To an outsider, the print industry looks all glitz and glam, but at its core, it’s a business. And a section of this
biz is to act as a channel for other businesses to communicate.
So what
exactly is it and how does it work? Hop on board as
media update’s Maryna Steyn takes you on a tour of how this sector serves its purpose.
What’s the point of B2B magazines?
B2B magazines specialise in industry-specific content that is aimed at particular audiences. This type of medium focuses on bringing readers news that relates to their profession and can range from agriculture to transport.
The magazines are an accessible way to bring important information about a specific industry to those who work or who are interested in it. The information can be in the form of press releases, reports, opinion pieces or case studies and research.
Have B2B magazines left the building?
The short answer is no. The full answer is that, over the past year, these magazines have proven to still have a steady footprint in the print landscape — but they are not out of the woods yet. Much like any print medium, they have also felt the effects of high production costs, decrease in sales and an inconvenient global pandemic.
According to the data from the
Audit Bureau of Circulation’s Q1 2021 report, B2B magazines are slowly starting to show improvement. Categories such as ‘Agriculture’, ‘Civil Construction’ and ‘Retail’ have all shown good growth, with individual titles showing
exponential growth. Most notably,
IMIESA, a title in the ‘Civil Construction’ category, has shown 97% growth in the last quarter and 169.9% over the last year.
Clearly, this medium still has a lot left to say.
Why is B2B alive and kicking?
Apart from the economy improving, this industry is regaining strength because, much like other types of magazines, they are
still relevant. However, B2B magazines stand out above the rest due to the following reasons:
1. People still work in those niche areasMagazines aimed at niche markets stay afloat because of their consumers — without a reasonable size of loyal readers who are interested in that particular topic, publishers would not have the opportunity to make a profit on their offerings.
When it comes to business, magazines aimed at the various sectors have a strong group of loyal customers — and it’s all because these individuals work in the industries they read about.
This means, for example, that a civil engineer remains interested in a publication because the content relates to their occupation. They buy the magazine as it offers them insight, advice and stories about their job and industry.
2. Content evolves along with the industry Consumers who purchase magazines do so to stay informed about these particular industries. Publications that cater for these needs are able to remain relevant and grow along with each sector that they’re in.
Sticking with the example of a civil engineering magazine, such a publication will bring readers the latest updates and developments from the industry. This means that for as long as an industry is expanding, that specific magazine will provide the public with relevant news and updates for as long as it’s in business.
What’s more, it revolves around a particular industry; a consumer knows that buying that particular magazine ensures that the content they receive is exactly what they are interested in.
3. Advertisers have a clear target marketA bonus of B2B publications is that they can still make a profit from ad revenue. They can sell advertising space that is guaranteed to be seen by potentially interested customers.
Let’s look at the example of an agricultural magazine: Advertisers of farm equipment, pesticides and feed wholesalers are sure to be seen by people who are looking to buy these products;
aka, the farmer.
Advertisers then have a greater chance for a good ROI than they would have if they either didn’t advertise, or chose to do so in a generalised consumer magazine.
Are you a B2B magazine supporter? Let us know in the comments section below.
*Image courtesy of Pixabay