• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, July 16, 2024

Doubtless there are those who look down the B2B trade media. But B2B titles help people do their jobs and have a strong impact on sales, judging by How Trade Media Fuels Business Growth And Industry Influence, a Q2 report from Broadsheet. 

Broadsheet surveyed 150 B2B industry leaders. Of those, 67% state that having a presence in trade media influences sales; 33% feel it affects their revenue growth a great deal; and 59% feel that it boosts their brand’s market position and identity. 

Moreover, 70% see trade publications and newsletters as their primary source of specialized industry news. In addition, 83% rely on them to help them do their jobs, and 87% use them to derive competitive intelligence.

Now this sounds positive, despite the devastating hits that trade publications suffered only a few years ago: many were shuttered, or stopped appearing in print. 

But those “boring” trade publications present other benefits. For instance, 76% of readers engage with industry white papers. And 75% go to LinkedIn for industry news and insights. 

How do the respondents access the B2B trade media? More than half maintain at least one corporate subscription and almost that many have personal subs. And the majority hold paid subscriptions. 

It’s a thriving field, and publishing professionals are lucky to break into it. There’s no room for anti-B2B snobbery.