digital subscriptions boosted: survey of 900 u.s. news consumers reveals four key insights to...
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Digital Subscriptions Boosted:Survey of 900 U.S. news consumers reveals four key insights to increase your subscriber base
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: TP1481Record Location: MECLABS Research LibraryResearch Partner: Protected
Experiment: Background
Experiment: Which version will win?Version B – Focus on
Discounted Entry-level PriceVersion A – Focus on Value
Experiment: Which version will win?Version B – Focus on
Discounted Entry-level PriceVersion A – Focus on Value
173% increase
in clickthrough
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
Experiment: Which version will win?Version B – Focus on
Discounted Entry-level PriceVersion A – Focus on Value
173% increase
in clickthrough Why?
Today’s speakers
Austin McCrawSenior Director, Content Production,MECLABS Institute
Selena BlueManager, Editorial Content,MECLABS Institute
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
Expert contributors
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
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.
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
#2PRODUCT
#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
#1PRODUCT
#1
PRODUCT-LEVEL
Experiment: Side-by-sideVersion B – Focus on
Discounted Entry-level PriceVersion A – Focus on Value
173% increase
in clickthrough
Version A – Focus on entry-level discounted price
Version B – Focus on value of digital subscription
Version B – Focus on value of digital subscription
Experiment: Side-by-sideVersion B – Focus on
Discounted Entry-level PriceVersion A – Focus on Value
173% increase
in clickthrough
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.
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: TP11339Record Location: MECLABS Research LibraryResearch Partner: Protected
Experiment: Background
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
TreatmentControl
115% increase in subscriptions
Experiment: Side-by-side
Last Article Warning
5th article
v
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
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.”
Experiment – Version AVersion A
• The original form asks visitors to subscribe without actually asking them to subscribe or specifying what they get
Experiment – Version BVersion B
• The new form clearly lets visitors know what they are subscribing too, and includes supporting copy about the exclusive features available to subscribers
Experiment – Side by side
Version B
40%Opt-in
Version A
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.
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
“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
Version A
Experiment: Version A
Experiment: Version B Version B
Experiment: Side-by-side
Version B
Version A
64% in Conversions
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
Live Optimization
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)
Live Optimization: Panopto
Site:http://panopto.com/try/
Primary Audience: B2B
Page Purpose: SAS, Demo download
Submitted by: Ari
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