Recently we’ve seen changes in the local press with a publisher starting to charge for web access, and many rumours about other multi-national publishers doing the same, even the Financial Times makes you register to read content now. A small survey of users of Linkedin is having their say about the changing face of the controlled circulation press in electronics with currently over 50% saying that lead tracking systems will help controlled circulation titles increase revenues, supporting the editor of Control Magazine in stating that the B2B publishing model no longer works! Interestingly though nobody thinks magazines should start charging.

Controlled circulation publications may have seen advertising revenues fall,  but without doubt they have some of the best news feeds and blogs for the electronics industry, reaching a large existing community that is already engaged with their media brand and some also do a great job of getting content for companies online, it is just a shame many strip out the links, robbing the editorial contributors the link equity they are looking for.

The cc press still has a big role to play –  whether you support them in page advertising or simple keyword sponsorship, part of your budget needs to go their way, otherwise in the long run it will become more difficult to get impartial info out to your target markets. Of course using a technology pr service is a great way to maximise your opportunity of engaging with the press, but equally using good keyword strategies, social media tactics and blogging regularly along with great PR can get you the best of all worlds. So save some of the money you are spending on pay per click advertising, invest in supporting the magazines and allocate some of your budget to inbound marketing along with some good solid technical pr and technical advertising.