What I've learnt from Grace Beverley: how community drives TALA's social strategy
When Grace Beverley talks about TALA, she rarely leads with sales figures or growth metrics. She talks about how they got to where they are, where they’re going and the evolution of products shaped by customer feedback. This isn't accidental – it's strategic brilliance.
In just a few years, Grace has built something far more valuable than just another activewear brand. TALA stands as the ultimate proof that community isn't just a nice addition to your social strategy, but can be the foundation everything else is built upon. The TALA community doesn't just buy products, they actively shape them, champion them, and bring them to life, filling social feeds with genuine enthusiasm.
I witnessed firsthand what makes TALA’s approach special at a community event in Manchester last month – a spin class that celebrated their Blue collection launch. Beyond being an enjoyable customer experience, it was a masterclass in community building, and I bet they generated more authentic content from a single 40-minute session than some brands create in a year.
So what can we learn from Grace (and the TALA team)’s approach to community building? Let's break down the two things I believe underpin TALA’s strategy - each of which offers a valuable lesson you can apply to your own social strategy
Build trust through transparency
Scroll through TALA's Instagram and you'll notice something refreshingly different from most brands. Between the aesthetic campaign images and UGC reels are snapshots of fitting sessions, fabric swatches, and design discussions. From its conception, Grace has invited her community to witness TALA’s evolution, and her team have been replicating this "building in public" approach for each subsequent product launch and campaign. Each step brings their community further along a shared journey.
Beyond this BTS visibility, TALA listens to and implements based on their community’s feedback. When customers request new colour-ways or product adjustments, they track the journey from idea to finished product, creating a complete loop that makes customers feel genuinely valued. They actively outreach for more feedback, from inviting plus-sized women to fittings to asking questions through stories and broadcast channels – ensuring diverse perspectives shape their products.
Transparency from TALA also extends to their sustainability efforts. Instead of making sweeping claims about being "100% sustainable" (a practical impossibility in affordable fashion), they openly discuss the challenges they face and the compromises sometimes required. This honesty builds credibility that perfect-looking sustainability claims never could.
How you can apply this:
Document your process - Whether launching a product or running a campaign, create content that showcases the work behind the scenes, to both humanise your brand and build anticipation.
Create visible feedback loops - When customers provide input, acknowledge it publicly and show how it influenced your decisions. This takes feedback from a one-way suggestion into a collaborative conversation.
Be honest about limitations - Don't shy away from discussing challenges or areas where you're still working to improve. Your audience will respect your honesty.
The most powerful thing about TALA's transparency isn't that it makes for engaging content (though it certainly does). It's that it transforms the traditional brand-consumer relationship into something more meaningful: a partnership built on mutual trust and shared values.
Create content with (not just for) your community
Real customers in real settings dominate TALA’s social content. Creators and customers’ voices are as prominent as the brand's own, and they have mastered the art of putting their community at the centre of their content strategy.
What's powerful is that it doesn't feel like traditional UGC – those sometimes awkward reposts that brands use to fill content gaps. It’s a genuine celebration of community, where creators’ creativity shines through and every video brings something new to their feed.
And they don't stop at digital community-building. Even before Carnaby street, TALA have been creating physical touchpoints which dramatically strengthen their online engagement. IRL events bridge the digital-physical divide and bring the TALA world to life. Relationships feed through to online, creating a self-sustaining cycle of engagement that extends far beyond what a brand could achieve remotely through Social Media alone.
How you can apply this:
Curate, don't collect - Be selective about the UGC you feature. Look for, and invest in content that feels authentic and aligns with your brand aesthetic. Quality matters more than quantity.
Create content-generating moments - Design experiences (online or offline) specifically with content creation in mind. Consider lighting, settings, and shareable moments that make it easy for invitees to create compelling content. If budgets are tight, think about shooting Vox-Pops, holding a free event (run club anyone?) or partnering with complementary brands to share the costs.
