B2B Revenues Rose On 2014, Led By Digital Ads

Total business-to-business media revenues increased 3.3% from $26.7 billion in 2013 to $27.5 billion in 2014, marking their highest level in six years, according to Business Information Network, part of the Association of Business Information & Media Companies (itself a division of the Software & Information Industry Association).

The growth was powered by increases in data services and digital advertising.

B2B digital ad revenues jumped 15% to $5.8 billion in 2014 -- due to growth in marketing services, native advertising and content marketing, per the BIN report -- while display advertising is becoming less important. In proportional terms, digital ads now make up over a fifth of the B2B industry’s total revenues.

Data and business information revenues, which includes income from subscription services, increased 4.2% to $2.8 billion, or just over 10% of total B2B revenues.

advertisement

advertisement

The biggest share of B2B revenues still comes from events, up 1.8% to $12.2 billion in 2014. In proportional terms that’s just over 44% of the industry total.

It wasn’t all good news, as print B2B ad revenues continued to mirror their bigger consumer media counterparts, with print ad revenues slipping 2.7% to $6.7 billion last year, making up just over 24.4% of the industry total. But there was a silver lining, as print ad revenues actually rose 4% in the fourth quarter, thanks to increases in categories like travel and hospitality, up 11.3% in the quarter. The annual decline is also smaller than those seen in previous years.

In 2013, after decades operating as an independent industry organization ABM merged with the Software & Information Industry Association. In March of this year, SourceMedia CEO Doug Manoni became ABM chairman, succeeding Neal Vitale, who oversaw the merger.
Next story loading loading..