Redefining Engagement: Building a Human-Centered Online Brand Community
Let’s be honest—there’s a lot of noise out there about growing your audience and maximizing engagement.
But what does engagement even mean?
Is it likes? Comments? Follows?
Is it people clicking heart emojis and scrolling on by?
For us, engagement isn’t just a number you track on a dashboard. It’s about connection. It’s about conversation. And it’s about cultivating a space where people feel seen, heard, and valued—not marketed at, but welcomed in.
We want to invite you to think differently about how you grow your brand online. Let’s talk about building real community—not just chasing visibility. Let’s talk about growing something with depth.
Audience vs. Community: A Mindset Shift
There was a time when I used the word audience because… well, that’s what everyone says. But over the years, something about that word began to feel off.
An audience implies spectators. It puts us on a stage, performing. It makes us the center of attention, with people watching passively.
But what most of us actually want is a community—a two-way street where people share ideas, support one another, and grow together. A community values participation, contribution, and connection. It’s not about building a fan base. It’s about building relationships.
If you’ve ever felt drained trying to “keep up with the algorithm” or grow your audience without really knowing why, you might be craving this shift, too.
What Is Real Engagement?
Engagement, in the truest sense, isn’t just a metric. It’s someone taking a moment out of their day to interact with you because something resonated. It’s a DM that turns into a real conversation. It’s a person who felt seen by your content and took the time to say “thank you.”
That’s real. That’s human.
Let’s stop measuring success only by reach, impressions, or saves—and start measuring it by depth, alignment, and impact.
3 Foundations for Building a Meaningful Online Community
Here’s how we’re thinking about engagement—and how you can, too:
1. Define the Purpose of Your Community
Before you ever hit “publish,” ask yourself:
What do I want this space to feel like?
Who is this space for?
What are we here to explore or create together?
When you build a brand with clear values and a meaningful purpose, you attract people who care about the same things. These shared values become the heartbeat of your community.
This doesn’t need to be overly polished or corporate. It can be simple. Maybe your brand is a place where creative entrepreneurs support each other in doing business their own way. Maybe it’s a gathering space for people who believe in impact over hustle. Define that, and keep coming back to it.
2. Prioritize Real Connection Over Performance
We get it—social media can feel performative. But it doesn’t have to be. When you show up as yourself, share your actual thoughts, and talk to people like they’re people, everything changes.
Ways to bring more realness into your engagement:
Share stories, not just strategies.
Respond to comments like you’re talking to a friend, not a follower.
Start conversations instead of just announcing things.
Ask for thoughts, reflections, and personal takes—not just double taps.
Your community wants to know the person behind the brand. Let them in.
3. Make It Easy to Participate
One of the best ways to grow real engagement? Invite it. But not with pressure—with openness.
Try:
Prompting discussion with a question at the end of your post
Creating space for people to share their own stories
Highlighting your community’s contributions (reposts, testimonials, shoutouts)
Hosting small challenges, co-creating playlists, or doing “comment if…” threads
When people feel like they’re part of something—not just consuming something—they stick around.
What About Strategy?
Of course, strategy still matters. But strategy without soul is just more noise.
Yes, you can:
Offer valuable content
Encourage user-generated content
Host live Q&As or community events
Start a Facebook group or a private Slack space
Share behind-the-scenes or invite collaboration
But don’t let strategy take over the heart of it. Lead with purpose. Strategy should support your mission, not replace it.
Connection Is the Goal
The kind of engagement that matters most can’t be measured in likes or followers. It shows up in conversations that leave people thinking. In messages that say, “This really helped me.” In the relationships that unfold over time—not overnight.
This is the kind of engagement that’s not just sustainable—it’s nourishing.
And it’s the kind of engagement that builds communities that last.
If this resonates, we’d love for you to check out our newsletter or browse more resources on building a human-first brand.
Let’s build something meaningful—together.
– Natalie Brite, DoGoodBiz Studio
