Overview: 

Ashley Flowers — New York Times bestseller and host of the number one true crime podcast in the world, Crime Junkie, and founder of the media company audiochuck — has an established history of fostering a strong connection with her fans. To deepen these relationships and encourage more fan involvement, Ashley used Community to engage with her audience as she embarked on a 10-city tour in February 2023. Through building personal real-time connections, providing unique activation opportunities and promoting meaningful conversations, Ashley drove her fans to  engage beyond just consuming content — to take action and become advocates for victims and families.

‍

How Ashley Flowers Used Community:  

• Real-Time Connections: Ashley used Community to personally respond to fan texts, nurturing a sense of closeness and authenticity.  
• Unique Opportunities: She offered exclusive sneak peeks, ticket presale codes, and on-site giveaways for her live documentary experience, "The Deck Investigates," across 10 cities nationwide.  
• Segmentation Strategy: Ashley segmented tour attendees and non-attendees, tailoring communication to promote the podcast and encourage engagement with the case. 
• Ongoing Interaction: Community allowed Ashley to provide her fans with continuous updates on the tour, podcast, case petition, and more, leading to increased involvement and engagement.

‍

Success Metrics: 

• Sold-Out Tour: Ashley's live documentary experience had a sold-out tour across 10 cities. 
• Top Podcast Ranking: The podcast remained number one on the charts for nearly 4 weeks. 
• Petition Signatures: Over 130,000 unique signatures on the petition related to the case, demonstrating the impact of fan involvement.  
• High Response Rates: Response rates as high as 53.7%, reflecting the strong engagement.
• Insights and Perceptions: Utilizing Community allowed Ashley to gain personal insight into fan experiences and perceptions, providing valuable data-driven actions.  

‍

Key Features:  

• Personal Interaction: Ashley's approach using Community revolved around building personal connections and treating fans as friends rather than just listeners. 
• Data-Driven Actions: Ashley leveraged insights provided by her fans to inform her content strategy, resulting in higher fan engagement. 
• Advocacy Focus: By using Community to promote advocacy for victims and families, Ashley inspired her fans to take meaningful action and drive change

‍

Conclusion: 

Ashley Flowers' adept use of the Community platform allowed her to strengthen relationships with fans and drive impressive results. By fostering personal connection and engaging in meaningful conversations as well as providing exclusive access and opportunities, Ashley activated her audience to become advocates for victims and families. The results illustrate the power of community engagement and how it can go beyond promotional efforts to create a lasting impact. 

‍