From Word of Mouth to Content at Scale: Why winning brands invest in community
Brand experience has entered a new phase. What people think, feel and do with your product or services no longer stays between them and their immediate circle. It travels.
Social platforms have turned everyday customer moments into public narratives, reshaping how brands are discovered, judged and recommended. At the same time, influence is fragmenting. Smaller creators, peer voices and dedicated communities are gaining ground over traditional brand-led communications.
The implication is straightforward. Brands are no longer the sole authors of their story. The organisations that thrive will be those that design experiences, partnerships and spaces with participation in mind, not just promotion.
Consumers are creating and consuming brand experiences
Content about brands, products and services is now a visible and everyday part of social media culture.
Eight in ten consumers (83%) say they see others sharing their experiences of brands online. For most, this is not occasional exposure. Two thirds (67%) see this type of content daily or weekly, rising to four in five (80%) among those aged under 35.
This is not a niche behaviour. It is mainstream and embedded in how people discover, evaluate and talk about brands.
For brands, this means that experience is no longer private. Every interaction has the potential to become public content. The quality of the experience you deliver is increasingly your media strategy.
When we look at where this content lives, just over half cite TikTok (52%) and Facebook (52%), closely followed by YouTube at just under half (49%) and Instagram (45%). The pattern is clear. Curated video content is now the primary medium through which brand experiences are shared and consumed.
The implication is simple. Brands need to think in moments, not messages. What are you creating that is worth filming, sharing and reacting to? If your experience does not translate into engaging content, you risk being invisible in the spaces where decisions are shaped.
Smaller voices, stronger connections
What is perhaps most striking is who people are choosing to engage with.
Half (51%) say the most common type of profile they engage with is micro influencers. These creators typically have smaller, but more focused, audiences.
Nearly three quarters (74%) of those viewing this type of content engage with either micro or nano influencers. Both groups have more limited reach but are perceived as offering more authentic content.
Size is not everything. Authenticity, relatability and community matter more.
For brands, this challenges the instinct to chase scale at any cost. A network of credible, trusted smaller creators can be more powerful than a single high-profile partnership. The opportunity lies in building genuine advocacy and engagement, not just buying attention.
Consumers want to hear from people like them. They are drawn to voices that feel real and relatable, rather than centrally controlled corporate messaging.
A shift in who owns the brand story
Nearly two thirds (64%) prefer content about brand experiences from individuals rather than directly from the brand.
Over two thirds (67%) believe that content created by individuals is more authentic and more relatable than brand-created content.
This represents a structural shift. Brand meaning is increasingly shaped by customers as much as by centrally controlled marketing teams.
The “so what” is significant. Brands cannot rely solely on traditional communication models and polished campaigns to build credibility. They must actively enable, amplify and respond to customer voices. Listening becomes as important as broadcasting. Community management becomes as important as media planning.
The brands that succeed will be those that are comfortable sharing control and confident enough to let others tell their version of the brand story.
The key takeaway: The centre of gravity in storytelling has shifted. Brands must embrace co-authorship with consumers, not fight it by cultivating networks of credible micro creators.
Online communities offer a new point of connection
Over three quarters (77%) are open to the idea of online communities where people share their experiences of a brand, product or service they use. One in five (22%) are already actively involved in this kind of community, and over half (55%) would be happy to do so in the future.
This is a clear invitation. Consumers are not only talking about brands in open social spaces; they are also willing to gather in dedicated environments centred on shared interests.
For brands, communities are not simply a loyalty play. They are an engine for insight, advocacy and co-creation. A well-run community provides a constant feedback loop, faster than traditional research cycles and richer than passive data alone.
How brand communities create advantage
When people join a brand community, they are looking for something specific. Our research highlights three clear motivations.
Getting more value from what they already use
The most cited benefit is sharing how to get the most out of products and services. This points to a collaborative space where people can improve their current experience while also informing future development.
For brands, this creates opportunities to reduce friction, improve usage and increase lifetime value. When customers help each other unlock more value, satisfaction and retention rise.
Early access to what comes next
The second most popular reason is seeing reviews of a new product from a brand they are interested in. These communities attract early adopters who are keen to hear about and try new developments.
This is a ready-made innovation panel. Brands can test ideas, refine propositions and build momentum before a full launch. Involving customers early not only improves products, but it also builds ownership and advocacy.
Connecting with people like them
The third highest rated benefit is socialising with people who like similar brands and products. There is a clear desire for shared spaces built around common interests.
This speaks to belonging. Brands that can facilitate safe, engaging spaces move from being a supplier to being part of someone’s identity and social world.
What winning brands will do next
Consumers are not only giving permission for brand communities; they are telling us how they want them to work.
They want:
More value from what they already use – The brand story has moved into the hands of the people: your role is now steward, not author
A voice in shaping what comes next - Let them contribute and gain access to what’s coming, participating in your brand not just following
A shared space with people who think like them, where brand engagement is built on empowerment and shared identity
For brands, the message is clear. Experience now fuels visibility. Customers influence perception. Community builds long-term advantage.
Those that invest in shareable experiences, credible advocacy and meaningful community spaces will build stronger, more enduring brands. Those that continue to rely solely on controlled messaging risk being left out of the conversation.
Community is no longer optional. It is infrastructure.
The winning brands of the future will be those that design for participation, fuelling content that amplifies experiences and advocacy.
If you would like to explore how your brand could build or strengthen its own community ecosystem, The Harris Poll UK can help you identify the opportunity and activate it with confidence.