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.
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…
How does your business measure up against the key metrics?, asks Jim Bilton. If you’re not sure, then how do you know which direction to go in?
Ace’s Newspaper and Magazine Awards 2024 will take place at the London Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square on 22 May, 2024.
Ahead of this year’s PPA Festival, taking place on 23rd April, we grab five minutes with PPA CEO Sajeeda Merali to get her thoughts on the state of the publishing sector.
67 Bricks have been named as finalists in the 2024 British Data Awards in two categories - Consultancy of the Year and SME of the Year.
Centaur Media plc has released preliminary results for the year ended 31 December 2023.
Bloomberg Commodity Murban Crude Oil Index introduced in latest Bloomberg indices commodities expansion.
Wolters Kluwer has announced the launch of a new AI-enhanced contract management functionality for Legisway.
The partnership aims to help Avid’s partners to measure the impact of campaigns and understand brand uplift across the marketing funnel.
Atex, in partnership with Babelscape, has introduced a new AI text analytics and smart tagging module for publishers in its AI-powered publishing platform.
Informa plc saw strong performance in 2023 and expects continuing momentum and growth in 2024.
InPublishing has announced that its new digital partner is eMagazines.
Qonqord, a specialist in streamlining content creation and publication processes, has announced the full integration of Evolved Media Solutions into its corporate structure.
Fieldsports Press have chosen Jellyfish to power the digital editions of their growing portfolio.
The PPA and Air Business have announced the extension of their strategic partnership for the 15th consecutive year.
