How do you build an engaged technology community in India?
Build a useful reason to belong, then give members a consistent rhythm of content, learning, networking and live experiences. For INDUS, that meant combining a stronger digital platform with 70+ webinars, regional events, sponsorship programmes and a flagship community conference.
The result was a community that grew in both scale and engagement—not a one-off event audience.
Growing an existing community—not just launching one
INDUS is a community of SAP users in India focused on knowledge sharing and networking. Paul Writer was brought in to manage the community and increase membership and engagement.
The opportunity was bigger than communications: the community needed a repeatable engagement engine that could create value for members while supporting events and sponsorship revenue.
What did the community growth strategy include?
A better digital home
A new INDUS website was launched in five months and attracted as many visits in its first five months as the previous site had generated over the prior 12 months.
Always-on learning
More than 70 SAP-focused webinars created a recurring reason for members to return, learn and participate.
Smarter communications
Improved mailing tools made member communication more accurate and trackable, helping deliver timely and relevant information about INDUS and its events.
Regional experiences
Events in Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata created opportunities for members to meet, network and share experience.
A flagship moment
Paul Writer managed the INDUS Conclave, bringing more than 500 people from the SAP community together for thought leadership and networking.
Commercial sustainability
Sponsorship revenue generated around INDUS events helped fund future community activity.
What happened when the community strategy was put into action?
INDUS reached 4,131 members, while members spent an average of more than six minutes per website visit and viewed 5.75 pages per visit.
The combination of webinars, events and the INDUS Conclave strengthened knowledge sharing and networking. The commercial model also helped create funding for future events.
What can other brands learn from the INDUS community?
- Give people a reason to belong. A community needs a clear value exchange, not simply a database of contacts.
- Create a rhythm. Recurring webinars, content and events give members repeated reasons to participate.
- Connect digital and physical. Online engagement can build the audience; live experiences deepen relationships.
- Measure behaviour, not just membership. Visits, participation, engagement and event attendance show whether a community is useful.
- Build for sustainability. Sponsorship can help fund the community without making every interaction feel like a sales pitch.
Can this approach work for a consumer community in India?
Yes. The audience and incentives change, but the underlying model is similar: establish a strong reason to belong, create recurring value, make participation easy, connect digital and real-world experiences, and measure engagement over time.
The INDUS case is relevant to brands exploring customer communities, user groups, advocacy programmes, professional networks or community-led marketing in India.
Community marketing in India
How do you build a customer community in India?
Start with a clear member value proposition, then build a consistent programme of content, learning, interaction and events. Measure participation and engagement alongside membership growth.
What does a community marketing agency do?
A community marketing agency can help define strategy, launch or improve the community platform, create engagement programmes, manage communications and events, measure performance and develop sustainable commercial models.
How do you grow an online community?
Give prospective members a compelling reason to join and existing members a recurring reason to return. Useful content, expert access, peer networking, events and reliable communication can work together as a growth engine.
How can SAP companies market to users in India?
A focused user community can create a direct channel for education, peer learning, thought leadership, events and relationship building with SAP professionals and customers.
Can B2B community strategy work for consumer brands?
Yes. The same fundamentals—belonging, recurring value, participation, experiences and measurement—can be adapted to consumer audiences, although the content, incentives and behaviours will differ.