2023 Digital Community Leaders Survey Report

The Community Imperative:
How and why to elevate
your community strategy

By Ann Longley, with Pete Heslop and Jan Carlyle

Foreword

Since 2021, when we carried out our last survey, the landscape across digital communities has changed as we've worked through recovery.

Now in 2023, as we've dared to reimagine, the report brings positive signs for growth in digital communities. As organisations that are working with communities on a daily basis, Steadfast Collective and Autumn Live are pleased to be bringing conversations like these to the forefront. We hope this data and report will enable you to understand what is happening within digital communities and those of you who are leading them.

In this year's survey, we collected data from 66 respondents.

10 experts have analysed the data and responded.

The year ahead will continue to challenge us, alongside providing great opportunities for gathering, connection, and our communities. If you'd like to discuss how we can work with you to enable greater connection, please speak to us.

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Pete Heslop

Managing Director at Steadfast Collective

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Jan Carlyle

Founder & Event Director at Autumn Live

Get your hands on the report

You can either order one of our beautiful, premium 128 page printed report, or download the PDF for free.

The report delivered directly to your door, printed on premium paper in perfect bound.

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What's in the report?

Is your community growing?

What are the most commonly used metrics to evaluate online communities?

What is the goal of your community?

How is your community funded?

And many more...

Insights provided by

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Kian Bakhtiari

Founder of The People

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Rosie Sherry

Founder, Rosieland

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Richard Gott

Founder of The Memberwise Network

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Michelle Goodall

Chief Marketing Officer, Guild

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Vincent Boon

Co-founder, Standing on Giants

pete headshot

Pete Heslop

Managing Director at Steadfast Collective

kian headshot

Kian Bakhtiari

Founder of The People

rosie headshot

Rosie Sherry

Founder, Rosieland

richard headshot

Richard Gott

Founder of The Memberwise Network

michelle headshot

Michelle Goodall

Chief Marketing Officer, Guild

vincent headshot

Vincent Boon

Co-founder, Standing on Giants

pete headshot

Pete Heslop

Managing Director at Steadfast Collective

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Madeleine Milne

Founder, Customerization

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Blaise Grimes-Viort

Founder, Is the Answer

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Nicole Saunders

Director of Community, Zendesk

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Laura Roth

Global SMB Community, AWS

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Matt Sullivan

Managing Director BIMA

jan headshot

Jan Carlyle

Founder of Autumn Live

madeleine headshot

Madeleine Milne

Founder, Customerization

blaise headshot

Blaise Grimes-Viort

Founder, Is the Answer

nicole headshot

Nicole Saunders

Director of Community, Zendesk

laura headshot

Laura Roth

Global SMB Community, AWS

matt headshot

Matt Sullivan

Managing Director BIMA

jan headshot

Jan Carlyle

Founder of Autumn Live

Access to frameworks such as

66 communities completed the report, from communities with 50 through to 100 million members.Here's what we asked.

Community Archetypes

They come in many flavours, but deliver similar benefits.

Ecosystem of Impact

Have you mapped your community ecosystem?

Community Participation Ladder

Encourage behaviours with desirable incentives.

Community-first culture Nexus

Gather around a shared vision, act towards shared goal.

The people behind the report

Digital Community Leaders Report has been produced by Steadfast Collective and Autumn Live. Experts in delivering community fueled events and digital products.