Workshop:

Developing the right paid content strategy for a newspaper website (paid web)

A very practical hands-on crash-course workshop: from picking the most suitable paid content model, to necessary product refinements, pricing & bundling strategies, and finally getting started.

Participants:

The crash-course workshop is tailored for managers or project leaders who are actually tasked with developing a paid content strategy, either for an existing website or a newspaper brand (where a paid website is part of the overall paid content brand strategy). With very practical and intense modules, Gregor will guide the participants in developing a suitable paid content strategy for the websites for which they are responsible.

Modules will be:

1. Lecture “Overview of paid content models, the psychology of paid web subscribers and KPIs for successful websites”

 2. Workshop “Positioning of website and picking the right model”: Positioning the different websites (as selected by the participants) and discussing the best paid content models in conjunction with analysis of print readership.

Outcome: Know-How of the many different success factors that have to be analysed before the strategic decision on the appropriate and likely most successful paid content model can be made.

3. Lecture & Workshop “Content Strategy”: What contents (topics, content classes, etc.) should be put behind a Freemium paywall to drive subscriptions; how many articles should be put behind a Metered paywall to maximize subscribers. Is a differentiation of web content and smartphone/tablet/newspaper content necessary?

Outcome: Clear ideas and reasoning for the key operative decisions that have to be made after strategically approving a paid web strategy. And a clear understanding of the complex task of an integrated paid content strategy if smartphone and tablet products are to be included properly.

 4. Lectures and Workshop "Pricing": Strategic focus of a paid content strategy – new audiences versus supporting print. What options for single pricing and/or bundle pricing should be chosen based on the present readership structure and strategic goals of the paid web strategy. What marketing tools can be applied.

Outcome: Different pricing strategies, how to use, implement and promote them

 5. Lecture and Workshop “Expectation Management”: The question of negative / cannibalisation effects on advertising, reach and print. Metrics of a realistic business case in regard to paid-web revenues, traffic and subscribers.

Outcomes: Paving the ground for realistic expectations about paid content, especially in the short term if developments are seen as too positive or too negative.