10 Powerful Marketing Tools for Community Builders in 2025

Community building in 2025 isn’t what it used to be. Gone are the days of generic social media blasts and hoping someone notices. Our current digital environment demands precision, personality, and powerful tools that do more than just push content.

Successful community builders now leverage AI-driven platforms, hyper-targeted engagement strategies, and niche networks that transform casual followers into committed tribe members.

The game has changed. It’s gotten smarter. We’re seeing deeper connections, personalized interactions, and technology that understands your audience before you do.

But today, we won’t talk about the usual suspects. We’ll explore ten underrated tools to help you foster real connections and grow your tribe. They’re cutting-edge, strategic, and designed to turn your community from a scattered crowd into a tight-knit, passionate collective.

1. Circle – An All-in-One Community Platform

Source: circle.so

Circle is a comprehensive community platform designed to help creators, businesses, and brands build and manage online communities.

It offers customizable spaces for discussions, events, and content sharing, all within a clean and intuitive interface.

Why It’s Great for Community Builders

Circle provides a range of features tailored for effective community engagement.

These include customizable spaces to organize discussions, integration with payment systems like Stripe for monetization, and support for live streaming events.

Downsides

While Circle boasts many strengths, it’s not without its limitations. The platform offers limited customization options for the user interface, which may be restrictive for those seeking extensive design flexibility.

Additionally, as a relatively new platform, some users have reported occasional bugs and glitches.

How to Use It Effectively

• Define the purpose and structure of your community.
• Utilize the customizable spaces to organize content and discussions, making navigation intuitive for members.
• Engage your community by hosting live events and fostering active discussions.
• Regularly update content and interact with members to maintain a vibrant and dynamic community atmosphere.

Pricing

Circle offers a Professional plan at $89 per month, which includes up to 10 spaces and 100GB of attachment storage.

For more advanced features and increased capacity, higher-tier plans are available at $199 and $360 per month.

The platform also offers its full stack of features on a 14-day free trial.

2. Crowdcast – Interactive Live Events

Source: crowdcast.io

Crowdcast is a browser-based live streaming platform that enables creators, businesses, and educators to host interactive webinars, workshops, and live events.

It streamlines the process by providing a single, intelligent link for registration, attendance, and replays, eliminating the need for downloads or complex setups.

Why It’s Great for Community Builders

Crowdcast offers a suite of features tailored for community engagement. Hosts can conduct live Q&As, polls, and surveys, fostering real-time interaction.

The platform supports multi-platform streaming, allowing events to be broadcast simultaneously on social media channels like Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn, thereby expanding reach and integrating with existing communities.

Downsides

While Crowdcast is user-friendly, advanced features such as multi-platform streaming are limited to higher-tier plans, which may be a consideration for those on a budget.

How to Use It Effectively

• Utilize interactive features like live Q&As and polls to engage your audience actively.
• Promote your events across social media platforms to leverage the multi-streaming capabilities and broaden your reach.
• Ensure a stable internet connection for both hosts and attendees to maintain a seamless experience.

Pricing

Crowdcast offers tiered pricing plans based on broadcasting time and audience size. Plans range from $34/month to $136/month, scaling according to the number of collaborators and attendees.

A 14-day free trial is available, allowing users to explore the platform’s features before committing.

3. Butter – Engaging Virtual Meetings

Source: butter.us

Butter is a video conferencing tool designed to make virtual meetings more interactive and enjoyable. It offers features like an agenda planner, integrated collaboration tools, and various interactive elements to enhance participant engagement.

The platform aims to streamline the process of conducting workshops, training sessions, and meetings by consolidating necessary tools into a single interface.

Why It’s Great for Community Builders

Butter provides a user-friendly interface with customization options, allowing community builders to tailor the meeting environment to their needs. It supports multi-platform access and offers extensive automation features, facilitating efficient and engaging virtual events.

These capabilities enable community leaders to foster better interaction and collaboration among members.

Downsides

While Butter offers a range of features, some users may find its customization options to be limited compared to other platforms.

How to Use It Effectively

• Utilize its agenda planner to structure meetings clearly, ensuring all topics are covered efficiently.
• Engage participants by incorporating interactive elements such as polls and collaborative tools to encourage active involvement.
• Customizing the interface to align with your community’s branding can also enhance the overall experience.

