Building your personal brand through community

12 May

Community isn’t just a buzz word… It’s here to stay.

From brands to creators, everyone’s thinking about how to grow their community in 2025 (whether online or offline) - so don’t be late to the party…

Sit back and relax, let’s talk:

⚡Which brands are KILLING it & where community is heading.

⚡Who you WANT in your community, and how to nurture it.

⚡Networking online and IRL.

The Crème de la Crème

The future of community is changing. I used to think it meant the local cul-de-sac or the Brownies group I was part of when I was 12, but now it’s something else entirely.

Keeping up with technological changes, community has evolved. It now embodies niche offline meet-ups, as well as private and intimate online spaces - all catering for people with shared interests.

It’s gone from having your neighbours over for a summer BBQ to being able to connect with people across the country, or even the world, on a deeper level.

So... Who's changing the game?

Let’s talk about CLIQ! An app that literally brings the online, offline. Find niche interest groups not just online in your local community, but across the country. Connect with people on a more meaningful level.

RISER App: Redefining outdated recruitment processes with AI video-led profiles, and revolutionising IRL networking. Taking the ‘scary’ out of meeting people face-to-face, RISER has implemented networking activities that naturally get the conversation flowing.

Pretty Little Marketer Membership Community (of course): an online/offline community that ‘gets you’. Monthly IRL co-working invites, Ask the Expert sessions, and much, much more! Bringing marketing professionals together across the world to help them find a place where they truly belong.

The future of community.

We’re conquering pop-ups, brand trips and events - so what’s next?

Though creative, pop-ups are becoming predictable. I want to see your product placed at the right place, right time, and with the right community.

Puresport absolutely NAILED this at the 2025 TCS London Marathon. At mile 24, they gave runners an extra boost (electrolytes) for a final push to the finish line. Talk about getting your product seen at the most emotional part of the race.

This is an example of a brand bringing a community together seamlessly. Because they could’ve just handed these out in Covent Garden on a Saturday - but how does that serve their audience?

The most successful players have a mix of both: online and offline.

This year, creators can really buy into community, with exclusive/private online groups that make you feel like you’re behind the scenes - like you really know them.

Think: The Girls Bathroom Podcast Patreon channel meets Instagram Broadcasts meets PLM’s Slack channel.

So whether you’re a creator or a brand, ask yourself: where could you embrace an ‘exclusive’ community?

⚡ A paid, intimate membership?

⚡ A ‘group chat’?

⚡ A broadcast channel?

Your inner circle.

It’s so, so important to connect with the right people online when building your community. I know it’s tempting to accept every connection request at first, but ask yourself: will they help you get to where you want to be?

I use a thirds model to stay in control of my connections - I NEED my homepage scroll to add value!

Connect with people you could teach (your target audience) – 33.3%
Connect with people you can learn from (thought leaders, peers, experts) – 33.3%
Connect with people! This is your free space (think: people you meet networking, hiring managers, decision makers, dream brands) – 33.3%

When your feed reflects what you actually want to see, it becomes so much easier to nurture your community.

Simple tip: don’t leave people hanging in your comments or DMs. If your community serves you, don’t ghost them. And when you can, spread a little love on others’ posts too!

Easier said than done, I know. Busy day at work? Knackered and need some downtime in the evening? I hear you, I experience all of these. Try setting a little routine to keep the momentum going, even on the bad days:

⚡ 15 mins in the morning or evening.

⚡ A quick nosy in your lunch break.

⚡ Catch up with replies before your next post.

(I’d love to know what works for you so please drop me a message on LinkedIn).

Conquering the networking nerves!

I wouldn’t relive the nerves I had before my first networking event - but I also wouldn’t have missed it for the world!

Whether you’re new to the game or a seasoned pro, it never really gets easier (especially if you’re going solo). I attended so many last year and still felt like it was a world-ending experience every time.

But there are things you can do to make it less scary – including networking online to make offline that little bit easier.

💗 Build relationships online through messaging and engaging with others’ content (you never know when you might spot a friendly face).
💗 Check the comments on event posts – see who’s going and message them beforehand to build a connection (I literally made a little networking group chat before my first PLM event – those girls are still my girls)
💗 Remember: most people feel the same. We’re all just humans, experiencing life for the first time.

And my mantra: do things scared.

My holy grails:

Now it wouldn’t be fair if I brain dumped all this information on you and let you fend for yourself!

Here are some of my top resources for all things community:

[CLIQ App] Connect with like-minded individuals.
[Riser App] The AI Video-led Career Matchmaking App.
[PLM Membership] The community for people in social media.

To cut the story short:

If you’ve read my entire blog – thanks for staying around! Here’s a quick-fire recap:

The brands that are KILLING community have a balance of online/offline and are seeing where they can implement ‘exclusive’ communities into their strategy.