Why brands should tap social communities for conversion

Social media usage in the APAC region, notably in China, India, and Indonesia, continues to increase. Beyond personal connections, social media’s sites and apps now encompass commerce, discovery, entertainment, and professional networking, genuinely making them spaces where like-minded people come together to share common interests and experiences.

Facebook remains the region’s leading platform, but TikTok is rapidly gaining ground, alongside more local platforms like WeChat, Zalo, LINE, and KakaoTalk, all nurturing vibrant digital communities. The diverse APAC region fosters connected communities that transcend borders, uniting individuals through shared interests despite different languages and cultures. From K-pop and K-drama to gaming, enthusiasts from other countries come together, forming a shared identity.

As Dipashree Das, a marketer from Amazon APAC, aptly put it in a recent HubSpot report: “Communities in the digital age have transformed into active participants in brand and culture building, with a profound impact on pop culture in real-time.”

They no longer passively observe but actively shape cultural norms and trends, challenging conventions and driving cultural shifts. Members of these communities serve as culture shapers, creators, and consumers simultaneously, playing a pivotal role in defining brand identities and cultural influence.

Brands can no longer examine social media alone without considering what social communities can do to propel brand messages and convert consumers to users.

One of the biggest as well as most loyal and bonded communities in the region right now is undeniably the Hallyu, also known as Korean Wave, fandoms. According to an annual report published by the Korea Foundation, the number of such active fans of Korean pop culture around the world reached 178 million in 2022, a nearly twentyfold increase from 9.26 million in 2012, and with APAC accounting for more than 73% of the total fan base.

Asian fans are known for being incredibly intense in their approach to idol worship, giving rise to a fast-growing fan economy fueled by the passionate support of dedicated fans who use the power of social media and digital marketing channels to transform ordinary celebrities into highly profitable idols.

Brands have not been slow to recognise this, with Samsung being one of the early adopters harnessing this trend. As early as 2020, Samsung used the fandom of the girl group Blackpink—called BLINKs—to launch their new Galaxy A phone, creating a #danceAwesome campaign that invited BLINKs and Samsung users to dance to a particular song sung by the band. Each member was also filmed individually on the phone performing the #danceAwesome dance so fans could create TikTok videos in which they dueted with any band member.

Encouraging fandoms to create and share content related to their idols and with the brand’s products or services weaved in is a powerful engagement strategy. Contests, challenges, and campaigns involving a community and their idols correctly can help brands wield more significant cultural influence.

Adjacent to celebrity fandoms are the communities surrounding influencers. Equally revered within their communities, influencers bring authenticity and relatability to brand partnerships. Collaborating with local influencers within relevant communities can bridge the gap between a brand and its consumers.

Michelle Phan, one of the earliest YouTube sensations, is an influencer with content on beauty products. Although born in the United States, she has gained mainstream success worldwide, especially in the APAC region. Her authentic and relatable beauty tutorials have earned her partnership gigs with brands like Lancôme, helping her become one of the more credible content creators in beauty.

Leveraging her followers and behemoth YouTube views, she founded Ipsy, which started as a beauty subscription service and then went on to attract partnerships with different beauty brands and become an ecommerce platform. It has now merged with a more extensive beauty subscription service, Boxy Charm, a testament to how influencers and content creators can harness their power to become successful business owners, all because of a loyal initial community.

Influencer marketing is mainstream in APAC. In a report by Partipost across five markets in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), almost 84% of the brands surveyed worked with influencers in 2023. It was also reported that over the years, brands have been most engaged with nano influencers, not celebrities. Nano influencers are the most-followed by social media users, at over 58%, and nano influencers are known for the high engagement and high level of trust they earn from their communities.

Niche or special-interest communities are gaining momentum and creating new opportunities for brands, platforms, and users. Gaming, for example, has incredibly high interest and engagement in China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, and other nearby markets. In China, the game streaming platforms Huya, YY.com, and Douyu each have 25 to 30 million monthly active users.

These platforms have become thriving communities, with features like bullet chatting, live comments, and gifting that enable user engagement. At the same time, livestreaming gaming content from popular streamers and gamers alongside anime, live chats, movies, and other content ensures audience stickiness.

Outside of China, Twitch is emerging as the cultural centre of gaming and entertainment in APAC. The region accounts for almost 19% of total viewers globally and is predicted to generate more than US$78 billion in in-game revenue. Brands tap into this by partnering with the platform to create interactive and engaging experiences. Twitch worked with Coca-Cola, Gaming Nation, Prime Video, and Lenovo in Thailand to launch the Singles’ Day activation on Would Recommend Festival.

Hosted by the famous Thai streamer FifaTargrean, the two-hour live broadcast featured entertainment, game product unboxings, and exclusive flash deals from the brands. The community was also challenged to develop catchy product captions, with the cocreated brand content shared on Facebook at the show's end.

For the Philippines gaming community, Discord plays a pivotal role, not just by connecting gamers with each other but also by helping developers improve their games. Discord serves as a primary channel for building brand loyalty among players of games like Ragnarok Online and Mobile Legends.

Developers enhance their connection with players by actively participating in discussions and fostering a sense of community. In Indonesia, Discord is also widely used by game developers to engage with players to organise competitions and community challenges, heightening excitement and engagement.

As we traverse the ever-evolving social media landscape in the APAC region, the central role of connected communities cannot be overstated. These vibrant communities shape culture and set trends, from gamers to K-Pop fans. They are not just passive observers; they actively influence digital norms.

Brands that understand this transformative power and use community-driven approaches build more authentic connections. This ever-connected world offers boundless opportunities for brands to integrate APAC’s social media connectivity with thriving communities, paving the way for enhanced brand awareness, engagement, and, ultimately, loyalty.

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Jesca Bantayan is the head of strategy at UM Philippines.