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.
At the heart of a successful transformation is the ability to ask the right questions, set clear goals and take the organisation with you. Ciar Byrne talks to Rebecca Miskin about the changes she is making at DC Thomson.
The system your editorial teams use to create content is full of rich potential, which many editors are completely unaware of. Rethinking your approach to your CMS opens the door to a new world of publishing possibilities.
The publishing industry gathered at The Grosvenor House Hotel for the annual Professional Publishers Association (PPA) Awards.
Ad tech company Adnami has appointed Svenja Damzog as publisher director, DACH, as it targets growth and expansion across Europe.
Cavai, a conversational advertising cloud, has appointed Mats Persson as CEO.
Informa, an international academic markets, B2B markets and digital services group, last week reconfirmed full year guidance on the back of what it describes as robust year-on-year trading.
The AOP celebrated the digital publishing industry’s top talent at its in-person awards ceremony held at Old Billingsgate in London, on Wednesday.
We grab five minutes with Chris Wills, sales manager at The Manson Group, to get a printer’s view on the challenges and opportunities for publishers.
The Mark Allen Group has acquired Heelec Ltd, whose principal asset is EMEX, a net zero and energy management expo.
Passendo has appointed Harry Charalambous as Head of Demand & International Growth to help shape its go-to-market strategy globally.
Good leaders enable the people in their team to thrive. To do this, they need to do these three things.
Verasity has announced the appointment of Dan Hodgson as Director of Business Development.
BPA Worldwide has announced the appointment of three new directors to the Board during its recent meeting in New York City.
Bloomberg News has announced the appointment of Allegra Stratton as UK Contributing Editor.
Haymarket has acquired Podcast Awards Ltd, owner of the British Podcast Awards, Australian Podcast Awards and the Irish Podcast Awards.
