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.
As part of the marketing campaign promoting the new Marie Claire, the glossy magazine has linked up with Pearl & Dean and Vue Cinemas to launch a series of monthly film preview screenings for its readers.
UPM and SGS have finalised a global landmark agreement in which the origin of all UPM pulp and paper products will be ensured with a single, global system.
On 11th September, a new alternate-monthly title, Princess and the Dolphin, from Prestige Publishing, hits the newstand.
On 9th September, a new weekly partwork hits the newsstand, entitled How Your Body Works.
PPA claims to have exceeded its recycling target rate set by Defra four years early, achieving a recycling rate of 72%.
A Malaysian media company has signed a multiplatform licence with Haymarket Media Group to publish football magazine FourFourTwo in Malaysia and Singapore, and to launch a magazine-format TV show based on the brand.
CDS Global has released the following analysis of the recent ABC results.
The Reader's Digest Association, Inc (RDA), the US-based corporate entity of the global multi-brand media and marketing company, has announced it has reached an agreement in principle with a majority of its senior lenders on the terms of a restructur
For the first time, data highlighting the value and trends of UK exported magazines has been released by PPA.
The awards celebrate the success of those retailers who have demonstrated excellence in developing the magazine category and driving sales over the past 12 months.
Charlotte Stockting, Publishing Director of HELLO! Magazine, has been elected as a Trustee by the PCC.
A four man team consisting of Matt Thomas, Kenny Wingrave, Matt Annetts and Malcolm Carter all ex-Wellprint staff have joined F1 Colour.
Ashford-based printer Headley Brothers has invested in a third Heidelberg Speedmaster SM102-10-P; what it claims is the number one 700 x 1,000mm perfecting press on the market.
Following the recent release of ABC figures for consumer magazines, the PPA has released the following analysis of the results.
The PPA Carbon Calculator won the Environmental Initiative Award at the recent Trade Association Forum’s awards ceremony.
