Business-to-business
Business-to-business spending (on business information, directories advertising, trade magazine advertising and circulation, professional books, and exhibition space at trade shows) rose globally by 0.4 percent in 2011, partially reversing a 0.6 percent decline in 2010, and we expect the market to grow at a 3.4 percent compound annual rate to $226.3 billion in 2016. During the next five years, an expanding economy will have a positive impact on spending in most regions except for EMEA, which will remain weak in the near term. Printed formats such as print directories and magazines will see ongoing negative impacts, as growing penetration by tablets and smartphones drives the migration from physical to digital.
Business-to-business spending to grow at 4.3 percent globally to 2016
Global business information, the largest component of the business-to-business segment at $79.2 billion in 2011, will total $97.6 billion in 2016, up 4.3 percent on a compound annual basis
Global trade magazines circulation spendingGlobal print and digital directories advertising growthHow we define this segment
The business-to-business market consists of spending on business information; print and online directory advertising, which includes Yellow Pages, print advertising in trade magazines, and digital advertising on trade magazine online and mobile Web sites; and trade magazine circulation spending, which includes spending on online content and on mobile distribution to tablets and other mobile devices. It also includes spending on print and electronic professional books and, this year for the first time, spending by companies on exhibition space at trade shows. Business information is an industry increasingly characterized by multinational suppliers selling to multinational buyers. Figures reflect spending by buyers of information in the various countries and regions.
We classify business information into financial, marketing, or industry information categories.
- Financial information relates to securities, economic, and credit data.
- Marketing information is used for selling products or services and for monitoring sales and includes survey research, mailing lists, and demographic databases.
- Industry information includes data and content, such as market share information or competitive intelligence, focused on specific industry categories such as technology, telecommunications, energy, manufacturing, law, real estate, accounting, and health care.
What data is included?
Forecasts for advertising and consumer/end-user spending in the business-to-business segment across 48 countries cover (where available):
- Business Information
- Financial, marketing and industry business information revenues
- Directory advertising digital and print spending
- Print and electronic professional book revenues
- Digital and print advertising and circulation revenues for trade magazines
- Spending on exhibition space at trade shows
