The quickest way to alienate Gen Z consumers is to slap the ​“community” buzzword onto a digital campaign or IRL event. There’s no cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all playbook for community (and any consultant or agency that tells you there is, doesn’t get it!).

A new era of community has been born — and the rules of engagement have changed.

Brands are not participants in communities, they’re patrons. Rather than asking ​“What can the community do for my brand?,” the better question is, ​“What can my brand do for this community?” Do the work to understand a community’s values, desires, and challenges, and what you can bring to the table. How can you support the collective mission, build authentic social connections, and create a sense of belonging? And remember: The salad days of social are over. Social media was great at delivering hard metrics and conversions, but consumers aren’t paying attention anymore. Smart marketers will embrace this paradigm shift, and put connection over clicks, social over media, and respect over reach.

You want to build real community today? We pulled together the top five takeaways from our report. Consider these thought-starters to elevate an existing community or to ignite conversations about starting a community authentically. In other words: here’s how to do community right, according to Gen Zs.

Marketers no longer build brands; the community around the brand does — so, engage community at every turn. While it’s not wrong to have a community slide in your strategy deck, community shouldn’t be treated like a standalone channel or quick hit tactic. Ask yourself: ​“how are we adding value to people’s lives in enduring ways?” Embed community into every aspect of your business — from in-store to product development to P.R. and beyond.

Case Study:
Activewear brand Fabletics launched with a digital membership model; now, the brand regularly highlights those members as they tell peers about the brand in their own words. Most impressive, though, is Fabletics 360 degree approach to engaging consumers IRL. Community is baked in at every level: ambassadors embedded in college campuses nationwide, retail stores that host weekly workout classes and events, and happy hours at the company’s corporate headquarters where consumers give product feedback directly.

While social success historically focused on clicks as KPIs, there’s more value in something a little harder to quantify: real human connection. Don’t think of digital communities as a comms channel, but rather as a vehicle to connect with audiences in personal and memorable ways — and to help them connect with each other, too. Invest in human connection over the long term, and the ROI pay-off will be higher in the end.

Case Study:
Archrival partnered with Tinder to create a collegiate community program that would help Zs see the brand not as a dating app, but as a powerful tool to establish the range of connections they’re looking for. Through dynamic social content and on-the-ground campus ambassadors, Tinder created a real sense of belonging and community on dozens of campuses nationwide — resulting in 28,000 direct one-on-one conversations and 580,000 student impressions.

Mainstream influencers might have the most impressive follower counts, but peers who are trustworthy, knowledgeable, and authentic are more likely to move the needle. Establish opportunities for brand fans to create, connect, learn and grow. Brands who can connect authentically to established fandoms — no matter how niche — may just win a fandom of their own.

Case Study:
To celebrate the 100^th anniversary of James Baldwin, Penguin Random House commissioned self-taught, disabled, non-binary, digital artist Danielle Taphanel, @dtaphanel, to create a reimagined cover of Baldwin’s debut novel, Go Tell It on the Mountain. The digital-only artwork was exclusive to Tumblr, giving next-gen readers a sense of insider intimacy as they discovered Baldwin’s work for the first time.

Digitally-native and ​“very online” consumers increasingly want to interact with brands in the physical world. Spark meaningful and memorable connections by inviting Zs to touch, feel, and immerse themselves in your brand. Think: live experiences, serendipitous moments, or next-level customer service. People — from staff to CEOs to super-fans — can bring a level of realness that traditional ads or creators can’t match.

Case Study:
In partnership with Archrival, adidas has built a team of over 200 Brand Specialists nationwide. This elite ground force of personable, in-the-know influencers are local experts where sport meets fashion. They tell the brand story in the playgrounds adidas needs to win — most importantly — at retail. The result? Triple sell through of product in the communities where team members operate.

Empower the community you’re working with. The best way to do this? Stop talking about how cool your brand is, and let your audience do the talking for you — after all, they already are. Zs are eager to voice their desires (and disappointments!), and there’s no shortage of channels for them to do so. According to our research, nearly a third of Zs say the biggest draw to a brand community is getting to provide feedback and influence their favorite brands — so invite consumers to the table to share their POV. Better yet, hand over the reins completely. Give consumers creative freedom and trust them to use your brand to create culture through their own lens.

Case Study:
When Chick-fil‑A super-fan and employee Miriam Webb built a following of tens of thousands of TikTok followers for her candid reviews of menu items (her DIY honey mustard sauce video garnered over 3.5 million views), she expected the brand to embrace her creativity. Not so; Chick-fil‑A execs asked her to stop posting. Lucky for Webb’s followers, brands including Shake Shack, Wingstop, and Burger King have all invited her to be a content partner. According to Marketing Brew, Webb’s authentic unscripted videos have won new audiences for the brands.