Equip your community - Provide templates, guidelines or props that make it easy for your community to create high-quality content. The easier you make it, the more likely they'll participate.
To be successful, you need to stop seeing content as something a brand creates for its community, to something you create with your community. This subtle but powerful shift elevates marketing from a broadcast function to a collaborative conversation – and the results speak for themselves.
My implementation blueprint
Here's a practical three-step plan to move from inspiration to implementation:
1. Start with listening, not broadcasting
Before you can build a community, you need to understand what brings people together in the first place. This means shifting from thinking about what you want to say to understanding what your audience cares about.
Begin by mapping conversations already happening in your space. Which topics generate the most engagement? What frustrations do people express? What problems are people facing? What aspirations do they share? Tools like social listening platforms can help, but even manual review of comments, direct messages, and industry forums will reveal patterns.
The goal is to identify the intersection between your brand's purpose and your audience's interests. That's your community sweet spot.
⚠️ Avoid this common pitfall: Many brands make the mistake of defining community around their products rather than shared values or interests. Remember, people don't form communities around leggings – they form communities around fitness goals, sustainability values, or body positivity. The product facilitates these connections; it doesn't create them.
2. Design for participation, not just consumption
Communities thrive on participation. Your strategy needs to create opportunities for meaningful interaction.
Start by identifying how community members can contribute their voices, from simple feedback mechanisms to co-creation opportunities. The key is ensuring these aren't just marketing exercises, but genuine invitations to participate in building your brand story. When TALA asks which strap design customers prefer, they're gathering data and creating investment in the final product.
📈 Measurement tip: Track quality of engagement over quantity. Comments that show emotional investment ("I've been waiting for you to make these in my size!") signal community building more effectively than generic likes or follows. Look for:
💬 Comment depth and quality
💬 Content shares with personal commentary
💬 Voluntary brand advocacy
💬 Community-to-community interactions (not just brand-to-customer)
3. Consistency is key
Community has to be nurtured through consistent presence and reliability. This means planning for community engagement as an ongoing commitment, not just a marketing tactic. Develop simple, sustainable routines you can maintain even when time and resources are stretched. A weekly community spotlight, monthly feedback implementation, or quarterly in-person meetups create the rhythm that communities form around.
Quick-start actions:
If you're just starting out:
Create a simple feedback form asking what content your audience would find most valuable
Seek out brands whose community building is next level. Take inspiration from both the big (like TALA) and small (like Riverford Hive).
Host a virtual "open house" where followers can ask questions directly
Feature one community member weekly in your content
If you're ready for the next level:
Establish a small community panel who preview and provide input on products or content
Develop a calendar of small in-person events that create content-generating moments
Create a formal ambassador program with clear benefits and expectations
Establish dedicated channels where community members can connect with each other, not just your brand
Building a community-first approach isn't about having the biggest budget or most sophisticated strategy – it's about making genuine connection your priority. Start small, be consistent, and remember what Grace has demonstrated so effectively with TALA: when you make people feel truly part of your brand's journey, they'll take that journey with you far beyond a single transaction.
In a world where social media managers are at the whim of Adam Mosseri’s algorithm changes and TikTok’s newest feature, community remains the constant that will help your brand cut through the rest. When customers feel genuine ownership in a brand's journey, they develop loyalty that algorithms can't disrupt and competitors can't easily replicate.
It’s clear that TALA understands where their potential audience is, how they use each platform and they are willing to move and change with the social tide. They work with creators who resonate, they’re not afraid to try new things, and they’re taking us on the journey. If you’re looking for social media 101, Grace Beverley’s team is where to look.
Made it this far? I have a couple of questions:
💡A colleague recently shared Refy as another great example of a community-focused brand. Are there any others you would spotlight?
💡 What community-building tactics are you already implementing? I'd love to hear what's working for you.
Senior Social Executive at Brand Hackers
