Today, consumers have become accustomed to consuming all types of content online – and much of it free. Still, 41% of U.S. news consumers are not entirely opposed to purchasing a digital subscription, according to a recent survey by MECLABS Institute, parent company of MarketingExperiments. The results of the survey were heartening for anyone running a subscription-based business. From streaming media and paid websites to cloud-based solutions, we’re entering a new era of content, entertainment, software and information as a recurring service, rather than a one-off purchase. Visit MarketingExperiments.com to view this web clinic and learn how you can maximize this important source of recurring revenue.

1. Digital Subscriptions Boosted:
Survey of 900 U.S. news consumers reveals four key insights to
increase your subscriber base

2. Background: Newspaper attempting to increase its online subscriptions.
Goal: To increase clickthrough.
Research Question: Which landing page will generate the highest clickthrough rate?
Test Design: A/B multifactorial, radical redesign split test
Experiment ID: TP1481
Record Location: MECLABS Research Library
Research Partner: Protected
Experiment: Background

3. Experiment: Which version will win?
Version B – Focus on
Discounted Entry-level Price
Version A – Focus on Value

4. Experiment: Which version will win?
Version B – Focus on
Discounted Entry-level Price
Version A – Focus on Value
173%
increase
in clickthrough

5. Design Clickthrough Rate % Rel. Change
Version A – Focus on Value 41.63% 173.24%
Version B – Focus on Price 15.24% -
Relative increase in clickthrough173%Version A increased clickthrough by 173.24%.
Experiment: Results

6. Experiment: Which version will win?
Version B – Focus on
Discounted Entry-level Price
Version A – Focus on Value
173%
increase
in clickthrough Why?

7. Today’s speakers
Austin McCraw
Senior Director,
Content Production,
MECLABS Institute
Selena Blue
Manager,
Editorial Content,
MECLABS Institute

8. MECLABS Executive Series
Key Insights Discovered Through:
• A survey of 900 people who
earn at least $40,000 annually
• Interviews with industry and
academic experts
• Existing research conducted
by MarketingExperiments and
its parent company, MECLABS
Institute

9. Expert contributors

10. In today’s clinic, we will
discuss four key insights
into boosting subscription
revenue, taken from our
latest issue of the MECLABS
Executive Series
Today’s focus
Download at: www.meclabs.com/ExecSeries

11. Boost your digital subscriptions
Key Insights
1. Digital subscriptions lack a perceived product-level value proposition. We must
sell the value of not just our service, but of the platform as well.

12. Executive Series research
Download at: www.meclabs.com/ExecSeries

13. Product-level value proposition
1
3
2
Question: If I am [PROSPECT A], why should I buy
from you rather than any of your competitors?
Question: If I am your ideal prospect, why should I
buy from you rather than any of your competitors?
Question: If I am [PROSPECT A], why should I buy
this product rather than any other product?
Question: If I am [PROSPECT A], why should I click
this PPC ad rather than any other PPC ad?
Prospect B
PRODUCT
#3
PRODUCT
#4
PRODUCT
#1
PRODUCT
#2
PRODUCT
#3
PRODUCT
#4
PRODUCT
#2
PRODUCT
#3
PRODUCT
#4
Primary
Value
Proposition
Conversion steps
associated with a
specific product
PRODUCT
#2
The Value Proposition Spectrum
PROSPECT-LEVEL
PROCESS-LEVEL
PRODUCT
#1
PRODUCT
#1
PRODUCT-LEVEL

14. Experiment: Side-by-side
Version B – Focus on
Discounted Entry-level Price
Version A – Focus on Value
173%
increase
in clickthrough

15. Version A – Focus on entry-level discounted price

16. Version B – Focus on value of digital subscription

17. Version B – Focus on value of digital subscription

18. Experiment: Side-by-side
Version B – Focus on
Discounted Entry-level Price
Version A – Focus on Value
173%
increase
in clickthrough

19. Boost your digital subscriptions
Key Insights
1. Digital subscriptions lack a perceived product-level value proposition. We must
sell the value of not just our service, but of the platform as well.
2. Consumers have been conditioned to expect a seamless digital experience. We
must minimize any friction or barriers standing in the way of a subscription.