Pricing

Butter is free for basic use. Paid plans include Starter ($18/month) and Unlimited ($29/month) for more participants, longer sessions, and premium features.

4. Geneva – Community Chat Rooms

Source: geneva.com

Geneva is a free group chat app designed to help people connect based on interests and local activities. It offers various communication tools, including chat, audio, video, and broadcast rooms, facilitating both online and offline interactions.

Users can discover and join groups, participate in events, and engage in discussions tailored to their preferences.

Why It’s Great for Community Builders

Geneva provides a versatile platform for organizing and managing communities. Its architecture allows for the creation of “homes” (groups) with multiple “rooms” (subgroups or topics), enabling structured and organized conversations.

Features like event planning, member questionnaires, and role-based permissions enhance community management and engagement.

Downsides

Geneva’s user base is still growing, which may limit the immediate availability of diverse groups and interactions. It mostly caters to Gen Z users.

How to Use It Effectively

• Create appropriate rooms for different topics and activities.
• Utilize the event planning tools to organize and promote gatherings, both virtual and in-person.
• Engage members through various room types to cater to different communication preferences and use questionnaires to ensure new members align with the community’s goals.
• Regularly update and moderate content to maintain a vibrant and respectful environment.

Pricing

Geneva is a free application available on iOS, Android, and web browsers. There are no subscription fees or in-app purchases, making it accessible for community builders seeking a cost-effective solution.

5. StoryPrompt – User-Generated Video Content

Source: storyprompt.com

StoryPrompt is a platform designed to help businesses collect and share personalized video testimonials from customers.

Its user-friendly interface simplifies the process of capturing authentic stories, enhancing marketing efforts with genuine customer experiences.

Why It’s Great for Community Builders

StoryPrompt enables community builders to harness the power of user-generated video content, fostering trust and engagement within their communities.

By showcasing real stories from members, it strengthens connections and encourages active participation.

Downsides

While StoryPrompt offers a free plan, advanced features and higher usage limits require a paid subscription.

What’s more, some users may find the platform’s integrations limited, which could affect workflow efficiency.

How to Use It Effectively

• Encourage community members to share their experiences through video testimonials.
• Utilize these videos in marketing campaigns, on social media, and within the community to highlight authentic stories and build credibility.
• Regularly update and showcase new testimonials to maintain engagement and showcase the community’s vibrancy.

Pricing

StoryPrompt offers a free plan with basic features, including 15 responses per month and standard-definition video quality.

Paid plans start at $39/month, providing increased response limits, high-definition video, and additional customization options.

For comprehensive features like unlimited responses and white labeling, the Premium plan is available at $169/month.

6. SquadCast – Remote Podcasting

Source: squadcast.fm

SquadCast is a high-quality remote recording platform for podcasters. It enables users to record studio-quality audio and video while ensuring seamless online interviews.

With progressive uploads, it prevents data loss by saving files in real time.

Why It’s Great for Community Builders

For community builders who rely on live discussions, expert interviews, or interactive Q&A sessions, SquadCast ensures crisp audio and video quality.

The platform’s reliability and ease of use make it an excellent choice for hosting engaging, professional podcasts that strengthen community connections.

Downsides

SquadCast limits recordings to a maximum of four participants, which might not be ideal for larger discussions. While it offers a free plan, advanced features require a paid subscription.

How to Use It Effectively

• Set up a session and invite guests via email or link.
• Use the “Green Room” to check audio and video settings before recording.
• Leverage SquadCast’s video recording feature to create engaging content for multiple platforms.

Pricing

SquadCast’s free plan includes one hour of audio/video recording per month. The paid plans range from $12/month to $40/month, which offer recordings of up to 40 hours per month.

7. Kajabi – Online Courses and Digital Products

Source: kajabi.com

Kajabi is an all-in-one platform for creating, marketing, and selling online courses, memberships, and digital products.

It provides tools for course creation, email marketing, sales funnels, and analytics, making it a go-to solution for digital entrepreneurs.

Why It’s Great for Community Builders

Kajabi allows community builders to monetize their expertise by offering structured learning experiences. Its built-in marketing automation and CRM help nurture and grow a dedicated audience.

