The B2B media and information industry continues to grow, with revenues reaching $13.1 billion during the first half of this year, up 4.4% from the same period last year, details the Association of Business Information & Media Companies (ABM) in its latest Business Information Network Report. That follows 3.4% year-over-year growth in industry revenues for 2012 as a whole. The latest increases are the result of strong growth in digital advertising revenues, which more than offset print advertising declines.
With a 24.8% year-over-year surge, digital advertising is growing to challenge print advertising in terms of revenues. Digital ad sales exceeded $2.3 billion during the first half of the year, while print ad sales declined by 4.3% to roughly $3.6 billion. During the first half of 2012, print ads contributed twice as much revenue as digital ads.
ABM attributes the strong growth in digital advertising revenues to: slower search engine revenues growth not being included in the report; while surging mobile ad revenues (up 145% year-over-year) being included.
The trade information industry is also seeing growth in revenues from data (business information) – up 7.1% year-over-year to reach $1.3 billion. (The Center for Exhibition Industry Research Index has been on the increase since 2010.)
Data remains the smallest revenue stream for the B2B trade info industry, at 10% share of the total for the first-half. Trade shows – at 45% share of revenues – remain easily the largest source, and the industry posted a moderate increase in revenues from trade shows of 2.7%, to almost $5.9 billion. Print (27%) and digital (18%) advertising make up the balance of the revenues by share, with the former down from 30% share during H1 2012 and the latter up from 15.6% share.
