Seven steps to AI-powered community marketing
Algorithms spark connections; humans kindle the flame
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Last Updated: Jul 25, 2025, 10:58 IST5 min
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Information overload has transformed how brands must connect with consumers. Ask yourself: How often do you click on a random ad that pops up in your social media feed? Traditional advertising, characterised by brands telling consumers how good their product is, increasingly falls flat amid the sea of content. To stand out, brands shouldn’t shout louder they need to build genuine connections.
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As marketing legend Seth Godin noted, "People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories and magic." Community marketing can help create this magic. By fostering spaces where customers share values and experiences with other customers and brands, community marketing transforms customers into advocates and collaborators. Rather than merely driving one-time conversions, community market builds relationships for the long run.
In the age of generative AI (GenAI), this approach can now be supercharged. Algorithms can help brands create tailored content and personalised experiences while mining actionable insights from massive datasets. This enables brands to understand community behaviour patterns and preferences at scale even as they maintain the human touch that makes communities thrive.
Strategic recommendations for AI-powered community marketing
From Starbucks to Airbnb and Spotify, we studied examples of successful AI-driven community marketing across various industries. Here are seven recommendations to help your brand do community marketing right:Start with data-driven community insights
Before launching any new marketing strategy, use AI to understand your community"s behavioral patterns and preferences. Starbucks has become particularly adept at this approach, using sophisticated natural language processing tools to monitor social media conversations. The coffee chain categorises customer feedback to quickly address recurring complaints and concerns.Personalise recommendations at scale
Airbnb"s algorithms analyse numerous data points – from user preferences and booking behaviour to host profiles and property characteristics – to come up with personalised recommendations that enhance the user experience. This helps guests find accommodation matching their specific needs, resulting in higher satisfaction and increased bookings.Design targeted campaigns for specific segments
Amazon"s recommendation engine analyses everything from your past purchases to how long you linger on a product page, then uses that data to craft promotions that feel almost tailor-made. It"s like having a personal shopper who remembers not just what you bought last month, but also what you almost bought but didn"t. The result: Amazon isn"t wasting money on ads that miss the mark.Implement continuous campaign analysis
Do customers respond better to slick product showcases, authentic user-generated content or inspirational "Just Do It" stories?Burger King likewise keeps tabs on discussions across platforms such as Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) to gauge how their marketing campaigns are received by audiences. The fast-food chain tracks whether the response is positive, negative or indifferent, then uses those insights to spot new opportunities for engagement.
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Nike has moved far beyond counting likes and shares. The athletic giant now uses AI to dig deeper into what their audience thinks and feels about their content. Their analysts don"t just track whether a video got viewed – they study whether it sparked genuine engagement and emotional connection. Understanding these preferences means Nike creates content that doesn"t just grab attention but moves people to act.
Encourage and curate user-generated content
Spotify"s annual Wrapped campaign brilliantly combines personalisation with shareable content. By analysing individual listening habits and generating year-in-review summaries, it encourages users to share their musical interests with others, strengthening community bonds without costly production.Facilitate intra-community connections
Connecting customers with similar interests is particularly valuable for brands whose customers seek connections with like-minded individuals. Don’t fancy running alone? With fitness social-networking app Strava, you can join virtual running clubs and share your workout goals and achievements while giving other members kudos for completing theirs. This community-building approach has transformed what could be solitary exercise experiences into vibrant, supportive social communities.Balance automation with authentic human touch
While scaling operations through AI, maintain human oversight for quality control and authentic connections. Like a skilled orchestra conductor coordinating diverse instruments, successful brands harmonise AI efficiency with human empathy to create experiences that resonate on both rational and emotional levels.Netflix, for instance, continuously monitors its recommendation algorithms to ensure accuracy, relevance and diversity in content suggestions, while human teams step in for complex scenarios that require empathy or nuanced understanding.
Avoiding AI marketing fails
Despite its potential, implementing GenAI in community marketing presents several challenges.The first is data privacy and security. As brands collect and analyse user data, they must implement robust protection measures like encryption and access controls to build trust and overcome resistance. Brands must inform community members when they are interacting with AI vs. humans, particularly in support scenarios.
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Community members must have confidence that their personal information is protected and used responsibly, with clear opt-out options available. They should also be assured that that no member will be excluded due to technological limitations or algorithmic biases.
The second challenge is to avoid the all-too-common scenario of AI overpromising and reality underdelivering. Last year, Air Canada was ordered to pay damages to a passenger after its chatbot gave him incorrect information about bereavement fares following the death of his grandmother. British events organiser House of Illuminati used AI-generated visuals to market a children’s “Willy’s Chocolate Experience", but was roundly ridiculed after visitors were greeted by a sparsely decorated warehouse.
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Accuracy aside, brands should be wary of inappropriate output, or content that reinforces biases generated by AI. Google, for one, was humbled after its GenAI platform Gemini created drawings of people of colour in Nazi uniforms.
These incidents serve as cautionary tales about ensuring marketing aligns with brands’ actual products or services. A positive example is Netflix, which considers various genres, languages and content types to ensure balanced experiences for all users. The company also continuously monitors recommendation algorithms for accuracy, relevance and diversity.
Amplify, not replace
As community marketing evolves, brands must remember that technology alone won"t build communities – your brand"s culture and authentic human connections remain the essential foundation.Smart technology cannot, and should not, replace real human connections. It facilitates and amplifies them. Brands that get this will flourish.
This article is republished courtesy of INSEAD Knowledge, the portal to the latest business insights and views of The Business School of the World. Copyright INSEAD 2025
First Published: Jul 25, 2025, 10:58
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