Nowadays, many companies invest primarily in digital channels. Websites, social media, newsletters and search engine marketing are an integral part of B2B marketing. Nevertheless, print media continue to play an important role.
In the B2B sector in particular, purchasing decisions are often made over an extended period. Several people are involved, technical products and services need to be explained, and investments must be justified internally. In such situations, print can provide guidance, convey expertise and support the sales team with well-researched content.
The role played by print and digital media depends on the communication objective, the content and the target audience in question.
Key points at a glance: When is print media a worthwhile investment in B2B marketing?
Print media can take on specific tasks in the B2B sector where detailed information, long-term use and high-quality processing are required. The following areas of application are particularly relevant:
- Print supports complex B2B decision-making because information can be presented in a structured way and shared internally.
- Customer magazines, specialist publications and brochures provide a platform for products, services and technical solutions that require explanation
- Printed content can support sales and provide decision-makers with arguments to use in internal consultations.
- Trade media reach clearly defined industry target audiences within an editorial context.
- Digital channels are particularly well suited to delivering up-to-date information, wide reach, interaction and measurable next steps.
- Print content can be reused for websites, newsletters, social media and lead generation campaigns.
- Print becomes particularly attractive from a business perspective when content and formats are planned from the outset to suit a range of applications.
What is print media in marketing?
Print media are printed communication materials that provide information in physical form and can be used independently of digital platforms. These include, for example, customer magazines, annual reports, brochures, product catalogues, specialist publications and printed versions of white papers and studies.
At B2B marketing They fulfil a variety of purposes. They can explain complex services, demonstrate expertise, strengthen brand perception or support sales processes.
What print formats are available in B2B marketing?
In B2B communication, print media come in a variety of formats. The most suitable format depends on the target audience and the purpose of the content.
- Customer magazines are ideal for building customer loyalty, strengthening the brand and demonstrating expertise.
- Annual Reports and Other Reports are aimed at investors, partners and other stakeholders.
- Brochures support sales, trade fair appearances and product communication
- Product catalogues present quotations and technical information in a structured manner.
- Specialist publications and specialist media reach defined industry target groups within an editorial context.
- Printed research reports and white papers can make extensive specialist information physically available to selected target groups.
What role does print play alongside digital channels?
Nowadays, print media rarely serve as a substitute for digital channels. In most cases, they fulfil a specific role within an overarching Content and Communication Strategy.
A high-quality brochure, for example, can be used to support a sales meeting, whilst a landing page provides up-to-date information and contact details. A customer magazine can cover a topic in depth, which is then followed up via a blog, newsletter or LinkedIn.
What are the benefits of print media in B2B marketing?
Print media attract attention in a different way to digital content. They are deliberately picked up and offer space for a focused engagement with a topic.
This is particularly relevant when products, systems, services or technical solutions require further explanation. Furthermore, B2B decisions are often influenced by several people. Well-presented printed content can consolidate information and help to communicate key points within a buying centre.
Print can therefore fulfil several functions in B2B marketing:
- structuring complex topics in a way that is easy to understand
- Showcasing expertise and industry knowledge
- Supporting sales meetings with well-researched information
- Presenting references and case studies to a high standard
- Reaching different stakeholders through a single medium
- Ensuring content remains available in the long term
Print is particularly useful when B2B decisions need to be explained, reviewed and justified internally.
What role do trade media play in B2B marketing?
Specialist media are of interest to B2B companies because they combine defined industry target audiences, specialist context and editorial content. They can help companies showcase their expertise in the very places where specialists and executives seek information on industry topics.
However, the term has long since come to encompass more than just printed trade journals. The specialist media landscape also includes digital specialist media, industry portals, newsletters and other editorial content. Companies can, for example, establish a presence there through specialist articles, interviews, user case studies, advertorials or themed special features.
The key is that the content is relevant. A specialist article is most effective when the topic, target audience, medium and communication objective are all aligned. Mere product messages are usually not enough to achieve this. Good B2B specialist content addresses issues that are genuinely relevant to the respective industry and translates specialist knowledge into understandable, editorially crafted content.
When are digital channels the better choice?
Digital channels offer clear advantages when information needs to be updated quickly, direct interaction is required, or a specific next step needs to be tracked.
