10 examples of B2B Media innovation
The environment for B2B Media is changing significantly. Business executives are time poor and need fast, high quality answers to their business challenges. GenAI offers a tantalising option of instant information, but relevance and accuracy are elusive. So what products and services can B2B media and information businesses develop to help solve their readers’ problems and generate new revenue streams? The solution appears to lie in creating exclusive or proprietary information and enabling the development of personal professional networks.
This article describes ten new products and services that are being explored by innovative B2B media and information businesses in the US and UK, with specific examples for you to review for your own B2B media business.
1. Multiplatform C-suite memberships
Senior corporate execs are keen to connect with and learn from their peers in a trusted, confidential environment. More B2B media businesses are developing C-suite membership packages which combine newsletters and in person events to enable discussion and peer best practice. Some are fully paid memberships and others are free to qualified executives and sponsor funded.
CharterPro (US) is a membership package for HR leaders that includes research, newsletters and in person events
Risk Leadership Network (UK) provides collaboration, data and benchmarks for senior risk professionals on a paid membership basis.
Semafor (US) has launched a multiplatform membership The CEO Signal including a newsletter, audio, video and events for CEOs of large organisations. Free to audience, invitation only, funded by sponsors.
2. New, informal event formats
In person business conferences are losing their “suits on a stage” format and moving to more informal, experiential settings and a relaxed “festival” vibe. They are increasingly focussing on formats that enable 1-1 meetings, justifying the effort and cost involved in travelling to an in-person event. And the boundary of B2C and B2B is blurring, with US consumer-facing brands like Boardroom developing ticketed B2B conferences.
Boardroom (US) earn over a third of their revenue from events including curated VIP conversations and ticketed conferences. Their Game Plan event is a partnership with CNBC
RecFest (UK) runs outdoor, informal Festivals for Talent Acquisition professionals in UK and US
Future Proof (formerly Advisor Circle – US) offers Festivals, Retreats, 1-1 meetings and connections for wealth and investment managers
3. Audio, video, broadcast spin-offs
B2B brands are taking their experts onto podcasts and broadcast-style video content, to update their audience and share business insights in a less formal environment.
Freightwaves (US) in the trucking and logistics sector, launched a series of broadcast-style video interviews and are known as the Bloomberg of Freight. They have launched a podcast called “What the Truck”.
Exponential view (UK) a Substack newsletter on technology futures, has launched a podcast and a TV series in partnership with Bloomberg originals.
4. AI driven curated newsletters
In the last few years, companies like Industry Dive and SmartBrief have driven the growth of niche B2B email newsletters. AI is enabling faster compilation of niche news stories and newsletters. Rather than wait for an onslaught of competitors, some B2B media businesses are getting in first.
Trending Now (UK) produces 27 B2B newsletters reaching 1 million people with a staff of only ten, curated with AI-driven technology developed by sister company Caboodle within Media Ten.
5. Business critical data products
Proprietary data can become a unique selling proposition in niche B2B markets where time poor executives need fast access. Many B2B media businesses build paid subscriptions around exclusive databases.
Freightwaves (US) has developed SONAR, a market intelligence service in the trucking sector, including truckload volumes and pricing, sold on subscription.
Enerknol (US) aggregates intelligence on the energy regulatory sector from multiple public sources, saving time for their paying subscribers.
Exponential View (UK) is famous for its detailed Chartpacks for paying subscribers, clearly explaining complex trends.
The Information (US) Pro subscription ($749pa) includes organisation charts and databases as well as content
6. AI adds value to subscribers
Specialist B2B archive content can be highly valuable to industry professionals. Many publishers are using genAI search tools to allow subscribers to search all of their research and content.
Skift (US) provides paid subscribers with unlimited access to their ASK Skift AI tool to search their archive of research reports and articles in the travel sector.
Enerknol has created EKAI Assistant to enable subscribers to receive instant insights with primary source reference links.
7. Consultancy/advisory revenues
B2B Media are endlessly exploring new sources of revenue. Many are now offering consultancy and advisory services to their clients and commercial partners, exploiting the experience and insights of their editorial teams and analysts.
Boardroom (US) don’t take advertising. Their commercial revenues include content partnerships plus consultancy and advisory fees.
8. Professional development and learning
B2B Media can become a trusted provider of professional development and learning for their industry sector.
Ragan (US) serve the communications industry and offer a suite of online and video training resources, plus virtual meetings to members for $1995 pa.
Webinar Vet (UK) provides a library of 3000 training videos to veterinary professionals for a membership of £620pa and claims 190k users worldwide.
9. New advertiser services
Sponsored content and lead generation campaigns are taking over from standard display advertising. But B2B Media are developing smart ways to add value to their ad clients.
Freightwaves (US) has a marketing tool that allows clients to automatically create data driven market reports to send to their prospects.
Industry Dive (US) has upgraded its ad results reporting.
HR Grapevine (UK) allows clients access to its readership trends data which tracks content behaviour of all registered users aggregated into cohorts by company size and job role.
10. Spotting emerging markets
Innovative media businesses have identified emerging markets and launched into them to establish themselves as an authority.
Payload Space (US) in the commercial space satellite sector.
Carbon Brief (UK) is an authoritative voice in the environment sector, now reaching 300k unique visitors a month, with over half in the US.
What comes next?
The ten innovation trends above share common themes. The starting point is a thorough understanding of your audience and the business challenges they face. Followed by a willingness to experiment with different media channels and event formats. While digital content and virtual events are highly convenient for business audiences, there are opportunities for B2B media businesses to “lean in” to the human connections forged at in-person events. And when your products deliver a genuinely valuable benefit to a business audience, they are willing to pay a membership, subscription or a ticket price. Finally, the new AI tools create opportunities to streamline editorial and marketing processes, analyse data and archive content, and offer new products based on exclusive or proprietary content.
A German-language version of this article was published earlier this year in LETTER, by the German Association of Business Media.
About the author
Carolyn Morgan has launched, acquired, grown and sold specialist media businesses across print, digital and events. She advises media businesses on digital product development, growing digital subscriptions and growth strategies. She regularly writes for publishing and media titles and speaks at media events and conferences. Carolyn is a non-executive director for B2B media businesses in human resources and marketing sectors.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynmorgan/
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