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.
We asked Amanda Barnes, chief executive of Faversham House, what does best practice publishing look like in B2B media? This is what she said…
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…
Print is certainly not dead, says Chairman Mark Allen. However, you need to offer readers choice and be neutral and agnostic about the outcome.
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.
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.
The future of B2B lies in serving your sector in three connected ways: information, intelligence and events.
John Barnes, chief digital officer, William Reed Business Media, tells Ciar Byrne about how the B2B media sector is managing the digital transformation journey.
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.
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.
If you’re thinking of setting up a membership scheme, be prepared to play the long game because success doesn’t come overnight.
In its sixty plus years of publishing, the last ten have seen the most upheaval for TTG. An MBO followed by an ongoing process of review, re-evaluation and repositioning has seen the independent publisher grow, both in headcount and turnover.
Don’t know your Boleyns from your Borgias? Never fear, there are history magazines bringing the past into the present. Alan Geere explores the newsstand.
James Evelegh’s roundup of some of the news stories that caught his eye over the last couple of months.
When analysing the latest Media Futures results, one thing that stood out was a big increase in M&A activity. Jim Bilton looks at the whys and wherefores.
Looking for the right publishing strategy, but not sure where to start? Preparing your company for sale, even if you have no intention of selling, should set you on the right track.
The Drum has announced the shortlist for its 2019 Content Awards, which take place on 30 October.
The Data Protection Network has announced a new award – The DPN Rosemary Smith Award for Responsible Marketing – in honour of Rosemary, who died in April.
It’s very easy to get carried away by lots of pleasing looking website development plans, full of lovely new bells and whistles, but are they worth it? Successful publishing is all about asking the right questions.
ESco has just completed the migration of five brands from another bureau to ESco’s own subscription team for Emap Publishing.
Mark Allen Group title Choir & Organ has completed its digital archive in collaboration with digital publishing company Exact Editions.
Incisive Media has appointed Ebru Smith as associate editor of Investment Week, spearheading the content development of its conference and awards programmes.
The findings of the latest Media Futures research were recently unveiled by Jim Bilton. James Evelegh went along to hear how publishers are doing…
With more and more of our readers accessing our content via mobile, we need to work harder to make sure our sites perform well on smartphones. As Publisher's Toolbox MD Rich Cheary explains, having a responsive website is not enough.
Air Business continues its commitment to keeping its customers’ data secure through gaining BS 10012 (Personal Information Management System) certification for distribution and subscriptions.
Incisive Media claims to be one of the first B2B media owners to mail its magazines using recycled paper wrappers, replacing single-use plastics.
