure demonstrate respect for circumstantial timing and emotional sensitivity.

Ensure your content reflects the varied experiences within circumstantial communities. Dove’s Real Beauty campaign succeeded partly by acknowledging diverse body image experiences across different life circumstances rather than presenting a single narrative.

The overlapping nature of communities

Communities rarely exist in isolation or fit neatly into single categories. They blend, evolve, and transform over time in ways that create rich, complex social ecosystems. What begins as a community of circumstance, like new parents seeking support, often evolves into a community of interest centered around specific parenting philosophies or approaches.

This fluidity makes community engagement both challenging and rewarding for marketers. You might find the same person participating in a professional developer community, a local neighborhood group, and an environmental action network—each influencing their decisions in different ways depending on the context.

Understanding these overlapping dynamics helps you recognize that people don’t exist in demographic vacuums but as active participants in multiple social ecosystems, each with their own norms, values, and ways of thinking. This complexity requires nuanced approaches that respect the different roles people play in different communities.

Measuring community engagement: beyond metrics

Traditional marketing metrics often miss the depth and quality of community relationships. Likes, shares, and comments tell you something, but they don’t capture trust, influence, or the strength of community bonds that actually drive purchasing decisions.

Focus instead on relationship quality indicators: How often do community members reference your brand in helpful contexts? Do they defend your brand when others criticize it? Are they willing to provide feedback or participate in your development process? These behaviors signal genuine community integration rather than surface-level engagement.

Community health indicators matter more than growth metrics. A smaller, highly engaged community often provides more value than a large, passive audience. Look for signs of authentic interaction, mutual support, and shared purpose that indicate a thriving community ecosystem.

Building a community-centered marketing strategy

Developing a marketing approach that places community understanding at its core requires fundamental shifts in how you think about audience engagement. Start by mapping the communities your customers actually participate in rather than the demographics you think they represent.

Spend time observing before participating. Each community has its own culture, language, and unwritten rules that outsiders often violate without realizing it. Listen deeply to understand what matters to community members, how they communicate, and what kinds of contributions they value.

Create value for the community itself, not just for your business objectives. The most successful community marketing feels like genuine participation rather than promotional activity. Ask yourself what you can contribute that makes the community stronger, more knowledgeable, or better connected.

Build long-term relationships rather than focusing on short-term campaigns. Community trust develops slowly through consistent, authentic participation. Quick wins are rare, but the relationships you build create sustainable competitive advantages that are difficult for competitors to replicate.

The future of community-based marketing

Emerging technologies will continue to reshape how communities form and function, but the fundamental human need for connection and belonging remains constant. Virtual reality might create new forms of place-based communities. Artificial intelligence could help people find communities that match their evolving interests and circumstances.

The brands that thrive in this evolving landscape will be those that understand community dynamics at a deeper level. They’ll move beyond demographic targeting to relationship building, beyond message broadcasting to authentic participation, and beyond short-term campaigns to long-term community investment.

Success in community-based marketing isn’t about finding the perfect message or the right influencer. It’s about becoming the kind of organization that communities genuinely want to include. When you achieve that level of authentic integration, marketing becomes less about persuasion and more about serving the communities that already trust and value what you do.

The future belongs to brands that can navigate this complex social landscape with genuine respect, authentic value, and patient relationship building. Those that master these skills won’t just reach their audiences—they’ll become valued members of the communities that shape how people think, feel, and make decisions in an increasingly connected world.