Community Marketing Shifts from Intuition to Data-Driven Era: 62% of Practicing Companies Report Business Contribution, While 'Activation,' 'Effect Measurement,' and 'Personnel' Remain Challenges.

The General Incorporated Association Community Marketing Promotion Association and Community Marketing Research Institute Co., Ltd. have released the 'Community Marketing White Paper 2025-2026,' the first comprehensive industry survey report by an independent research organization. This report surveyed 2,066 business professionals involved in marketing or customer success, and 320 community marketing practitioners, supporters, and participants. The survey revealed that 42% of companies are either implementing or considering community marketing initiatives. Among those implementing, 62% reported experiencing business contributions. However, challenges such as 'activation,' 'effect measurement,' and 'human resource shortages' were identified as bottlenecks. The report also highlighted that 43% of practicing companies utilize external support, and 56% leverage AI, primarily for planning and operational assistance. This white paper is the first phase of a continuous observation project planned to run for three years until 2028. It aims to provide data-driven insights to transform community marketing into a reproducible strategy. The report is available in two formats: a free summary report and a paid full report (100,000 JPY excluding tax, approximately 120 pages), which includes detailed cross-analyses and case studies from companies like Cybozu, Saishunkan Pharmaceutical, and Kaonavi.