News
PPA Scotland’s next Chair to be John Innes
Following his election by the PPA Scotland membership, John will take over from current Chair – DC Thomson’s Sally Hampton – at the beginning of 2021.
B2B & Trade Media
B2B publishing has quietly become one of the healthier parts of the industry. The trade press that once lived on display and recruitment advertising now earns more of its money from subscriptions, data, events and membership, and private equity has noticed.
The shift meant giving up some old habits. Controlled circulation made sense in print, but open websites gave away what the magazine kept for qualified readers, and the publishers doing best have taken back control of their audiences through registration and paywalls. The Lawyer moved from an advertising-led business to one where paid content brings in over 40 per cent of revenue.
Don’t delude yourself because the barriers to entry in publishing are now non-existent.
Amanda Barnes B2B media
Specialist knowledge is the defence. AI makes generic information close to worthless, so the value lies in proprietary data, tools readers rely on in their daily work and journalism only a specialist could produce, as Computer Weekly's Post Office investigation showed. Print hasn't vanished either. Some publishers now sell it alongside digital at the same price and let readers choose.
Below you'll find some of our best feature articles on B2B and trade media, from subscriptions and data products to events, print, consolidation and specialist journalism, alongside our latest news and industry commentary.
Essential Resources
Best Practice in Publishing
B2B media
We asked Amanda Barnes, chief executive of Faversham House, what does best practice publishing look like in B2B media? This is what she said…
FEATURE
Riches in niches
Rory Brown has enjoyed great success in business media. Having last year sold AgriBriefing and now following new paths in the B2B space, he takes some time out to tell us what he has learned on his journey so far…
A Celebration of Print
Our print strategy: Mark Allen Group
Print is certainly not dead, says Chairman Mark Allen. However, you need to offer readers choice and be neutral and agnostic about the outcome.
INTERVIEW
From controlled circ to enterprise subs
The Lawyer has been on quite a journey, successfully transitioning from a controlled circulation ad-driven model to a high value enterprise subs one. Andy Baker talks Meg Carter through the key stages and what they’ve learnt along the way.
Digital Horizons
What the ‘Intelligent Age’ means for B2B media
In the first of our new ‘Digital Horizons’ series, Tom Lake, director of product and technology at Infopro Digital, looks at the tech opportunities and challenges facing his company and the wider B2B sector.
COMMENT
Opportunities & Threats: B2B Media
The future of B2B lies in serving your sector in three connected ways: information, intelligence and events.
The Digital Transformation Journey
B2B media
John Barnes, chief digital officer, William Reed Business Media, tells Ciar Byrne about how the B2B media sector is managing the digital transformation journey.
Dickon Ross’s publishing world
The Post Office Scandal – 10 takeaways for B2B journalists
Computer Weekly deserves much credit for its role in investigating the Horizon IT scandal. Dickon Ross looks at what lessons other B2B journalists can take from their work.
MEDIA FUTURES
Gambling on M&A in 2025
The general expectation is that the buying and selling of media brands is going to increase significantly in 2025. A number of companies have been quietly building up their war-chests during a wobbly 2024, reports Jim Bilton.
COLUMN
Keep iterating
If you’re thinking of setting up a membership scheme, be prepared to play the long game because success doesn’t come overnight.
All Articles
News
Centaur: Non-Executive Director appointments
Centaur Media has announced the appointment of Carol Hosey and Leslie-Ann Reed as independent non-executive directors of the company.
News
The Holmes Report rebrands as PRovoke
The Holmes Report, a global PR and comms industry news website, has rebranded as PRovoke.
News
Kemps chooses Ingenta’s Ad Depot
Kemps Publishing recently went ‘Live’ with Ingenta’s advertising system, Ad Depot.
COMMENT
Three Digital Trends to Watch in 2020
BlueToad’s Paul DeHart is excited about the digital opportunities facing publishers in 2020. Here, he highlights three of them…
COMMENT
Why paywalls are the solution
Paywalls come in all shapes and sizes and it’s important to choose the right model for your publishing operation, says Full Fat Things’ Stewart Robinson.
COMMENT
The digital edition grabs the headlines
It’s easy to get distracted by the latest tech trend, but, says Readly's Ranj Begley, there is a growing appreciation of one thing that’s been around a long time – the digital edition.
COMMENT
Opportunities & Threats: B2B Media
The future of B2B lies in serving your sector in three connected ways: information, intelligence and events.
COMMENT
5 Reasons Not to Interrupt When Your Client is Talking
When clients take the time to speak to you, pay special attention to what they say. It’s valuable insight, says AdvantageCS's Dan Heffernan.
COMMENT
What is more sustainable than paper and print?
With publishers looking to reduce their carbon footprint, Denmaur’s Danny Doogan points out that paper is a renewable resource and highly recyclable.
FEATURE
Would you allow interviewees to check your copy – ever?
Ethically and practically, it’s not a good idea, although in some markets, it’s getting harder to say ‘no’, writes Dickon Ross.
FEATURE
How can magazines help save the planet?
The last few months have seen extensive flooding in England and devasting bushfires in Australia. With the nightly news full of alarming stories about the impact of climate change, it’s never been more important for all of us to do our bit.
FEATURE
Paywalls: why your stop rate matters
For publishers experimenting with metered paywalls, where to set the free articles limit is a key consideration. You can guess at it or you can use data, specifically the ‘stop rate’ metric, to help you make a more informed decision.
INTERVIEW
Where B2C meets B2B
Consultancy is usually associated with B2B, but B2C publisher Condé Nast is finding some success in providing consultancy services through its GQ and Wired brands. As Nick Sargent tells Meg Carter, it’s part of the 360-degree service they now offer.
SUPPLIER PROFILE - EVESSIO
Running successful events: seven top tips
Everyone agrees that publishers should be staging events, but many are put off by the perceived hassle and admin overhead. But, your software should take the strain, allowing you to devote more time to delivering a must-attend event.