20. Executive Series research
Download at: www.meclabs.com/ExecSeries

21. Background: A large news media organization wants to increase subscriptions.
Goal: To increase digital subscriptions by determining the optimal placement for the
article counter that alerts readers when they are reaching their free-article limit.
Research Question: Which meter treatment will result in more conversion?
Test Design: A/B split test
Experiment ID: TP11339
Record Location: MECLABS Research Library
Research Partner: Protected
Experiment: Background

22. 1st article
1st article
2nd article
2nd article
3rd article
3rd article
4th article
4th article
5th article
5th article
Control
Treatment
Meter Meter
Meter Meter
Experiment: Control and Treatment
Last Article
Warning

23. TreatmentControl
115% increase in subscriptions
Experiment: Side-by-side
Last Article Warning
5th article
v

24. Design Subscription Rate % Rel. Change
Control .03% -
Treatment .06% 114.84%
Relative increase in subscriptions115%The Treatment significantly increased conversion by 114.84%.
Experiment: Results

25. Boost your digital subscriptions
Key Insights
1. Digital subscriptions lack a perceived product-level value proposition. We must
sell the value of not just our service, but of the platform as well.
2. Consumers have been conditioned to expect a seamless digital experience. We
must minimize any friction or barriers standing in the way of a subscription.
3. Exclusivity is the primary motivation for subscribers. We must make the customer
think, “I can only get this from you.”

26. Executive Series research
Download at: www.meclabs.com/ExecSeries

27. Executive Series research
Download at: www.meclabs.com/ExecSeries

28. Experiment – Version A Version A
• The original form asks visitors to
subscribe without actually asking
them to subscribe or specifying what
they get

29. Experiment – Version B Version B
• The new form clearly lets visitors
know what they are subscribing too,
and includes supporting copy about
the exclusive features available to
subscribers

30. Experiment – Side by side
Version B
40%
Opt-in
Version A

31. Boost your digital subscriptions
Key Insights
1. Digital subscriptions lack a perceived product-level value proposition. We must
sell the value of not just our service, but of the platform as well.
2. Consumers have been conditioned to expect a seamless digital experience. We
must minimize any friction or barriers standing in the way of a subscription.
3. Exclusivity is the primary motivation for subscribers. We must make the customer
think, “I can only get this from you.”
4. Customers are waiting for you to ask them to engage. We must invite them to
subscribe.

32. Executive Series research
• 49% of consumers are likely to consider
registering for free with their email to
access information or articles they want to
read
• 63% of consumers are likely to consider
registering for free to receive customized
emails with content tailored to their
preferences

33. “There was a belief that we had to soften a user before they
would be willing us information about themselves… What we
saw was that customers are much more willing to engage with
us engage with us than I think we thought they were.”
– Peter Doucette, Vice President of Consumer Sales and Marketing,
Boston Globe
Executive Series Research

34. Version A
Experiment: Version A

35. Experiment: Version B Version B

36. Experiment: Side-by-side
Version B
Version A
64%
in Conversions

37.  Does my page properly communicate the value of digital-
subscription as a platform, not just the value of my product or
service?
 Is my subscription path seamless, avoiding unnecessary friction
or barriers?
 Am I doing enough to emphasize the exclusive features of my
product or service?
 Does my page actively ask customers to engage, nudging them
toward an eventual invitation to subscribe?
Checklist: Boost your digital subscriptions

38. Live Optimization

39. MECLABS Live Optimization Webinar
Register and submit your page at www.meclabs.com/live-opt
Tune in on April 21 at 4 p.m. EDT
In this interactive webinar, you will:
• See how principles and takeaways from MECLABS behavioral
research (with over 20,000 path experiments) can be applied to real
websites and emails
• Offer interactive feedback on material submitted by fellow attendees
• Gain valuable advice for your own campaigns (if selected)

40. Live Optimization: Panopto
Site:
http://panopto.com/try/
Primary Audience:
B2B
Page Purpose: SAS, Demo download
Submitted by: Ari
Update speaker
notes