With email campaigns and sales funnels, it streamlines community engagement and conversion.

Downsides

Kajabi comes with a higher price tag than some competitors, making it less accessible for those on a tight budget. Customization options are somewhat limited, and beginners may find the platform’s learning curve steep.

The platform also lacks native community-building features.

How to Use It Effectively

• Use Kajabi’s course creation tools to design structured programs with videos, quizzes, and downloadable resources.
• Set up email automation to engage students and upsell premium content.
• Leverage sales funnels and analytics to optimize conversions.

Pricing

Kajabi offers a 14-day free trial with plans ranging from $71 to $319 monthly, scaling with business needs and desired features.

8. Memberstack – Memberships Management

Source: memberstack.com

Memberstack is a no-code platform that allows website owners to add memberships, secure logins, and payment processing.

It integrates seamlessly with website builders like Webflow, enabling creators to monetize content and manage user access without coding.

Why It’s Great for Community Builders

With features like gated content, tiered memberships, and automated workflows, Memberstack helps community builders create exclusive spaces for their members.

It supports seamless user authentication and integrates with Stripe for secure payments, making it a powerful tool for managing subscriptions and paid communities.

Downsides

Memberstack has limited support for international payments, so businesses with global audiences may face challenges.

Additionally, some advanced features require technical knowledge, making it less ideal for those seeking an entirely plug-and-play solution.

How to Use It Effectively

• Set up membership tiers to offer different levels of access and benefits.
• Use Memberstack’s integrations with Zapier to automate onboarding, email sequences, and member engagement.
• Customize your membership portal’s design to maintain brand consistency.

Pricing

Memberstack offers a free trial. Paid plans are based on usage and features and range from $12/month to $199/month.

9. Bonfire – Custom-Branded Merch for Superfans

Source: bonfire.com

Bonfire is a print-on-demand platform designed for creators, nonprofits, and brands looking to sell custom merchandise.

It allows users to design and sell apparel and accessories without upfront costs, handling everything from production to fulfillment.

Why It’s Great for Community Builders

Bonfire stands out because of its strong community-building features. It offers easy-to-use campaign tools, making it ideal for fundraising efforts, nonprofits, and YouTube creators.

The platform also provides high-quality products and the ability to source professional designs via its “Studio” service. With built-in analytics, users can track sales and engagement effortlessly.

Downsides

Bonfire has a limited range of products compared to competitors like Printful or Printify.

Its storefront customization is also minimal, and it lacks integrations with major ecommerce platforms like Shopify or Amazon.

How to Use It Effectively

• Focus on storytelling through your campaigns.
• Explain why your merch matters to your community.
• Use its built-in analytics to optimize pricing and sales strategies.
• If branding is key, link your store to social media for better visibility.

Pricing

Bonfire is free to use, with costs only for the base price of each product. Design services start at $39, with a premium option at $149.

10. Reddit – Popular Community Forums

Source: reddit.com

Reddit is a massive online forum where users create and engage in topic-based communities called subreddits.

It covers everything from niche interests to global discussions, making it a powerful platform for conversations, networking, and content sharing.

Why It’s Great for Community Builders

With millions of active users, Reddit offers a ready-made audience for nearly any topic. Community builders can use it to spark discussions, gather feedback, and establish thought leadership.

The upvote/downvote system ensures that the most valuable content rises to the top, keeping engagement high.

Downsides

Reddit’s culture can be challenging for marketers. Overt promotions are often met with resistance.

Moderation rules vary by subreddit, requiring careful navigation. What’s more, managing a subreddit takes time and effort to maintain engagement and enforce guidelines.

How to Use It Effectively

• Instead of direct promotions, contribute valuable insights and engage in discussions.
• Start a subreddit for your community, share relevant content, and foster meaningful conversations.
• Hosting AMAs (Ask Me Anything) can be a great way to connect with users and build credibility.

Pricing

Reddit is free to use, though paid advertising options are available for additional reach.

Wrapping Up

In times when everyone is obsessed with follower counts and viral moments, these tools remind us what truly matters: genuine human connection.

So, don’t try to master every platform. Instead, choose one or two tools that genuinely resonate with your community’s unique energy and communication style.

Experiment, listen, and create spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued.