Is Community Building a Lucrative Career in 2026?

Kaustubh Katdare

Kaustubh Katdare

@kaustubh-katdare
Updated: Oct 4, 2025
Views: 379

I recently visited a college to talk about community building as a career option. Graduating students asked several questions. They mostly wanted to know about the opportunities for community builders in 2026.

Community building has evolved a lot in the last 10 years. It used to be a side activity for hobbyists and for business - it was a ‘customer support’ function.

However, I see a new trend emerging. Business are now looking at community building as a serious part of their business operations. The marketing and customer success department are now provisioning dedicated budget for community building activities.

A well-run community can help with organic customer acquisition, retention and building loyal user base. It’s one of the main reasons that community manager jobs are on the rise in the recent times.

Community building requires a mixed skill set [Read - Top Skills for Community Builders]. It also requires consistency without burn out.

I’d like to hear from our fellow members: What are your thoughts on career as a community builder?

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  • Richard M

    Richard M

    @richard • Sep 16, 2025

    The main role of community managers is to bring people together, build a network and create value for the network. I think that role will not die for at least next 20 years.

    From the business side of the things, it's an essential. I strongly believe that Community Building will be one of the top 5 most sought after careers of the coming decade. AI will rule majority of communication on the Internet and social media.

    Also, I see a silent shift in budget allocation from social media to community building. Almost every Fortune 500 company has invested in building online community.

  • Rahul Roy

    Rahul Roy

    @rahulroy • Oct 4, 2025

    Every business will want to have their own loyal fan following. This loyalty can't be built on third-party social media platforms like X or LinkedIn. All you can have on it is an audience that listens to you and complaints about your products :-D.