Why Community Is the Most Underrated Growth Channel in Marketing
Most marketing teams are focused on one thing:
Getting attention.
More impressions.
More clicks.
More followers.
But what happens after that?
In this episode, Pete Heslop, Managing Director at Steadfast Collective, explains why the real opportunity isn’t just building an audience—it’s building a community.
And the difference is bigger than most marketers think.
From Audience to Community
An audience is passive.
A community is active.
It’s the difference between:
People who see your content
And people who care about your brand
Pete’s work focuses on building community-driven digital platforms—spaces where users don’t just consume, but participate, contribute, and advocate.
And that shift changes everything.
Why Community Matters More Than Ever
One stat stood out:
74% of consumers with access to a community feel more valued by a brand
That’s huge.
Because in a world where:
Ads are ignored
Trust is declining
Attention is fragmented
Community creates something rare:
Connection.
And connection drives:
Loyalty
Retention
Word of mouth
The Biggest Challenge: Proving Value
Despite its impact, community is often misunderstood inside businesses.
It usually sits somewhere between:
marketing
operations
customer experience
Which makes it hard to measure.
You might build something great:
engaged users
active discussions
strong brand affinity
But if you can’t tie it back to:
revenue
growth
retention
…it becomes difficult to justify.
The key is simple:
Align community efforts with business goals.
Small Audience vs Engaged Community
Would you rather have:
1,000 followers
Or 100 highly engaged members?
Pete’s answer is clear.
Engagement wins.
Using the 90-9-1 rule:
90% observe
9% engage
1% create
Your goal isn’t just growth.
It’s turning people into:
contributors
advocates
ambassadors
Because those people become your best marketing channel.
How to Start a Community (Without Overthinking It)
Most people assume community building is complex.
It’s not.
It just takes effort.
Pete’s advice:
Start small.
Build a “Minimum Viable Community” (MVC)
And the simplest way?
👉 Start with a table.
Invite a small group of your most engaged customers:
host a dinner
facilitate conversation
create value
From there, you can expand:
WhatsApp groups
online platforms
regular events
But it all starts with real human connection.
You Don’t Need Fancy Tools (At First)
The best platform is the one your audience already uses.
For many businesses, that could be:
WhatsApp
Slack
simple online groups
The mistake is jumping straight into complex platforms.
Instead:
start where your users are
focus on interaction
build momentum first
Community Requires Structure
A great community doesn’t run itself.
It needs:
clear purpose
active facilitation
defined rules
That includes having a code of conduct.
Without it, things can quickly go off track.
Community building isn’t a side task.
It’s a real role.
Content Still Matters (But Not How You Think)
Pete’s approach to content is refreshingly simple.
He doesn’t overcomplicate it.
Instead:
create once
repurpose everywhere
A single podcast can become:
video clips
blog posts
social content
More importantly, content should feel:
Human.
That’s why:
behind-the-scenes content
day-in-the-life videos
unpolished footage
often outperform highly produced campaigns.
Because people trust what feels real.
The Risk of Building on Platforms You Don’t Own
One of the biggest warnings in this episode:
👉 Don’t build everything on rented platforms
If your entire audience lives on:
social media
ad platforms
third-party tools
You don’t control it.
Algorithms change.
Accounts get banned.
Reach disappears.
Instead, the goal should be:
Build a community on a platform you own.
What Marketers Should Focus On Next
Looking ahead, the opportunity is clear.
Most marketers are already good at:
building audiences
creating content
driving awareness
The next step is:
👉 Turning that audience into a community
That means:
moving people from passive → active
encouraging contribution
creating advocates
Because when your customers start promoting you:
Marketing gets a lot easier.
Final Thought
Anyone can build an audience.
But very few brands build communities.
And that’s where the real advantage is.
Because when people feel like they’re part of something:
They don’t just buy.
They stay.
They share.
They build it with you.
Pete Heslop: LinkedIn
Suds Singh B2B Video Content Specialist London for Interesting Content, LinkedIn.
YouTube: https://youtu.be/apvmD4Yt14A?si=0l5kcLgtPzmn1SaW
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/55fELbDXk49RU1RuKpLydn?si=_JaKVPcnTsKEzfUne9RGVw