Why we’ve developed a CompanyWeek paywall, part II

Last week in introducing CompanyWeek‘s paywall (see below), I mentioned a new data service, a value-add to content access for subscribers.

It’s important to note what the data set is, and isn’t. We think the value of the company profiles is the story executives tell of challenges, needs, and opportunities, based on their industry and the products they make. It’s a unique window into manufacturing and to the companies, and we’ve collected and organized this information in a searchable database.

It’s also intelligence that can help savvy business partners shape services and processes that help these companies grow.

We’re not sharing contact information through this data service, but we’re confident our data can help connect the community and juice its development.

Sample more of the data here.

Part I

After nearly five years of publishing, CompanyWeek is taking the important step of charging fees for the products we make. Beginning this week we’ll ask readers to subscribe after reading three company features each month.

Important for who, you might ask? It’s a fair question.

For us, of course, and for our customers, who we think will support this new phase of our business. Asking a fair price for quality work is something our readers understand, and our commitment is to invest in product development to get even better.

It should also send a message that we’re bullish on community building. The manufacturing and supply-chain executives that read and use CompanyWeek want more — more connections, more storytelling, more data, more ideas that lead to success. Companies we write about strive to solve a problem or fill a need in the market. We do as well, and as manufacturing expands into new frontiers, we think CompanyWeek can be an even more important resource.

We’ve also waited to establish a paywall until we can also offer an important value-add service to our subscribers. As we push past 1000 total company profiles, we now have an aggregate data set that provides a important window into regional manufacturing. Companies can use the information to better understand macro trends, track industry and product activity, or identify potential business partners or local industry innovators.

We’re not the first publisher to establish a paywall. But we’re confident that even as we’re late to the game, our trade-specific information is more valuable than scores of sites that trade in news, the Internet’s content commodity. We also believe our content and data is already on par with other fee-based services that promise new contacts or connections. We connect the modern manufacturing community every week.

Casual readers will still be able to read three profiles a month for free. And our content packages are priced to provide affordable access to all of our content — manufacturing content you will find nowhere else.

Subscribers who also choose the data option will receive a monthly data set summarizing new profiles, as well as original surveys, invites to special events, discounts on services from participating underwriters, and more. As it was five years ago when we debuted, our mission is to be at the center of manufacturing community in the West.

Please contact me with questions or comments. Or subscribe to ensure access to the full sweep of CompanyWeek content and services. And in doing so, contribute to elevating the regional dialogue about U.S. manufacturing. It’s a worthy cause, and we’re champions for the sector.

Bart Taylor is publisher of CompanyWeek. Contact him at btaylor@companyweek.com.