This applies, for example, when:
- Content is updated frequently
- Reach is to be built up in the short term
- Campaigns are time-limited
- Users should respond directly or get in touch
- to generate leads and measure conversions
- Content should be discoverable via search engines
A company organising an event at short notice will, for example, usually find that using a newsletter, a landing page and social media is more effective than relying on a printed invitation alone.
Why print and digital work better together in B2B marketing
Print and digital fulfil different roles within the Customer Journey. That is why it is worth planning content across all channels right from the start.
A customer magazine, for example, can provide detailed background information and direct readers to a landing page via a QR code. There, interested readers can find the latest information, downloads or a way to get in touch. A specialist article, on the other hand, can be expanded upon via LinkedIn or featured in a newsletter.
Typical combinations include:
- Customer magazine with supplementary online articles
- Annual Report with a digital download section
- Brochure featuring a QR code linking to a landing page
- Feature article with accompanying LinkedIn posts
- Print publications as a basis for newsletter content
- Printed study with a digital lead generation campaign
Digital PR can also play a role here. Articles published in digital trade media, industry portals or other relevant online platforms can help to make companies, topics and expertise more visible online and easier for search engines and AI systems to categorise. This requires relevant content and a context that is appropriate to the subject matter.
Case study: How print makes complex topics easy to understand
When dealing with complex topics, one of the most important editorial tasks is to present specialist knowledge in such a way that different target audiences can quickly understand it.
For one public sector client, for example, the task was to communicate complex content relating to climate protection and the energy transition in an accessible way. To achieve this, specialist topics were presented in a journalistic style, facts and figures were set out in a structured manner, and complex interrelationships were translated into accessible narratives.
Experience from such corporate publishing projects shows that good print publications do not result from cramming in as many corporate messages as possible. It all starts with the relevant questions asked by the target audience. It is only from these that topics, journalistic formats and a structure emerge which make complex content accessible.
This editorial translation service is particularly crucial when dealing with B2B topics that require further explanation.
Common mistakes when using print media
Print can achieve a great deal. However, without a clear objective, it is easy to end up with elaborate products whose value is difficult to assess. In corporate publishing practice, a number of problems crop up time and again:
- Print is becoming an end in itself. A magazine or brochure is produced simply because there is a need for something in print once again. There is no specific communication objective.
- Existing content is simply carried over. Website copy or presentations do not automatically work in a magazine. Print requires its own narrative structure and editorial treatment.
- The target audience remains too vague. Content attempts to appeal to all stakeholders at once and, as a result, loses its relevance.
- Print and digital are planned separately. This results in duplication of effort and missed opportunities for further utilisation.
- The next step is missing. Readers are provided with information, but are not given a practical way to explore the topic in more depth, such as via a QR code, landing page, download or contact details.
- The results will only be discussed after publication. Objectives and appropriate key performance indicators should be established at the design stage.
When is print a viable business proposition?
In the B2B sector, reach alone is not a sufficient criterion for determining the cost-effectiveness of a print product. A small, clearly defined target audience can be more valuable than a large number of contacts of little relevance.
Print becomes particularly interesting when a medium can be used in multiple ways. A brochure, for example, can be used in sales, at trade fairs, during client meetings and in stakeholder communications. A client magazine, on the other hand, provides content that can be further developed for digital channels over a period of months.
It is therefore important to clarify, right from the topic-planning stage, which content will still be needed later on. Interviews, specialist articles, user case studies and infographics can be planned in a modular way and adapted for use in other formats.
The cost of a high-quality print product can thus be spread across several communication initiatives.
Decision-making guide: Print, digital or both?
Which channel is suitable depends on the specific communication task. This guide will help you make an initial assessment:
| Communication objective | Is printing a good idea? | Does digital make sense? |
|---|---|---|
| Long-term brand impact | Yes | In addition |
| Fast range | Not really | Yes |
| Explaining complex topics | Yes | Yes |
| Lead generation | With digital renewal | Yes |
| Trade fair or sales material | Yes | In addition |
| Up-to-date information | Not really | Yes |
| Stakeholder communication | Yes | Yes |
The specific format should also be suited to the task. A customer magazine, for example, is suitable when there are regular relevant topics and the aim is to engage a target audience over the long term. A brochure is useful when services or products need to be explained concisely and used in sales. A specialist article is ideal when expertise on a clearly defined industry topic needs to be showcased.
