Some recent figures from American Business Media depict a growing b-to-b media sector. Not surprising, digital revenue for b-to-b media was up 22%, to $1.6 billion, in the third quarter last year over the same period in 2010, according to ABM's Business Information Network figures.
In the same time frame, print revenue increased 4.6%, to $5.7 billion, and trade show revenue increased 1.1%, to $7.7 billion.
Against this background of broad growth in what Outsell Inc. has called a “half-speed recovery,” b-to-b media executives are expressing mild optimism for this year. Jim Vick, staff director-publisher at IEEE Media, spoke for many when he said, “I'm bullish provided we don't have something unexpected happen and the economy heads south again.”
The optimism executives are feeling stems from strength in content, deep audience databases and the ability, honed in difficult times, to generate profitable revenue streams from new sources such as in-person and virtual events, data and paid content.
Outsell estimated the b-to-b trade publishing and company information market grew 3.4% in 2011, to $23.0 billion. The research company anticipates the market will grow at a 3.5% compound annual growth rate through 2014, when it will reach $25.6 billion.
“There are places where business publishers should have the upper hand,” said Andrew Goodenough, former CEO of Summit Business Media. “They have the most comprehensive content, and they have the most comprehensive audience development.”
