Publisher Monetization

A new program called Sponsored Editorial Content lets publishers stitch pre-roll ads into their organic video content on the platform.

An eventful year for news could help grow subscriber retention and revenue, even if it doesn’t drive spikes in new conversions.

Publishers are recognizing their futures hinge on the ability to uncover new information and contextualize and present it in ways that AI cannot.

Publishers are thinking carefully about how monetization opportunities should be prioritized to extract as much revenue as possible from their audiences.

Publishers including the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal are broadening their target audiences in an effort to grow their subscriber bases.

Some publishers are accepting that their actual “audiences” may be much smaller than they’ve previously chosen to believe.

Audiences unlock access to content by selecting from a range of options such as purchasing a subscription, viewing a video ad, sharing data, or making a micropayment for short-term access.

NYT’s publisher, A. G. Sulzberger, provided some valuable insights into how NYT is thinking about the subscription model.

News publishers are becoming more transparent and direct about their subscription products and practices in an attempt to boost their credibility with audiences.

Many news publishers remain firmly committed to subscription products even as some of their competitors struggle to make them work.

The company added 300,000 paid digital subscribers in the fourth quarter, which is more than it added during any quarter for the previous year.

We asked publishing executives what trends and challenges they believe will shape the year ahead for content-based subscription businesses.

A busy news cycle presents an opportunity to reach and engage new paying subscribers and deepen relationships with existing ones.

The news publisher will begin charging for access to portions of its content in January as it attempts to reduce its reliance on advertising revenue.

Approaches evolved and matured as subscriptions became a more central part of publishers’ audience offerings and business models.

The Federal Trade Commission will hold a hearing in January during which six organizations will explain their opposition to proposed “click to cancel” subscription rules.

Consumers say their distaste for advertising within publishers’ subscription products is growing, suggesting appetites for ad-free experiences could be growing too.

Debates about the merits of subscription models continue, but publishers with reader revenue appear to be faring better in the current media environment than those without.

Organic distribution is winding down, and publishers wishing to drive traffic to their owned and operated properties should increasingly expect to pay for it.

The metrics publishers are using to monitor and analyze their renewal performance are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

Apple will allow users to unlock subscriber-only content from third-party subscriptions within its Podcasts app.

Aggressive acquisition and retention approaches can help publishers boost revenue in the short term, but they risk undermining credibility with audiences.

Amazon executives were “okay” with people being signed up for Amazon Prime membership without their knowledge, the FTC said in an amended lawsuit.

The news giant intends to monetize a portion of its 149 million web visitors via subscriptions under the direction of incoming CEO Mark Thompson.

New research highlights the extent to which some publishers might be relying on revenue from unengaged and inattentive portions of their subscriber bases.

Few publishers have an accurate read on what portion of their audiences might be bypassing their paywalls, let alone a nuanced understanding of the impact it could have on their businesses.

A new decree has entered into force in France requiring that businesses allow consumers to cancel subscriptions and contracts online in three clicks or fewer.

Consumers are frustrated by the subscription practices employed by many companies, and would support any changes that give them greater control.

When attempting to convince consumers to pay for news subscriptions, publishers should give consumers multiple reasons to do so, according to a new study.

A snapshot of 25 leading publishers’ subscription landing page approaches.

The Federal Trade Commission said Amazon used “dark patterns” to trick consumers into enrolling in automatically renewing Prime subscriptions.

The average price offered to new subscribers dropped 43% between June 2022 and June 2023, according to Toolkits research.

More U.S. consumers are paying for news, but establishing long-term subscriber relationships remains challenging.

The publisher faces legal action for failing to present its subscription pricing in a bolded typeface.

The publisher’s chief growth and customer officer, Hannah Yang, provides insight into the tactics and approaches underpinning its subscription growth.

The rise of AI-generated content could help news publishers establish stronger relationships with audiences.