Brand Republic has published its first ‘site-centric visitor profile data’ via an ABCe Enhanced Certificate, according to a release from ABCe. ABCe said that the website, part of Haymarket Business Media, is the first business-to-business website to do so.
Group has tested running virtual events to cater for those who are less willing to travel to conferences during the economic downturn.
A trading update from UBM said its magazine advertising and events businesses had not performed as well as hoped. Full story…
Rory Brown, former managing director of the interactive marketing division of Incisive Media, shares his thought about the future of business-to-business publishing. “Yes, big media is clearly struggling – and not just because of the economy – but because, in the main, their whole corporate structure is set up for a very different era,” he says.
Following a research report, Paul Conley feels its time for him to say something he has ‘hesitated to say’. “The B2B industry, as we know it, is about to collapse,” he writes.
The B2B publishing industry currently now dominated by giant print companies and smaller web-only companies is about to collapse, he continues.
When the dust settles, B2B journalism will still be here – but many of the companies that make up the industry will be gone, he predicts.
Newspapers’ reports of rapidly rising web traffic only confers ‘bragging rights’ if it is not monetised, argues Brown.
Lessons should be learnt from the B2B publishing sector, he adds.
Prescott Shibles has recently relaunched a closed-down magazine as a web-based business, and here he shares his thoughts and experiences on the subject.
B2B websites are used by 97 per cent of ‘business decision makers’, a new study conducted by IPSOS for the Association of Online Publishers (AOP) shows.
The results, quoted from the AOP’s release:
B2B websites are the first port of call when:
“51 per cent choosing B2B websites as a preferred source of business information; B2B websites are also favoured over two and a half times more than TV, Radio, Magazines and Newspapers sources combined,” the AOP reported, in a release.
B2B sites are also shown to provide a highly effective medium for advertisers:
“82 per cent of all business decision makers use at least one B2B digital delivery mechanism for work, rising to 91 per cent among regular B2B websites users.
“Email alerts/newsletters are the most popular (51 per cent) followed by platforms which provide feedback: peer reviews, blogs and forums; but other systems such as RSS feeds, online seminars, podcast, vodcast and video streaming are gaining momentum.
“A core minority of respondents are currently using five or more of these delivery mechanisms; and overall 39 per cent, of those surveyed, expect to increase their use of digital delivery mechanisms in the next 12 months.”
Of those using five or more digital delivery mechanisms (70 per cent) found that B2B websites offer more engaging content and advertising than other business information sources and considered them to:
“This is an important snapshot of the business community and their use of B2B websites, and further supports the insights gathered in the AOP Census 2008 which showed that our members are increasing their investment in content delivery methods including IPTV, mobile, vodcast, podcast and RSS feeds,” Liz Somerville, the acting director of AOP said, in the release from the AOP.
UPDATE: a Tweet from Martin Stabe alerts us that in fact most of the titles’ content is already free online: J.co.uk is on the case and will up date soon.
B2B publisher Emap ‘is to scrap subscription charges on a number of its website next year,’ reports Press Gazette. The changes affect the Emap Inform division, which includes Health Service Journal, Retail Week and Drapers.
To mark its 140th anniversary, the Press Association has ‘completely overhauled its identity in print and online to reflect its position as an innovative, digital, news and information provider,’ a release said.
To signify its move from a domestic news agency to a ‘multimedia content business’, all of the existing Press Association sub-brands will now be ‘unified’.
The URL of the PA website has changed to pressassociation.co.uk and the release said that the new site ‘incorporates improved usability, multimedia news feeds, picture galleries and demo packages demonstrating the range of the company’s services,’ although most content is still restricted to paying subscribers.
“By sharpening up the brand and introducing a new website we aim to increase our brand awareness amongst B2B customers and make it easier for us to showcase our services, particularly to the digital markets,” Paul Potts, executive chairman and owner of the PA Group, said in the release.
Press Gazette last night presented its 2008 Magazine Design and Journalism Awards. Here’s a run-down of the winners from last night’s ceremony:
Young Designer of the Year: Dominic Bell, Wallpaper
Best Designed Magazine of the Year – Consumer (Over 40k): Meirion Pritchard, Wallpaper
Best Designed Magazine of the Year: Meirion Pritchard, Wallpaper
Best Designed Features Spread: Grant Bowden, Ritz
Best Use of Typography: Grant Bowden, Ritz
Best New Design/Redesign: Marissa Bourke, Elle
Best Designed Front Cover: Marissa Bourke, Elle
Best Use of Illustration: Tan Parmar, Contact
Best Use of Photography: Dan Delaney, Onelife
Reviewer of the year: Andrew Billen, The London Magazine
Digital Journalist of the Year: Paul Grant, Accountancy Age
Business Reporter of the Year: Stuart MacDonald, Building
Exclusive of the year: Jonathan Green, Live
Feature Writer of the Year: Ariel Leve, The Sunday Times Magazine
Magazine Designer of the Year: Jonathan Gregory, Dirt Magazine
Editor of the Year: David Burton, Camouflage
Best-Designed B2B magazine: Dean Dorat, Contagious
Interviewer of the Year: Lesley White, The Sunday Times Magazine
Best-Designed Customer magazine: Dan Delaney, Onelife
Columnist of the Year: Michael Hodges, Time Out
Production Team of the Year: Esquire
Best Designed Magazine of the Year Consumer (Under 40k): Paul Willoughby & Rob Longworth, Little White Lies
News Reporter of the Year: Sally Gainsbury, Health Service Journal