The one topic that is constantly being debated in our industry is whether print will die off. It dominates Twitter discussions, gets analysed in blogs and is discussed at networking events. Most of the time the debate is focused on newspapers, with many people ignoring trade magazines and simply assuming that they will be (or already have been) tossed onto the print scrap heap.

Being a PR focused on the technology industry, I engage with a plethora of trade publications.  The editorial focus can range from HR to outsourcing, IT to facilities management.

The majority of these publications have a website which holds the bulk of their content, yet many appear to be reluctant to let go of their print offering, despite a few becoming incredibly thin. So will we see the death of the printed trade publication in a few years? I am not sure we will.

I think that trade publications will continue to hold their breaking stories and 24 hour news online, it’s the only way to compete effectively, however their print titles will become less frequent, more features focused and perhaps a little more exclusive.

I can see weeklies becoming monthlies, and monthlies becoming quarterlies. These new trade titles will include special reports, well researched features and exclusive interviews.  News will simply be a roundup. More money will be spent on design and aesthetics, in order to make the new magazines a bit of a luxury item and appeal to the C suite executives that they are trying to reach.

Trade titles have a lot more to give the print world than we all think, so long as they make the right changes, now.