Worldwide Enterprise Communities Applications Forecast, 2023-2027: Fans for Brands, Not Just Customers

This IDC study discusses the worldwide enterprise communities applications market for the 2023-2027 forecast period. Communities are as old as people and evoke a sense of identity and belonging. The ease of finding digital communities has enabled people to find "their people," both personally and professionally. 64% of workers use external communities to do their job, and that number is growing. Only 34% of companies have these communities, suggesting the workforce is going elsewhere (see IDC's 2023 Annual Collaboration Survey: The Intelligent Multiplayer Home Base, IDC #US49385523, August 2023). IDC sees continued and accelerating growth in this market. With customers, as marketers move away from traditional web tracking cookies, in some regions as a matter of compliance, communities create a new rich source of first-party data. Integrations with CRM and new AI abilities help create new insights and develop new analytics. B2B, B2C, or direct, companies without a well-moderated community will have one provided for them - hiding in plain sight with no access to their customers' data. Without fostering such a community, enterprises risk losing their voice around their own product line."Forward-looking businesses are looking for fans, not just customers. Well-moderated enterprise communities are a key tool in building this trust," according to Wayne Kurtzman, IDC research vice president of Social, Communities, and Collaboration. "As marketing starts to move away from traditional web tracking cookies, new sources of refreshing first-party data make communities a logical choice. Already, 64% of the workforce uses communities to do their work, despite only 34% of companies running these communities. Companies without a well-moderated community will have one or more created for them, hiding in plain sight."