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.
Bauer Media have secured an exclusive six-figure deal with 20th Century Fox to promote its forthcoming new movie, action adventure epic Avatar, which releases in cinemas on Thursday 17th December.
The Two Sides campaign to raise awareness about Print and Paper's good environmental record and dispel many myths that people may have is entering the next phase.
Lingerie brand Triumph has taken advantage of a creative testing service from IPC Media to help choose the visuals for its current magazine campaign, fronted by Louise Redknapp.
Country Life is counting down to Christmas with its “unique” advent calendar cover, which it claims is the only cover of its kind on a UK weekly magazine.
Fighters Only has announced the addition of another international imprint to its magazine portfolio.
Brain World is a brand new magazine dedicated to the human brain - the next great scientific frontier, says publisher CMG.
Hardeep Sandher of Property Week rounded off a strong performance from United Business Media by taking the top honour at the PTC New Journalist of the Year Awards 2009.
RSA Direct, the list, data and direct marketing consultancy announced an addition to their portfolio with their appointment by The National Magazine Company to manage their postal database.
More than 50 senior corporate security executives gathered to hear BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner speak at SC magazine’s first Executive Network recently.
Evelyn Webster, CEO of IPC Media, has announced a new company structure, effective 4 January 2010, organised around three audience groups of men, mass-market women and up-market women.
Maney Publishing is to publish the Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy (JMMT) from 2010.
Regeneration & Renewal is to switch from weekly to fortnightly. This is part of a revamp of its content offering in the new year, reflecting, says Haymarket, changing reader and advertiser needs.
Haymarket’s GP newspaper expanded its media partnership with the annual conference of the UK’s Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) when it produced both a special daily edition and online video highlights for the event.
A new comic has come out! Spandex is a brand new comic book series featuring the world’s first all-gay superhero team!
Despite being the least active sector for private equity in the last 12 months, media & communications companies can expect substantially more backing from institutional investors in 2010, says a survey from accountants and business advisers, Grant T
