Your next customer may already be asking someone for advice about a problem your business can solve. Are you part of that conversation?

For years, we've encouraged clients to focus on where their potential customers are already asking questions, rather than simply promoting themselves wherever they can. Now, a major Pew Research Center study reinforces that advice. Apparently, being in the right conversation beats shouting, "Look at me!" to everyone.

You spend time updating your website, posting on social media, and trying to get more people to notice your business.

Meanwhile, some of your potential customers are having conversations you never see. They're asking neighbors for recommendations, comparing experiences with other customers, and looking for advice from people they trust.

And those conversations may influence who they eventually hire.

A new Pew Research Center study, published last week, offers some useful information about where Americans connect online, why they participate, and what makes those communities valuable.

For small businesses, there are some important lessons. (Fortunately, none requires learning another TikTok dance.)

Nearly 4 in 10 Americans Belong to Online Communities

Pew surveyed 9,750 American adults and found that nearly 40% consider themselves part of an online community.

Among adults from 18 to 29, that figure reaches 48%.

These aren't necessarily the big social media platforms where businesses spend money advertising. Online communities can include:

• Neighborhood groups on Facebook or Nextdoor
• Professional discussions on LinkedIn
• Interest-based communities on Reddit
• Parent groups and local discussion forums
• Specialized groups for hobbies, industries, or shared experiences

About one in five Americans belongs to an online community centered on their local area. A similar share participates in a community related to hobbies or personal interests.

Think about what that means for your business.

If you're a contractor, local homeowners may be discussing repair projects. If you're an independent educational consultant, parents may be asking other families for advice about college admissions. If you provide professional services, potential clients may be discussing exactly the problems you help solve.

Of course, some of those neighborhood discussions will be about missing cats and whether someone's trash cans have been sitting at the curb too long.

But mixed in with those conversations are people looking for businesses they can trust.

The question is whether you're paying attention.

People Want Answers, Not Another Sales Pitch

One of the most interesting findings concerns why people participate in online communities.

According to Pew, at least eight in ten members visit their most-used communities for information, entertainment, or advice and recommendations.

Getting useful information is a major reason people show up.

That should influence how you approach social media marketing.

Someone asking a neighborhood group about choosing a roofing contractor probably doesn't want five roofers responding with their latest promotional offers.

They want an answer to their question.

A roofer who explains what to look for when comparing estimates may make a better impression than one who immediately asks for an appointment.

The same applies to accountants, real estate professionals, consultants, and other service businesses.

Helping people make informed decisions can demonstrate your expertise before they ever visit your website.

And if your response to every question is "Call us for a free consultation!" people may eventually stop asking you questions.

Imagine that.

You Don't Need to Be Everywhere

We regularly talk with small business owners who feel they should be active on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, and whatever platform becomes popular next Tuesday.

That's a lot of work, especially when you also have a business to run.

The Pew findings suggest a more practical approach.

Start by discovering where your particular customers already spend time.

If your customers are local homeowners, neighborhood groups may deserve attention. If you serve business owners, professional communities could be more useful. If your work involves specialized interests, smaller discussion forums may attract people with more relevant questions.

Three Questions Worth Asking

1. Where do people ask questions about the problems my business solves?
2. Which communities attract the customers I most want to reach?
3. Can I contribute useful information without turning every conversation into a sales opportunity?

You may find that participating in two relevant communities produces more meaningful conversations than maintaining six social media accounts.

Besides, six social media accounts represent six opportunities to forget a password.

There's a Reason People Leave Online Communities

The research also contains a warning.

About one-third of Americans have left an online community at some point. Among those who left, more than eight in ten said losing interest was a reason.

Other reasons included declining quality, excessive arguing, and harassment.

In other words, people leave when the experience stops being worthwhile.

That matters if you manage your own Facebook group, customer community, or online discussion space.

A community that consists primarily of promotional posts probably won't give people many reasons to participate.

Offer helpful information. Encourage questions. Share relevant resources. Keep discussions respectful.

And resist the temptation to turn every interaction into a sales opportunity.

Nobody joins a community hoping to receive the digital equivalent of a stack of refrigerator magnets from local businesses.

Online Connections Don't Automatically Create Trust

There's another finding businesses shouldn't overlook.

About half of Americans believe relationships formed online are less meaningful than relationships formed in person. Only 34% say online relationships can be just as meaningful.

The attitudes differ substantially by age, but the larger point remains.

An online conversation can introduce someone to your business. It doesn't necessarily establish enough trust for them to become a customer.

That's where the rest of your marketing becomes important.

When someone hears about you in an online discussion, they may visit your website, read reviews, examine your services, or look for evidence that you understand their needs.

Your website needs to answer their questions clearly and make the next step easy.

After all, getting a glowing recommendation on Facebook won't help much if someone visits your website and still can't figure out what you actually do.

And when someone contacts you, a helpful personal response can accomplish more than another automated promotional message.

What Should Your Business Do Differently?

You don't need to create an entirely new marketing program based on one research study.

Start with a few practical steps:

1. Find two or three online communities where your likely customers ask questions.
2. Spend time reading the discussions before participating.
3. Look for recurring questions that you could answer on your website or blog.
4. Offer useful answers when you have relevant experience.
5. Make sure your website supports the credibility you're building through those conversations.

One additional benefit deserves attention. The questions people ask in communities can help you understand what information potential customers actually need.

Those same questions may become searches on Google or prompts to AI tools such as ChatGPT.

Answering them clearly on your website can support your search visibility while helping visitors decide whether your business is right for them.

And you don't have to guess what people want to know. They're already telling you, often in considerable detail.

The Conversation Matters More Than the Platform

The Pew study isn't a report about how to market a business. It examines how Americans form connections and find value in online communities.

But its findings offer a useful reminder.

People aren't necessarily looking for more advertising. They're looking for information, advice, recommendations, and connections that matter to them.

Your job is to understand the questions your customers are asking and make it easier for them to get useful answers.

Sometimes that happens on your website. Sometimes it's in a neighborhood Facebook group. Sometimes it's through a conversation with someone who already knows your work.

You don't have to dominate every platform. And you certainly don't need to become the most active person in your neighborhood Facebook group. That position is probably already taken.

You just need to be helpful in the places where your customers are already talking.

If you'd like help identifying those opportunities and making sure your website answers the questions potential customers are asking, schedule a conversation with Short Story Marketing.

Source: Pew Research Center, Online Community and Connection in America, October 14, 2026.