Webinar Recap: 4 Tips for Brands to Build Strong Communities and Drive Authentic Engagement

We don’t interact with brands like we used to. Back then, marketing and advertising were heavily reliant on the huge following of celebrities to put more eyes on a brand. Today, however, we are seeing a greater focus on community and authenticity through intentional content creation.

Follower counts and impressions no longer paint an accurate picture of a campaign’s success. Now, engagement helps us understand if consumers gave more than a passing glance at a product. This noticeable shift from aspirational content into community-driven influence is why, as mentioned in our previous blog, micro-influencers are growing in prominence on social media.

Near Creative held our recent webinar entitled, “Level Up Your Brand Strategy: The Power of Community-Driven Influence” this February, with content creator (also midnight snacker and professional yapper) Alonzo “Cru” Cruel as our special guest. Here are our 4 key points to help you harness the power of community-driven influence:

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4 Ways for Brands to Create Engaged Online Communities

1. Know your brand's value.

Every brand has a unique flavor. If your brand feels like it doesn’t have one, then it’s time to go back to basics and discover who your brand is.

On this, Cru suggests, “You need to understand your product and who exactly will benefit from your product.” These are great starting points in developing your brand identity because a clear and solid brand identity is the foundation for the community you will be building. After all, if you don’t have an identity, how will you discover who your audience is?

2. Foster authentic and relatable content.

Today, consumers are partial to brands that feel real—that is, brands with distinct personalities. So when you build your brand identity, the next step is to further flesh it out through content that tells people who your brand is in a way that only it can.

This also means daring to think outside the box with content that is original, but still rooted in a cultural reality that your audience will understand at its core. Think RC Cola’s viral 2020 ad. It was bizarre, but the humor was so Filipino that it clicked!

3. Empower user-generated content.

Viktor Kapunan, senior brand manager at Near, says, “Your audience is your best advocate.”

In this era of personalization and community, audiences are just as interested in seeing content made by other “normal” people—that is, user-generated content (UGC). Brands can take cues from the likes of Cebu Pacific and how they share real travel moments through the hashtag #JuanForFun. This approach makes travel feel accessible to viewers because they are able to see themselves in the content and therefore find a personal connection with it.

4. Leverage storytelling to create emotional connections.

“People nowadays don’t just buy products; they buy into stories,” shares Viktor. Sure, people still take a look at popular brands endorsed by the hottest celebrities, but that’s hardly ever enough anymore to get people to truly care about what you’re selling. The people want a good story that reels them in and makes them feel something.

Jollibee is a great example of this. The brand has plenty of “Kwentong Jollibee” videos that showcase their expertise in storytelling. Jollibee’s videos blend strong narratives with Filipino culture and values that are emotionally affecting and inspiring for audiences.

Bonus: Partner with content creators who match your brand’s vibe.

Sometimes, although brands understand that they need to build a unique identity and reinforce it through UGC and great storytelling, they still make the mistake of just choosing the most well-known influencers to promote their brand without first considering who the influencer’s audience is and their style of content.

Cru has this to say, “You have to know [that a] creator is going to be someone who effectively communicates to the people you want to communicate with.” He adds, “Know exactly who these creators are entertaining. If your product aligns with those people, then go for [that content creator].”

Master the marketing trends of 2025. Watch a replay of our webinar here and download our trends guide here!