Antikainen, Maria. The attraction of company online communities-A multiple case study. Tampere University Press, 2007.

This study delves into the factors that make online communities attractive from a relationship marketing perspective, aiming to enhance long-term customer relationships for companies. It identifies and analyzes the appeal of different companies' online communities through a qualitative case study involving four distinct online communities targeted at women and families, young people, bank customers, and software developers. The research uncovers sixteen attraction factors related to various levels of relationships within these communities, categorized into self-related and social factors. The findings contribute to marketing theories by offering a comprehensive understanding of online community appeal and provide practical models for companies considering the establishment and maintenance of their online communities for relationship marketing purposes.