How print content can be reused in digital formats
A high-quality printed product should be designed with the following in mind right from the outset: Content basis It is worth bearing in mind that interviews, features, specialist articles and infographics usually contain significantly more material than is required for a single publication channel.
A print publication can, for example, result in:
- Magazine articles as blog posts
- Interviews as LinkedIn posts or social media series
- Infographics as social media assets
- Specialist articles as newsletter content
- Brochure content as building blocks for landing pages
- Quotes and case studies as sales materials
- Further downloads, contact details or articles accessible via QR codes
The aim is not simply to copy the same content across all channels. Content should be tailored to the context of use, the target audience and the format. For example, a detailed interview could be turned into an in-depth blog article, a short LinkedIn post and a newsletter teaser.
This extends the lifespan of high-quality content and allows production resources to be utilised more efficiently.
Conclusion: Print is worthwhile when the target audience, content and channel are a good fit
Print media can play an important role in B2B marketing. Particularly where offers require further explanation, decision-making processes are lengthy and multiple stakeholders are involved, they provide scope for in-depth content and facilitate the internal sharing of information.
The impact is not solely down to the printed format. Key factors include a clear communication objective, a defined target audience, editorial quality and a well-thought-out distribution strategy.
Those who integrate print with digital channels right from the start can also repurpose content and extend its impact. A magazine feature becomes a blog post; an interview provides material for LinkedIn and newsletters; and a brochure leads to the next step via a landing page.
When planning, it is therefore important to first establish what a piece of content is intended to achieve. This will determine the format, the channel and the appropriate combination of print and digital.
FAQ on print media in B2B marketing
Is print media still relevant today?
Yes. Print media continue to fulfil specific roles in the B2B sector, particularly when it comes to complex topics, long-term brand communication, sales and stakeholder communication. Whether print is the right choice depends on the communication objective and the target audience.
Which businesses benefit most from print media?
Print is particularly useful for companies with products or services that require explanation, longer decision-making processes and multiple stakeholders involved. These often include companies in the industrial and technology sectors, as well as those operating in specialised B2B markets.
Which print formats are suitable for B2B companies?
Typical formats include customer magazines, annual reports, leaflets, product catalogues, specialist publications, and printed studies and white papers. The most suitable format depends on the target audience, content and communication objective.
What role do trade media play in B2B marketing?
Trade media reach clearly defined industry target audiences within a specialist context. Companies can use them to showcase their expertise and address relevant topics through specialist articles, interviews, user case studies, advertorials or themed features.
How can print and digital be combined effectively?
Print publications can use QR codes to link to landing pages, downloads or related articles. At the same time, content from magazines, brochures or studies can be reused for blogs, newsletters, social media and other digital formats.
How do you measure the success of print media?
Print is less readily measurable than many digital channels, but it can be evaluated using specific indicators. These include, for example, QR codes with UTM parameters, dedicated landing pages, downloads, enquiries following trade fairs or mailings, feedback from sales meetings, usage by sales teams and qualitative customer feedback. The performance of digital content developed from the print product can also be factored into the assessment.
When is it worth the effort to go with print?
Print is particularly worthwhile when a medium is used in a targeted manner and utilised on multiple occasions. This may be the case, for example, in sales, at trade fairs, in customer communications or for various stakeholders. If the content is also adapted for digital channels, the production costs are spread across several initiatives.
Is print media more sustainable than digital media?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this. Factors to consider include print run, paper, printing process, transport, lifespan and reuse. Print is particularly worthwhile if the print run and intended use match actual requirements and the medium is used in the long term.
Why do B2B companies continue to rely on print?
Print offers scope for in-depth content and can convey complex concepts in a structured manner. Particularly in the case of longer B2B decision-making processes, printed content can support the sales team, showcase expertise and provide decision-makers with information for internal consultation.
Corporate Publishing at B2IMPACT
At B2IMPACT we offer an all-round corporate publishing service. Whether new conception, redesign or complete production, we support you in the development of your customer magazine or commemorative publication from the very beginning or simply put the finishing touches on them.
Find out more about our corporate publishing services here: Corporate Publishing and Please feel free to get in touch with us.
