Rethink Social Media for Community Building

To foster genuine community on social media, brands must shift their focus from high-volume content production to encouraging audience participation. This approach aims to transform followers into engaged fans by offering inspiration, education, or a sense of belonging, particularly relevant in an era of increasing loneliness and isolation. A strong social media presence should provide unique value, whether through expert insights, skill-building content, or promoting responsible practices.

Intrepid Travel, for instance, evaluates its social media value through three core questions: Does the audience feel inspired to travel locally? Did they learn something new about experiences, food, or destinations? And did they gain knowledge on responsible travel? The company recently added a fourth crucial question: Does the audience feel part of a community? This reflects a strategic pivot towards cultivating connection, recognizing that social media can be a powerful tool for belonging.

The challenge for many brands lies in their social media teams' structure, which is often geared towards content output and acting as a distribution channel for various departments and product launches. This optimization for output can hinder the development of true community. To address this, Intrepid Travel has implemented specific changes to its social media strategy.

One significant change involves creating a dedicated social content team. Previously, the social media team handled a broad range of tasks, including creative development, caption writing, community moderation, and customer service. Now, this team is exclusively focused on production and posting across the company's owned channels, allowing for a more concentrated effort on building engagement and fostering a sense of community.