Social Media Strategy and Brand Community Building Among Nigerian E-Commerce Firms

This study examines the role of social media strategy in building brand communities among Nigerian e-commerce firms, with focus on platforms operating in Lagos and Abuja. Brand communities, defined as groups of consumers with a shared sense of identity centred on a brand, have become increasingly important for e-commerce firms seeking to reduce customer acquisition costs and improve retention through community-driven loyalty. Nigerian e-commerce companies are active users of social media, yet strategic community-building approaches vary widely in sophistication and effectiveness. The research adopts a descriptive mixed-method design with surveys of 100 social media and marketing managers from Nigerian e-commerce firms, supplemented by netnographic observation of 10 brand social media communities. Survey data are analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis, while community observation data are coded qualitatively. The study evaluates social media strategy dimensions including content strategy, community management, user-generated content facilitation, and exclusive community programming, assessing their contribution to community vitality indicators. Preliminary findings suggest that brands with structured user-generated content programmes and exclusive community offers demonstrate significantly higher community engagement rates and member-driven sales conversion. Recommendations are directed at e-commerce marketing managers, social media strategists, and digital marketing agency practitioners on building sustainable brand communities in Nigerian digital retail environments. Keywords: social media strategy, brand community, e-commerce, digital marketing, Nigeria