At the ABM Annual Conference: Print's popularity, mobile's potential
May 1, 2013, 11:46 am EDT
By John Obrecht
Amelia Island, Fla.—A new American Business Media study shows that print remains a popular medium in the b2b space. The study, “The Value of B-to-B: How Business-to-business Media Connect Buyers and Sellers,” also identified threats from marketers' own content marketing efforts and opportunities in the mobile space.
The findings were presented Tuesday at the ABM Annual Conference here. They were based on three online surveys that Readex Research fielded on behalf of ABM in March and April. Each survey polled a particular group: publishers, marketers and media users.
The survey of 6,682 users found that the same percentage—96%—turn to print magazines and media websites for industry-related content. It also found that 93% rely on product information from manufacturers. As marketers step up their own content marketing efforts, this latter finding “is something to watch,” said Michael Alterio, ABM research and content director.
The user survey also found great interest in industry content delivered via smartphones and tablets. Seventy-five percent of the 4,568 users who indicated they use a mobile device for business said they would engage with industry-related content more “if publishers created an optimized version of their websites that is easily viewed and navigated on a smartphone or tablet.”
Alterio said that with users desiring more mobile content and markers wanting to reach this mobile audience, “There's a clear job to be done there.”