Creating and develping an online community is a top prioirty for most event company CEOs and MDs, but where to start? Here's a list of examples we compiled to use as inspiration, and the nudge you need to get cracking.

1. Examples
of B2B Online
Communities
how the big hitters go about it

2. In the B2B events market, delegate numbers are decreasing
and those elusive sponsors are looking to get more bang for
their buck, and better exposure to highly qualified
individuals.
Creating an online community is top of the to-do list for
CEOs and MDs of leading event organisations.The question
they always ask us is: How are the big players in events
doing it?
If you as an event industry leader have asked yourself this
question, here is a list of examples of companies who are
getting it right. In addition it is important to highlight other,
smaller organisations that are definitely worth a look.
The aim is to give an overview of how budgets both big and
small can deliver the same outcome: simply serve your
community with good quality content.

4. IFSEC Global
Serving the Security and Fire industry
community. This is how they keep in
touch with their market all year round.
• S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •

6. TFM&A Insights
New this year, TFM&A Insights is a
community for marketers and
ecommerce professionals, built around
the TFM&A live event, Ecommerce
Expo and Internet World.
What we like:
UBM is a really big organisation.
These communities were
created on the back of a big
exhibition or within the same
topical area. This is what we call
365 day marketing and
engagement right after the
event ends.
• S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •

8. Informa
This company needs no introduction
- simply finding your way around their
corporate website is a task in itself due
to its sheer size. Previously, IIR had
been extremely successful with its
Telecoms events before Informa
decided it was too good an opportunity
to pass up.
What we like:
This is simply a clear example of building a
community. While there is no aspect that I would
particularly highlight, it demonstrates a way of
reaching your audience with a look and feel that
is perhaps more corporate and rigid (though
some may say dated). Regardless, it features
here in order to show how an industry giant runs
one of its B2B communities.
• S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •

10. MEED
• S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •

12. Health Service Journal
• S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •

14. What we like:
As we've stated previously as one of
our event industry predictions, event
organisers need to think as publishers
and as an example of this, this
company is certainly worth having on
the list.
Retail Week
• S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •

15. IQPC
In my opinion IQPC are leading the way specifically from the point of
view of a pure play conference company running online communities
to drive revenue through advertising and promotion, as well as leads to
their events. They run communities for most of their vertical
markets with the “…IQ” theme as well as specifically branded ones.
On the next few pages are, in my opinion, their strongest communities,
and the ones that I personally follow:
• S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •
Online Communities
from the big players
with many events
in many industries

17. Process Excellence Network
Serves over 70,000 process
improvement professionals globally.
• S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •

19. Oil and Gas IQ
Serves over 90,000 oil and gas
professionals globally.
What we like:
They all share the same template; it is responsive and
each community has its own approach to it. The content
and editorial approach does vary from sector to sector.
In addition, these are more mature community examples.
They have other product offerings outside of events
that serve the needs of the community, and leverage the
communities to add value to sponsors and advertisers.
• S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •

20. • S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •
Terrapinn
Terrapinn has a similar approach to the
branding of IQPC and other big players along
with its “Total ……” communities. Some sites
have their own branding too.

22. Total Customer
Serving the marketing and CRM
professional industry.
What we like:
This example is simple in its
appearance. It is testament to the
fact that you don’t need a huge
amount of intricate functionality,
you just need a place to share and
host your content.
• S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •

24. The Oil Council
A community of 5,000 Oil and Gas
professionals highly geared towards
content and paid membership.
It runs a series of very successful
events for its community.
What we like:
The web layout is slightly different from
the standard format. Clarion pay special
attention to the content it provides, and
the event was conceived with the
community element in mind from the
very beginning (or so we heard).
• S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •

25. • S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •
FC Business
Intelligence
They run a series of very niche online
communities and serve the majority
of these networks with events. The
“Eye for….” communities have been in
existence for a while now, and they
have a wide range of these as well as
other branded communities serving
different markets.

27. What we like:
Eye for Travel
Eye for Travel is a community
serving 80,000 members within the
travel industry from hotels to
airlines, online travel agents, cruise,
car hire firms and more.
This example particularly stands out, and its
60,000 Alexa ranking speaks for itself. I've been
tracking FC Business Intelligence for over a
decade; they existed as an online community
while more traditional event companies were still
booking many delegates from one single email.
• S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •

28. • S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •
Online
communities
for events
of varying sizes
These are examples of smaller
organisations that have caught on to
the fact that something needs to
change in the events industry, and
have started to drive their own
communities successfully.

30. sharedserviceslink.com
A community of shared services
professionals offering events
and webinars.
• S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •

32. Biotech and Money
A start up online community with
events and membership, innovating
with inbound marketing as its core
marketing strategy.
• S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •

34. SmartRail World
A community blog serving
the rail industry on a global scale.
• S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •

36. What we like:
Osney HR
A community blog to serve a division
of events in the HR industry.
The organisations behind these communities, represent the
majority of the organisations in our industry. Some might not
have implemented a full scale inbound marketing campaign
and certainly don't have the budgets the big guys do, but
they are certainly starting to develop some aspects of
inbound marketing. They have taken steps to create a
community and initiate discourse around their area of
expertise, give value before they push and are led by CEOs
and MDs that want change.
• S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •

37. This is where things get interesting. Though you
may not necessarily have heard of all the following
organisations, in my opinion they're doing
innovative, interesting things and leading by
example. I frequently call upon these examples to
illustrate precisely what an online community is all
about.
• S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •
Here are some very cool
online communities serving
the whole value chain within
their industry

39. What we like:
Econsultancy
It serves the industry of digital marketing
professionals and 250,000 members.
An Alexa ranking of 6,000 proves they
are the go-to resource in their industry.
Econsultancy is one of THE most useful resources
for marketers. If you are in the business of marketing
this is compulsory reading, which is exactly the position
any online community should aim to be in.
They run various events, provide reports, consultancy
and training, and post jobs. • S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •

41. What we like:
Procurement Leaders
Serving a community of 20,000
procurement professionals globally.
As a community, we think they serve the
whole value chain. They also have a
publication, and from the point of view of
sponsors, they are likely to have a
product to meet their needs across
multiple channels. • S h a r e C o l l e t i o n •

42. This is how some organisations
are running their B2B online communities,
how does your strategy compare or differ?
I really hope this illustrates the fact that you don’t need to be a big
fish with an editorial team behind you in order to drive and cultivate
your own community (start with your customers and genuine
prospects). If you have the budget, great, but if you don’t there is
always a way to get cracking.
All these companies started somewhere and your online community
doesn't have to be in the thousands. You simply need a group of
individuals who really value what you have to say and look forward
to receiving, reading, sharing and recommending anything you do,
say or launch.

43. BrightBull can help you build the foundations of your
own community, and then drive it successfully. Get in
touch to find out how we can help, and if your business
is ready to take this step.
Contact hello@brightbull.co.uk today to kickstart your
community efforts, and start engaging, or call us on
+44 203 603 8388. We'll review your existing strategy
free of charge, or simply help you get cracking.