How B2B Magazines Can Thrive on the Internet of Things

Mastering what the Internet of Things offers can go a long way for B2B magazines when it comes to driving revenue; plus, publishers’ archives, Facebook Instant Articles, and more

There’s a reason we count so many B2B magazines among our Mequoda Members: They’re niche, they know how to stick to a plan while also experimenting, and they have an endless supply of content to repurpose.

We keep an eye out for news on B2B magazines because it impacts so many of our friends and colleagues. We also monitor a bunch of other digital magazine news, which you’ll find below, courtesy of PubExec.com!

For B2B Magazines, There’s No Time Like the Present

The Internet of Things has opened up new doors for many professions, and why shouldn’t B2B magazines be one of them? It’s a natural fit. Think about it: The built environment; industries like construction, engineering, and medicine; ecommerce content strategy. It call comes together to form a sweet spot for B2B magazines. PubExec.com has more.

“Learn what parts of your industry or business have ‘things’ which are part of this new internet. Fuel refineries and remote depots are being plugged in, might there be anything there? Airports and terminals, traffic systems, and emergency response are also tapping into the IoT. Might there be any value in data about water and electric utility meters? If you had a feed of data tracking where heavy equipment is being used, like tractors or cranes, can value be mined from it?” Andy Kowl writes.

“Data which has never existed before is being trafficked. It will take effort to find and even more effort to be able to use it. This is just a word to the wise to keep your eyes open and lock it up before the competition does. Of course, you need to have an ability to extract, aggregate, parse, and maybe even analyze the data – to polish the nuggets so they become recognizable to your audience as pure gold. That I leave to you and suspect that most publishers will need to hire a data vendor, much like you would hire a fulfillment house to manage your lists.”

Digital Magazine Archives Like Aviation Week’s Flying High

If you know anything about Mequoda, you know we go bananas over digital magazine archives, which we consider crucial to a multiplatform publishing strategy. Turns out we’re in good company. PubExec.com has a great interview with Aviation Week Network President Greg Hamilton in which he discusses the publisher’s archives effort.

“We partnered with The Boeing Company to sponsor the digital archives. In 2016, Boeing is also celebrating its 100th anniversary and this project supports their anniversary celebration. Right now we are using the archives as a source of content for our sponsor- and advertising-driven Centennial website, a May special anniversary issue, a digital timeline, and to support special events. The archives are available free of charge to registrants on the Aviation Week website through year’s end,” Hamilton told Ellen Harvey.

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“In 2017 the archives will become a vehicle for ongoing revenue through subscriptions, advertisements, and for content marketers. Additionally, we have an opportunity to offer enterprise-type sales of the archive content via our Aviation Week Intelligence Network to corporations, government, and academia in the future.”

Facebook Instant Articles a Secret Weapon for Regional Magazines?

We know, we know. Enough with the Facebook Instant Articles coverage already. But here’s the thing: With its recent expansion to all publishers earlier this month, it’s all over the news, and with good reason: It represents a big decision for digital magazines. PubExec.com has a interesting piece on whether it could be a boon for niche and regional magazines.

“So, what does this mean for city and niche publishers? Early returns for some of the national publishers using Instant Articles indicate increased readership of their content and an increase in traffic on their on web sites, presumably from the exposure on Facebook. Some publishers are also seeing new revenue generated through the advertising opportunities on Instant Articles,” Ron Matejko writes.

“Only time will tell if city and niche publishers can enjoy similar results but there are a couple of factors working in their favor. First, a recent study by The Wibbitz Newsroom said 76% of consumers chose Facebook as their favorite social media platform for news.”

Native Ad Push Just Getting Started

Enough with native advertising news, too, you say? No way! Because according to PubExec.com, its reign is only getting under way.

“I truly believe that data has become publishers’ new best friend. Because marketers are getting better and better at measuring the impact of their marketing efforts, smart marketers will recognize that what matters is the quality, not the quantity, and that creating value for their target audience will yield quality results,” Denis Wilson writes.

“On the other side of the data coin is publishers’ increased ability to measure engagement, segment, and target their audiences. Publishers are better equipped to make the argument and demonstrate that engagement – not clicks or pageviews — is what truly makes their audiences valuable to marketers.”

B2B magazines are all about niche publishing strategy, and so are we. Contact us today for a consultation. 

To read more about B2B magazines in the news, visit PubExec.com.

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