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.
Waitrose can not boast the market share of a Tesco or an Asda, but does boast a clearly defined customer base and steady growth. If your title fits the store’s brand, then Waitrose represents an exciting channel for you. Andrea Kirkby looks at the br
Circulation is the unforgiving and relentless Catch 22 of independent publishing. But, with perseverance and a little bit of luck, reaching a credible, newsstand circulation figure is not impossible for independent magazines writes Charles Baker, pub
Asia is a fast growing market and large international publishers want a slice of the action. Paul Woodward looks at partnership, merger and acquisition strategies for business development in the region.
The rate of technological change is putting considerable pressure on publishers to have a clear vision of the future and their place within it. This is easier said than done. Ross Sturley took soundings from fellow B2B publishers to see if there was
Over the course of three years, William Reed Publishing has developed, with software consultancy Kay Media Technologies, a shiny new CRM system - CRISP. They have high hopes for the new system, expecting it to both open up new revenue opportunities a
On 26 September 2006, the PPA held its MagSell conference and awards at the Natural History Museum in London. James Evelegh went along to listen to the presentations, which included one by Pick Me Up editor June Smith-Sheppard.
On 3rd October 2006, Broadsystem hosted a seminar entitled: Turning the subscription model on its head – from revenue drain to relationship gain. James Evelegh went along to listen. Here are ten themes that stood out.
There is no rest for the wicked. Or for DM practitioners. Just when you think you’ve cracked it, fatigue kicks in, response starts to wane and you’re off looking for the next killer creative. This is particularly the case in the US, where subs is the
From a common method of sabotaging in-house writers to a powerful tool for turning features into benefits, Andy Maslen explores fifteen ideas that could put the sparkle back into your copy.
The customer rules! Now, more than ever before. What they want, how they want it, when they want it are issues every publisher is grappling with. This is putting pressure on circulation and marketing teams to manage the customer relationship more eff
Tesco is the dominant player in UK retailing. Last year, it became the first UK retailer to announce annual profits in excess of £2bn. Over the last decade it has steadily increased its market share across most categories – including magazines. Is Te
In the latest installment on the US consumer magazine saga, Karlene Lukovitz reports that it’s now clear that, once pushed into a corner, publishers are choosing to stand and fight with media buyers about the value of nonpaid circulation. The pain is
With over 16 million Brits heading to Spain each year, and lots of them looking for something to read on the beach, the country is a potentially lucrative market for UK publishers. Yet 2006 has been a difficult year. Marketforce’s Scott Goward and Cl
As long as covermounts continue to deliver sales boosts, there is little likelihood that publishers will stop using them, however much they might want to. Jim Bilton assesses the whys and wherefores of covermounting.
MediaCom’s Lucy Brunning assesses the latest ABCs and sees a buoyant magazine market. True, for many established titles, circulations have declined, but new titles continue to make waves. Furthermore, tighter, more defined readerships are, says Lucy,
