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.
Tim Brooks’ media career has taken him from Media Week, where he was launch editor, through director level positions at Emap and IPC Media to The Guardian, where he was MD for four years. Last year, he was appointed CEO at medical publisher, BMJ. Tim
Publishers are investing in technology, but, asks Peter Houston, what about the people that have to use it?
Are you open to advice? Or do you take it as some kind of affront or an irritating distraction? Or do you take advice on board, give it due consideration, and make changes where necessary? I like to think of myself as the latter, but normally I have
Flying the flag for print and paper can be a lonely job in this increasingly digital world, but Peter Sommerville of Denmaur Independent Papers made a pretty good stab at it, at a seminar during the recent Cross Media event. James Evelegh was in the
On the 3rd October, the great and the good of the digital world gathered for the AOP Autumn Conference at Etc Venues, St Paul’s in London. James Evelegh went along too.
Looking outside your own market is always a smart way to get new ideas, as the chances are another publisher has already grappled with the same problem as you. Carolyn Morgan attended SIPA’s recent conference in Washington DC and flew back with lots
As the publishing business becomes more international, what can we learn from other markets around the world about how to market subscriptions? That question, writes Jim Bilton, lies at the core of a topical report from the PPA.
Subs bureaux come in all shapes and sizes. Their outlook and experiences are as varied as the publishing industry they serve. Around the table at the end of July sat the MDs of some of the UK’s leading bureaux, invited by iSUBSCRiBE to mull over the
The PPA held its annual Digital Publishing Conference and Awards at The Brewery in London on Wednesday. One of the highlights of the days was Barry McIlheney’s interview with RBI Chief Operating Officer, Dominic Feltham. James Evelegh listened in.
WGSN Group CEO Julie Harris tells Carolyn Morgan about their recent successful move into the data arena, and why maths and magic is such a potent mix.
Burned-out on "Words With Friends"? Finding "Five Minutes to Kill Yourself" too slow-paced? Well, why not try Karlene Lukovitz’ trivia quiz.
Creating a digital product that’s optimised for all the different devices that consumers might be using is a huge challenge for workflow management. Jo Bowman reports on how publishers are streamlining the process.
Successful digital media is not about software or hardware, writes Colin Morrison, but about shifting from being a producer of products to a provider of services.
As traditional publishing transitions to digital content, whether web, mobile, social, video, data, events or communities, so the rules of the game are changing, writes Carolyn Morgan.
SIIA UK brought together a group of event organisers on 4 September to listen to the experiences of Optimus Education and Newtrade Publishing, and swap their tips on developing profitable live events. Carolyn Morgan was taking notes.
