Chapter 64: Community Building and Advocacy Toolkit

Key Takeaways - Community is about participation: Build spaces where your audience can interact with each other. - Advocates are your most powerful fans: Identify your loyal customers and empower them to speak for you. - Value leads to loyalty: Provide exclusive content and experiences to your core community.

Building a community is the ultimate goal of Digital PR. It transforms passive followers into active advocates who protect and promote your brand.

Key Community Tactics

• Online Groups: Create dedicated spaces on platforms like Discord or LinkedIn for your customers.
• Interactive Content: Use polls, Q&As, and contests to encourage two-way conversation.
• Exclusive Benefits: Offer your community early access to new products or special discounts.
• User-Generated Content: Actively encourage and share the content created by your community members.

Advocacy Program Checklist

• [ ] Have we identified our most loyal customers?
• [ ] Do we have a plan for rewarding brand advocates?
• [ ] Are we engaging with community members daily?

DPRI CONNECTION

Community building turns digital outcomes into sustainable business impact. Advocacy is the ultimate form of Shared media, driving UGC Volume, Social Engagement, and positive Sentiment.

Next: A strong community is your best defense in a storm. Chapter 65 covers Crisis Management specifically for the high-pressure world of startups.