News publishers diversify as demand for news subscriptions dwindles

Audience interest in news content dipped significantly in 2021, resulting in a notable softening of demand for news-focused subscription products. Now, many publishers are seeking ways to diversify their subscriber offerings beyond just news, not only to drive subscriber growth but – more crucially – to maintain their existing subscriber bases. Most news publishers we work with at Toolkits saw slowdowns in new subscriber conversions in 2021 compared with the two years prior. There are many reasons for those slowdowns, and they vary from one publisher to the next, but a major contributing factor has been a broad and ongoing decline in demand for news. Engagement with content related to the coronavirus pandemic has diminished over the past 12 months, and a spike in interest in majo