This document discusses strategies for marketing a publication that is shifting from free to paid content behind a paywall. It provides details on: 1) The process of executing the switch from free to paid, including messaging, campaigns, and considering the impact on the brand. 2) Going beyond traditional marketing to use new skills and techniques for driving conversions. 3) How paywalls have impacted conversion rates for existing and new subscribers across demographics. 4) The importance of regular contact and targeting high converting audiences.

1. #paywalls12
Wifi : AV Team or AV Team 2

2. Marketing Paywalls
Phil Clark, UBM, 23d February

3. • Executing the switch from free to restricted:
messaging, campaigns
• Beyond traditional marketing: new skills and
techniques for conversion
• How does a paywall impact your brand?

4. The process
• FT-style • Rehaul
Data • Reg barrier
paywall
Paid Product sites
capture • Fresh data
• Convert • On/offline
prods

5. How to market a negative?
• Be upfront
• Be crystal clear on how it works
• Concentrate on existing customers
• Be responsive
• Use your brand ambassadors - editors

7. BD online is changing
24 September 2010
“…. We’re not under any illusions of the size of this challenge, but it’s because
we value our readers that from today we also have to put a value on what
we do too.”
38 comments, including:
“here's one more 'loyal' reader doesn't think the explanation stacks up,
really...”
“BD for me has always been a must read, and unless it changes radically will
continue to be so. good luck!”

8. What sells….

9. Playing the long game…..
douglas_harding 9:32am via web
• Finally subscribed to @BDonline and BD
magazine. The paywall has thwarted me.

10. BEYOND TRADITIONAL MARKETING

11. Free to paid – conversions
(existing and new subs)
2011 Q2 Q3 Q4
Overall 3.16% 3.89 4.21
Top 5 demos – inc 6.4 7.21 7.75
surveyors and
investors
Mid-level 3.41 4.33 4.65
Lower-demos 1.28 1.85 2.07

12. Conversions:
• Getting the databases talking
• Regular contact with registrants – monthly
campaigns
• Targeting high converters – investors for
Property Week, surveyors for Building
• Maximising the online channel – A/B MVT
testing

14. Print and online
Variations CTR Improved % Conversions/
visitors
Original 1.03 51/1335
Variation 1 1.1 +172 142/1366
Online only
Variations CTR Improved % Convs/vstrs
Original 1.03 46/1335
Variation 1 1.08 +133 110/1366

15. Variations CTR Improved % Convs/vstrs
Original 1.01 5/327
Variation 1 1.03 +109 11/343
Variation 2 1.01 -13 5/379

16. Design and
usability:
De-cluttering
design
Simplicity and
calls to action

17. HOW DOES A PAYWALL AFFECT OUR
BRANDS?

18. Brand impact
• Niche products don’t lose much
• Strengthens brand values – what matters to
the audience. Sign of confidence
• Focus on WHO you are reaching as much as
how many
• We need new metrics….

20. Weekly Audience Measure
• Reflects our shift from print only brands to ones
multi channels
• Measuring both quantity AND quality of audience
• To accurately measure:
o Engaged users – those that regularly read the
magazine or visit our websites
o Super-users – those on both print + online
o Demographics and seniority – full breakdowns of
who our readership is

22. Thanks
@zerochamp