Total Telecom serves the worldwide telecoms sector, focussing on the business and marketing issues facing blue chip companies like BT or Verizon.  Terrapinn acquired the title, which was then loss-making, from Emap in 2004, and has since turned it round to strong revenue growth and good margins, with a team of just 15.

Early move from print to digital content

The audience is globally mobile, so the print magazine was becoming less relevant.  Two years ago it was closed and the content redesigned for digital. The website is a daily news service, publishing up to 50 stories a day. Total Telecom+ is a monthly digital edition, based on analysis of the news.  It is entirely ad-funded and available on iOS, Android plus as a page turner or PDF, reaching 17,000 readers a month.

News and analysis is now provided in digital format, with current news available free and a paid subscription for the archive and analysis.  This is on a freemium model, with a 2 month free trial, and site licences for larger organisations.

Creating targeted face to face opportunities

Advertisers are shifting their focus from advertising to lead generation activities including webinars and providing downloadable PDFs, but still value face to face opportunities, so the Total Telecom team have focussed on launching small-scale conferences and breakfast briefings.

The telecoms sector has vast general events, such as Mobile World Congress, so the editorial team have concentrated on highly segmented topics, such as cloud computing or mobile wireless,  or on the needs of specific groups of senior execs, such as catering for telecoms CxO’s with a conference on the future business models, partnerships and competitors in the industry.

The events attract typically 50-500 attendees.  Some are invited, and some pay to attend.  A single editorial team creates the digital content and programmes the events.  Total Telecom World focuses on the hot topics for global telecoms executives and attracted 150 delegates to its launch event.  Two more conferences are planned for 2012.

Breakfast briefings concentrate on key topics and small groups, eg cloud services or carrier Ethernet where up to 50 relevant executives attend

Total Telecom had a long-established awards, the World Communications Awards, and has expanded this business, with two more focussed awards, including a major launch into Asia.

Erik Hallberg, CEO TelioSonera and Keynote speaker at Total Telecom World

Niche TV channel growing

Total Television provides online video content including interviews, event coverage and customer insight, and ad revenues are growing steadily.  Content is produced by the editorial team alongside digital and events.

Rob Chambers, MD, sums up their approach:  “We have sought to change our business to suit the needs of our clients. We serve a truly global industry and so digital formats and stand out opportunities for networking are the keys to our success”.

More info: www.totaltele.com

Winners at World Communications Awards, hosted by Andrew Neil

The Media Pioneer Awards celebrate innovation in specialist media markets.  If you want to nominate your business please contact carolyn@thespecialistmediashow.com.  Shortlisted businesses are published on the show site.  Winners are announced at the show on 24 May 2012.

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