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.
How do you price your magazine so that subscribers stay loyal? Knowing what keeps them awake at night will, says Michael Smith, enable you to deliver real value, and knowing the dynamics of your market sector will help you ensure that your price is r
Though less than two years old, Nuts is already one of the UK’s best known magazines. Its huge profile and clearly defined proposition have given rise to a large number of licensing opportunities. Andrew Horton explains how IPC has sought to capitali
Making more money is what most publishers strive for each year. Often the best source of new money is your existing customers – people you already have a relationship with. Jess Burney looks at the secrets of successful cross-sell.
Mailing houses could be forgiven for being heartily sick of all things online. All they ever hear is “online this” and “email that”. Aaaaaaagh!!!!!!! Well, they are putting a brave face on it and, for the most part, successfully adapting their offeri
As with most marketing disciplines, thorough planning is central to successful subscriptions copy writing. The starting point, says Jennifer Menten, is to do some serious thinking about your magazine and your prospects. The more time spent thinking,
Did you know that, until recently, the Aland Islands were a major exporter of magazines to Denmark? Strange but true, and one of a number of anomalies created by varying VAT rates across the EU. Kevin Smith looks at the opportunities, and threats, pr
US publishers would dearly love to ditch the rate base system, but media buyers are unwilling to let them. Furthermore, recent developments are, says Karlene Lukovitz, piling further pressure on publishers.
For an industry that was once starved of easily accessible information, the newstrade is now awash with data. Used properly, this enables publishers to refine their marketing and compete effectively. Used ineffectively, or ignored, and it can come ba
Take the promise of lots of scantily clad girls and a target market of young men, and you have a fairly simple marketing proposition. Don’t you? Well, not necessarily. Tight budgetary controls, an over crowded category and increasingly censorious ret
Subscription management systems have come a long way in the last ten years, as software developers have raced to stay abreast of changing technologies and increased publisher expectation. James Evelegh looks at how subscription software has evolved a
A stand at an exhibition can be a great way of acquiring new subscribers. Yet, despite its potential, publishers rarely apply the same rigorous planning to their presence at a show that they do to other areas of their marketing activity. In this, the
How many subscriptions do you want? Peter Hobday explains why that is a trick question, and reveals why most publishers find their subscriptions marketing just never seems to take off.
With the help of their own recent research, Opt-4’s Rosemary Smith explores the role of circulation professionals in obtaining and managing marketing permissions.
Brevity is the soul of wit, said William Shakespeare. (And of lingerie, according to Dorothy Parker.) It’s also not bad for good copywriting, says Andy Maslen.
As publishers move into other media, to whom will they entrust their marketing? To their magazine marketers or to new dedicated digital teams? Karlene Lukovitz says that consumer marketers must fight their corner or risk being sidelined.
