FEATURE
What a load of rubbish
The ongoing debate about online harms brought to mind a perceptive question posed by a twelve-year-old some time ago, writes Dickon Ross.
B2B & Trade Media
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.
Essential Resources
Best Practice in Publishing
B2B media
We asked Amanda Barnes, chief executive of Faversham House, what does best practice publishing look like in B2B media? This is what she said…
FEATURE
Riches in niches
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…
A Celebration of Print
Our print strategy: Mark Allen Group
Print is certainly not dead, says Chairman Mark Allen. However, you need to offer readers choice and be neutral and agnostic about the outcome.
INTERVIEW
From controlled circ to enterprise subs
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.
Digital Horizons
What the ‘Intelligent Age’ means for B2B media
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.
COMMENT
Opportunities & Threats: B2B Media
The future of B2B lies in serving your sector in three connected ways: information, intelligence and events.
The Digital Transformation Journey
B2B media
John Barnes, chief digital officer, William Reed Business Media, tells Ciar Byrne about how the B2B media sector is managing the digital transformation journey.
Dickon Ross’s publishing world
The Post Office Scandal – 10 takeaways for B2B journalists
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.
MEDIA FUTURES
Gambling on M&A in 2025
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.
COLUMN
Keep iterating
If you’re thinking of setting up a membership scheme, be prepared to play the long game because success doesn’t come overnight.
All Articles
FEATURE
Perfecting the formula for a successful subscriptions strategy
There’s a fine art to New Scientist’s successful approach to subscriptions, writes Meg Carter.
SPOTLIGHT
Country magazines
Stuck indoors, there was no better time to think about being in the country. Of course, there are magazines to hold your hand every inch of the way as Alan Geere has been finding out.
FEATURE
Composing anthem for the future
Necessity is the mother of reinvention for Bath-based Anthem Publishing, which is still building for the future despite the toughest challenges all have faced this year, writes Meg Carter.
News
AOP Digital Publishing Awards 2020 – winners announced
The Association for Online Publishing showcased the digital publishing industry’s top talent in the virtual debut of its annual awards ceremony last Thursday.
News
ABC chief executive elected president of IFABC
Simon Redlich, ABC’s Chief Executive, has been appointed as the new global President of the International Federation of Audit Bureaux of Certification.
REVIEW
From subs to members
The mindset for most successful businesses is to carry on doing what they’re doing. After all, why change a successful formula? Chemical Watch thought otherwise and in 2017 embarked on a period of business transformation.
FEATURE
Is your media pack fit for purpose?
Is your media pack a help or a hindrance? It’s a key document that is, too often, poorly presented and out of date. Spread the Word Media’s Martin Maynard tells us what you can do to make sure yours shows your brand in the best possible light.
APPEAL
HYMAG needs you, YOU need HYMAG; will you be a HYMAG hero and save history?
HYMAG, 'The World's Largest Collection of Magazines' is currently under threat of closure, exacerbated by Covid's global disruption of business and daily living. James Hyman appeals for your help.
News
The HistoryExtra Podcast Turns Detective on History’s Greatest Mystery
A new eight-part series from the team behind the HistoryExtra podcast, investigating the Princes in the Tower mystery, is out now.
News
LEIPA introduces ‘LEIPA MAG TOP’
LEIPA has increased its portfolio offering with the launch of its brightest recycled sheet, made at its German recovered paper mill.
News
Insider Publishing Group launches new content hub for insurance execs
Insider Publishing Group, the home of (re)insurance trade publication Insurance Insider, has launched Insider Engage - a new free-to-access content hub.
Q&A
Subs marketing: 5 minutes with… Alan Weaver
If there’s been one silver lining for publishers in this pandemic period, it’s been the growth in subscriptions. We grab five minutes with Alan Weaver to discuss the changing face of subs marketing.
News
The HAT Archive Now Available For Institutional Subscriptions
Denford Publishing and digital publishing company Exact Editions have announced the launch of The HAT Archive; a fully-searchable archive of issues available to institutions around the world.
News
Mortons launches MoreBikes website and app with Better than Paper
Mortons Media Group have launched their third app and website, MoreBikes, with Better than Paper.
