Post on 26-Dec-2015
““Free Costs Too Free Costs Too Much”Much”
Rupert Murdoch
My goal is to urge you not to leave money on the table during this period of significant
transition!
How much longer do
you think your print
subscribers will pay for
something you give
away free every day?
What if Starbucks said: Bring your own cup and we’ll give you FREE COFFEE everyday.
How many people would switch to free coffee?
1.1. Print circulation was declining.Print circulation was declining.
2.2. Loyal subscribers were moving to free.Loyal subscribers were moving to free.
3.3. Page Views far exceeded sold Page Views far exceeded sold advertising impressions.advertising impressions.
4.4. Online ad rates were dropping rapidly.Online ad rates were dropping rapidly.
5.5. Online ad revenue is way too low to pay Online ad revenue is way too low to pay for the true cost of content.for the true cost of content.
6.6. Professional content has value.Professional content has value.
Why we changed to paidWhy we changed to paid
Our newspaper started a digital
subscription model 15 months
ago.
Online Only Subscribers
Registered Users
330 29,046
Stockton After One Year
EZPay Subs. PIA Subs.
80% 50%
Daily Unique Visitors Monthly Page Views
19,000 2,500,000
When reading a newspaper website, what do people
say they are doing??
“I’m reading the newspaper”
In today’s time starved world, fewer and In today’s time starved world, fewer and fewer people come to our print fewer people come to our print newspapers for enjoyment. newspapers for enjoyment.
For many, we have simply become a For many, we have simply become a distribution vehicle for information they distribution vehicle for information they
can get much faster on the web can get much faster on the web and people under 35 feel…..and people under 35 feel…..
Mobile devices are better!Mobile devices are better!
Pew Research
‘State of the News Media 2011’
50% get news from TV50% get news from TV
Pew Research
‘State of the News Media 2011’
50% get news from TV50% get news from TV 46% get news online 46% get news online
at least 3 times a weekat least 3 times a week
Pew Research
‘State of the News Media 2011’
50% get news from TV50% get news from TV 46% get news online 46% get news online
at least 3 times a weekat least 3 times a week 40% from newspapers40% from newspapers
at least 3 times a weekat least 3 times a week
Ipad News Consumption Survey
What is the likelihood that a newspaper subscriber who uses an iPad says he or she
will switch from print to digital in the next six months?
Ipad News Consumption Survey
What is the likelihood that a newspaper subscriber who uses an iPad says he or she
will switch from print to digital in the next six months?
54%
Newspapers Share of Ad Revenue
Some Good News….
The IPAD and IPHONE are changing the value perception.
The same people who used to say content should always be free, are now willing to pay for content on IPHONES and IPADs.
99 cents is the new FREE.
‘Angry Birds’
built on this model.
Freemium
Just enough free to entice you and then up-sell you to
a paid version
All verticals, generic content, event All verticals, generic content, event calendars and section fronts are freecalendars and section fronts are free
Some items require a subscription: Some items require a subscription:
Text alerts E-mail newsletters E-editionText alerts E-mail newsletters E-edition
Only local content is protected:Only local content is protected:
We built our website using the freemium model:
• Three articles per month freeThree articles per month free
• Three articles per month freeThree articles per month free
• Ten articles per month free with Ten articles per month free with registrationregistration
• Three articles per month freeThree articles per month free
• Ten articles per month free with Ten articles per month free with registrationregistration
• Unlimited access with paid online Unlimited access with paid online subscriptionsubscription
Value is in the content, Value is in the content, not the distribution not the distribution
method. method.
The basis for our pricing modelThe basis for our pricing model
There is more local content on our There is more local content on our website than in print.website than in print.
Print only = $199Print only = $199Online only = $219Online only = $219Print/Online = $239Print/Online = $239
EZPAY/Online = was $182EZPAY/Online = was $182
A Variety of Pricing ModelsA Variety of Pricing Models
Newspaper
Introductory Print Only
Online Only
Print/Online Combo
Cape Cod, Mass. $169 -$30 +$10Medford, Oregon $135 $0 $0Portsmouth, NH $66 +$3 +$11New Bedford, Mass. $169 +$10 +$30Middletown, New York $195 +$20 +$20Stockton, California $99 +$20 +$40Stroudsburg, Pa. $195 +$40 +$20
Examples of our
Free
Online Content
• Results are better than predictedResults are better than predicted
What have we learnedWhat have we learned
• Results are better than predictedResults are better than predicted
• Unique visitors declined only 25% and Unique visitors declined only 25% and page views only 35%page views only 35%
What have we learnedWhat have we learned
• Results are better than predictedResults are better than predicted
• Unique visitors have declined only 25% Unique visitors have declined only 25% and page views only 35%and page views only 35%
• Paid users are more local, increasing Paid users are more local, increasing their value to advertiserstheir value to advertisers
What hWhat havave we learnede we learned
• Results are better than predictedResults are better than predicted
• Unique visitors have declined only 25% Unique visitors have declined only 25% and page views only 35%and page views only 35%
• Paid users are more local, increasing Paid users are more local, increasing their value to advertiserstheir value to advertisers
• Opt-Out better than Opt-InOpt-Out better than Opt-In
What have we learnedWhat have we learned
• Results are better than predictedResults are better than predicted
• Unique visitors have declined only 25% Unique visitors have declined only 25% and page views only 35%and page views only 35%
• Paid users are more local, increasing Paid users are more local, increasing their value to advertiserstheir value to advertisers
• Opt-Out better than Opt-InOpt-Out better than Opt-In
• Print Impact – We don’t know, but total Print Impact – We don’t know, but total circulation is starting to growcirculation is starting to grow
What have we learnedWhat have we learned
• No one has reported losing ad revenueNo one has reported losing ad revenue
• 80% charge print subscribers extra & 80% charge print subscribers extra & charging print customers a fee seems to charging print customers a fee seems to increase online only salesincrease online only sales
• Ad rates on paid pages can be higher Ad rates on paid pages can be higher than free pages.than free pages.
• Press+ has about 30 papers online todayPress+ has about 30 papers online today
• $6.99/mo. about the average price$6.99/mo. about the average price
What others have learnedWhat others have learned
• The world is going digitalThe world is going digital
• This is just the first step necessary to This is just the first step necessary to survive in a total digital futuresurvive in a total digital future
• The worst thing you can do is nothingThe worst thing you can do is nothing
You have to establish valueYou have to establish value
According to Borrell Associates:
In five years:
Mobile will represent
64.7%
of all digital revenue
Slovakia:
All newspapers in the country joined together with one paywall.
Users make one monthly payment
for access to all Slovakia newspapers. Revenue is split
based on paying customers’ page views on each site.
Our Current Focus:
• Launch Daily Deals• Launch a Digital Agency business• Develop an App for tablet editions• Modernize our existing websites• Stop chasing verticals we have lost
Figure out why people come to your site. Provide a service. People pay for services. Charge for content and services. Experiment and analyze. Market and promote constantly.
Recommendations:
Online Only Subscribers
Registered Users
330 29,046
Stockton After One Year
EZPay Subs. PIA Subs.
80% 50%
Daily Unique Visitors Monthly Page Views
19,000 2,500,000