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.
The Institute & Faculty of Actuaries (which goes under the brands The Actuarial Profession and the Staple Inn Actuarial Society) has appointed Redactive Media Group to develop its multiplatform membership magazine, The Actuary, previously published b
UBM plc has announced that Dame Helen Alexander will join the Board as a non-executive director on 10 May 2012 and will succeed John Botts as Chairman following the Company’s Annual General Meeting which will be held on 11 May 2012.
Hannah Kafanke has been promoted to Advertisement Manager of GQ, the men’s monthly, Condé Nast announced yesterday.
Reed Business Information has sold Totaljobs Group, its online recruitment advertising business in the UK, to StepStone, a subsidiary of Axel Springer AG, for £110m.
Haymarket has unveiled its new company page on Facebook showcasing the new timeline design.
Air Business has recently signed a number of significant new contracts across a number of different publishing sectors.
The May issue of Empire magazine has a special cover to launch the film Prometheus.
Connect Publications (Scotland) Limited has added the bowls magazine, Nationwide Bowler, and its website, to its growing stable of titles.
British Airways is set to launch a regional edition, for South Africa, of its High Life magazine.
Informa plc’s 2011 Corporate Responsibility Report has just been published, providing insights into how the Group’s CR programme has developed and Informa’s future CR priorities.
Royal Britain magazine is producing a souvenir special edition to mark the Queen’s diamond jubilee. It goes on sale 13 April, priced £4.99.
Future’s drumming magazine Rhythm kicks off a planned series of ambitious brand extensions in 2012 with the release of its first bookazine, Rhythm Presents: 100 Drum Heroes this August.
Pony World, a new six weekly title from LCD Publishing, goes on sale 13 April, priced £2.75.
T3, Future’s consumer technology magazine, has unveiled its Hot 100, the “definitive” list of the must-have gadgets of right now.
PPA's Production and Environment Awards are dedicated to upholding and celebrating excellence in magazine production and environmental best practice. The award winners were announced on Thursday 29 March, at OXO2.
