B2B Publications Holding Their Own In the Digital Age
B2B
May 2010 -- "In a world where the web dominates in news and information, it is easy to assume that print mediums will become insignificant. But in the B2B world, specialized magazines remain an important source of information," finds a recent survey of nearly 700 Canadian business people conducted by Starch Research Services.
The Starch Information Sources Study 2010's objective was to measure the effectiveness of specialized business publications versus other information sources. It examined 14 different media and information sources -- including the Internet, print publications, TV, radio, business directories, direct mail, trade shows, seminars, conventions, and salespeople.
The results show that while the Internet ranked first in the seven industry sectors surveyed, Canadian business publications ranked a strong second.
Graphic Source: The Starch Information Sources Study
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Three-quarters (76%) of respondents believe the Internet to be “very useful” as a source for business information. In 2004, the same study found that 53% found the Internet to be “very useful.”
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Specialized Business Publications maintained their high overall rating of usefulness and a second place ranking, just behind Internet. In 2004, 69% of respondents to a similar survey said specialized business publications were “very useful”; this year, 67% held the same view.
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Trade shows have shown a gain of 11 percentage points since 2004, and are now tied in their overall rating with Specialized Business Publications.
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Conventions/Seminars showed a gain of 6% since 2004.
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Rating of Salespeople has declined steadily from 1996 (58%) to 2004 (50%) but has maintained its overall rating in 2010 (51%).
The study was commissioned by the Canadian Business Press (CBP), the not-for-profit industry association for Canada’s 740 businesses, professional and farm publications.
About: The study was conducted in March 2010 by direct mail and online. Results are based on a total of 693 respondents who are involved in developing specifications, selecting suppliers or approving expenditures for their company or business. The study universe was the combined unduplicated circulation of the major publications (58 individual publications) covering the specific marketplaces. The seven industry sectors were Manufacturing, Retail, Automotive & Trucking, Information Technology, Resources & Construction, Agriculture and Travel/Tourism.
Sources: BtoB magazine, Study compares usefulness of Internet, trade publications for business information, May 21, 2010, and the Canadian Business Press, B2B PUBLICATIONS HOLD THEIR OWN IN THE INTERNET ERA, May 20, 2010.
