Hybrid community building in 2025 presents new challenges, as members expect personalized, authentic, and seamless experiences across both online and offline spaces. Community leaders must navigate platform overload, shifting engagement metrics, and rising member expectations, all while preserving intimacy and trust at scale. By adopting thoughtful tech integration, focusing on relationship-driven strategies, and empowering members, communities can thrive in an increasingly complex landscape.
.jpg)
Image: Unsplash from Kim Menikh
Community building is undergoing a profound transformation. As hybrid communities, those that blend the online and offline space, become the new standard. Community builders are now facing a more challenging landscape. Members’ expectations are changing, and the digital platforms are multiplying. This post explores the biggest struggles hybrid community builders face in 2025 and practical solutions to navigate them.
It’s important to understand, that not all of your members have the same needs and expectations from your community. Some are more interested in offline experiences, where others like to join online webinars. According to CMX Hub’s State of Community Industry Report 2024, 68% of community members engage through multiple channels, expecting a seamless experience across each.
We know not every member has the same need, so it is key to cater to the different type of community members. It’s essential to map member personas, and to design layed touchpoints that meet distinct preferences. Offering different types of engagement will give the members the opportunity to chose where they want to be part of. For you as a community host, it’s crucial to make sure these different touchpoints are clear and aligned with the goal of your community.
While some community leaders tend to focus on metrics like post volume or member counts, Meaningful engagement correlates more closely with success. Focus on metrics like, interactions, the amount of time members are coming to events and how many times they are active on your particular platform. Quantity-driven strategies often lead to burnout and disengagement.
Step away from the metrics and invest in relationship-building activities such as small group conversations, member spotlights, and curated content. CMX reports that communities with intentional, high-touch initiatives retain members 2.5 times longer. If you are running a local community where your audience will be staying short term, it’s off course a bit harder to retain members. With these communities, it’s even more important to focus on the relationship. Also, your traveling audience is great for personal advertisement, it they had a great experience, they do the marketing for you.
Community members today are less tolerant of superficial experiences. Attention spans are shrinking, and members rapidly leave groups that fail to deliver clear value or authentic connection. Especially with the rise of AI, people are more and more looking for real connections and real life experiences.
Building deeper experiences requires transparency, responsiveness, and member-centric programming. Best practices, co-creating content and governance with members enhances satisfaction and reduces churn.
“Community-washing,” or using communities solely as marketing tools, erodes trust quickly. Genuine connections must be the foundation of any community. People want to resonate with you and your community. It’s therefore essential to show who you are and what your community is about. It’s not all about marketing, it about showing the authenticity of the community.
Community leaders should model authenticity by sharing candid updates, encouraging open feedback, and spotlighting member stories. Regular check-ins and trust-building rituals create psychological safety, making members feel valued beyond transactions. Ask members to co-create with you, post stories of events where they tag you, or create review video’s, so people know how it feels to be part of the community.
Large, catch-all communities struggle to retain members due to diluted value. Niche communities, clearly defined by specific interests or challenges, foster stronger engagement and loyalty.
Invest time in discovering your community’s unique identity through surveys and interviews. Clarity in focus helps attract the right members and build stronger bonds over shared purpose. Try to show your communities values through your marketing, so people can easily resonate with your community. If you communicate very clearly who your community is for, the ‘right’ people will find you automatically. Write down your ideal community member, to create clarity about whom you actually want to target.
With communities spread across Slack, Discord, Circle, WhatsApp, IRL events, and more, fragmentation is a major challenge. CMX data shows 57% of community leaders struggle to unify their presence without exhausting members. AI is making it easier and easier for people without experience to start tech platforms, that there are so many to choose from. It can be very challenging to select the one that’s right for you, but also for you audience. You have to decide where you want to be found, and not to forget, every platform has another price tag, which will play a part in your decision as well. Prices can rise tremendously, when your community grows.
Leaders should audit platform usage regularly and consolidate where possible. FeverBee recommends prioritizing tools that integrate well and reduce notification overload to keep members engaged rather than overwhelmed. Before jumping into a platform, write down what your needs are, what budget you have in mind, and what the expectations of your members are. It’s okay to use different kinds of platforms, so more people can find you, but select one main platform, to keep it organized. If you are starting out and don’t have budget available, WhatsApp is a great place to start.
AI-powered tools can automate moderation, generate content, or analyze sentiment, but improper use risks depersonalization. You must ensure thoughtful integration, where AI supports humans rather than replaces them. So it’s okay to use AI to help you out, but be careful with what you are using it for. In the end, people want to join your community for the people and the real connections and experiences, not for the fancy AI content you are putting out.
Successful communities use AI to handle routine tasks (e.g., spam filtering) and augment human moderation, freeing the builders to focus on strategic and emotional labor. Transparency about AI’s role fosters member trust.
Members face more online options than ever, competing for their limited time and focus. There are so many people trying to compete in the online space, that people can feel overwhelmed and don’t take the time to engage with your platform.
Leaders must prioritize high-impact, relevant content and experiences. Engaging formats like live Q&As, micro-events, and member challenges help communities stand out and hold attention. Don’t go with what everyone else is doing, try to stand out and be creative.
Growth risks diluting the intimacy that makes communities special. Subgroups, local chapters, and strong onboarding are essential to preserving connection at scale.
Breaking large groups into focused subgroups empowers members to connect meaningfully. Start to create subgroups, when the need is there, so people can immediately engage. Detailed onboarding informs newcomers about community culture and expectations, fostering smoother integration. Regularly check in with your members, so feel heard, and you can keep the connection going. You do want them to feel valued and not afraid to share their opinions.
Sustainable funding remains a challenge, especially for niche communities. Membership models, sponsorships, and grants are viable options, each with pros and cons.
Community builders should align funding models with community ethos to avoid alienating members. Transparent communication about why and how funding supports community health builds trust and buy-in. Don’t be afraid to ask your members for a small donation once in a while. Be transparent in why you would need this, so your members understand.
Communities with empowered members who take on leadership roles are more resilient. Get Together emphasizes that distributed leadership helps scale while maintaining culture.
Training moderators, recognizing superusers, and creating pathways for member-led initiatives foster ownership and sustainability. Make sure people know that you’d love for them to co-create with you. The more engaged your members are, the more they will get out of the community. If you are using a platform, which shows the greatest contributors, make to sure to reward them for their efforts. This can be something minimal, like a free drink at the next meetup, or maybe a free coworking at one of your partners.
Hybrid communities must evolve from just combining online and offline events to offering fluid, integrated experiences. CMX’s 2024 report highlights innovative hybrids that blend engagement with live moments.
Experimenting with formats like virtual coworking, mixed reality hangouts, and interactive workshops can deepen participation and foster belonging. Try to have some sort of consistently in your events, so people know what to expect and to make it easier for them to engage and interact.
The future demands smarter analytics to predict trends, personalize engagement, and measure impact.
Using tools and custom dashboards to track key metrics helps leaders make data-driven decisions and continuously improve. It’s important for you to decide if you have the budget for a community tool, that can offer these types of metrics and insights.
Stay up to date, stay close to other community builders, and watch what’s coming next. The use of AI will keep rising, and it’s therefore even more critical to stay in touch with your community, personally and authentically.
Hybrid community building in 2025 is a balancing act between technology, humanity, and strategy. By understanding and addressing these challenges head-on, from engagement complexity to scaling sustainably, community builders can create thriving spaces where people truly belong.
Enter your email address and we will reach out to you!
