From Growth to Retention: Shifting Publisher Strategies

By Katherine Ruane, Director of Marketing Strategy and Daniela Lomas, Marketing Specialist at Mather

November 15th, 2024

For years publishers have focused on driving digital volume growth. But now, as growth begins to level off or even decline, the focus has shifted. It's clear that acquisition alone won’t sustain long-term success. To preserve and grow existing subscriber revenue, many are adopting fresh approaches to retention—from transitioning print subscribers to digital, to proactive onboarding and smart pricing. Let’s look at the innovative ways some European publishers are working to build loyalty and reduce churn.

Digital Transformation: Mediahuis Belgium’s Path for Loyal Print Readers

The long-anticipated shift from print to digital continues to unfold, particularly for European publishers, where consumer preferences and a slower pace of digital adoption have made the transition more gradual. Attracting subscribers alone is no longer enough—actively retaining them is critical, especially when transitioning loyal, older print audiences to digital formats. Mediahuis Belgium exemplifies this retention-first strategy. With a subscriber base averaging three years in tenure and 68 years in age, Mediahuis focuses on providing supportive, seamless transitions tailored to these readers.

Courtesy of INMA

At INMA’s Media Subscriptions Town Hall earlier this year, they shared valuable insights into their approach including:

Targeted Communication and Onboarding:

To ensure a seamless transition, Mediahuis provides personalized support, clear communication about the benefits of digital access, and a structured onboarding process, helping subscribers feel comfortable and confident with their digital platforms.

Incentives for Digital Adoption:

The company avoids relying on long-term discounts but offers incentives like exclusive digital content or bundled offers to make the digital transition more appealing, especially for hesitant print subscribers.

Preserving Print Value:

By acknowledging the value of print for long-term subscribers, they continue to offer print options alongside digital access. This flexibility helps maintain loyalty while adapting to new formats, with subscribers eventually able to prioritize digital while still engaging with print.

Addressing Price Sensitivity:

To avoid price concerns among its audience, their subscribers can easily downgrade to a more affordable subscription tier if they’re hesitant about digital-only pricing. This approach eases fears of price increases while encouraging digital adoption.

Data-Driven Insights to Understand Consumer Behavior:

Mediahuis leverages data insights to understand print subscribers’ habits, identifying those most likely to transition to digital. Thanks to an analysis of content consumption and engagement, they can target these subscribers with personalized messages, driving conversion efficiency.

Source: Mediahuis Belgium meets churn goals by focusing on its reader retention strategy

Engaging Subscribers from Day One: Zeit Online’s Onboarding Strategy

While transitioning loyal print readers is crucial, effectively engaging new digital subscribers from the start is equally important. Zeit Online recognized that a strong onboarding experience is key to retaining subscribers beyond the initial signup. They found that although initial engagement was high, many subscribers quickly felt overwhelmed by the sheer volume of content and touchpoints, leading to frustration and declining retention. By focusing on a streamlined, subscriber-first onboarding process, Zeit aimed to address this challenge and improve long-term engagement.

Courtesy of INMA

To sustain early engagement and reduce frustration, Zeit revamped their subscriber onboarding with a more user-friendly approach, implementing measures such as:

Quick-start Guide: A step-by-step guide introduces subscribers to subscription benefits, offering actionable tips and tailored content recommendations based on individual preferences.

Redesigned App: An updated, more intuitive interface making it easier for readers to navigate and discover content seamlessly.

These efforts resulted in a 10% increase in early trial engagement and a 12% boost in retention. The takeaway? A well-structured onboarding journey can be key to turning first-time users into loyal, long-term subscribers.

Source: Zeit Online changes onboarding to leverage subscriptions from day one

Building Habitual Engagement: Le Monde’s Proactive Outreach

While a strong onboarding process is essential, ongoing engagement is critical to keeping readers invested. Le Monde has achieved success with a proactive strategy, building loyalty through consistent, targeted email campaigns that spotlight games and other interactive content. By regularly showcasing unique subscriber benefits like these, Le Monde reinforces the value of its offerings and encourages continued interaction.

One standout example is their 'Le Monde Jeux' campaign, aimed at Duo, Famille, and Print + Digital subscribers, which led to a 10% increase in active subscribers, a 3% rise in activity rates, and a 10-point boost in game grid completions compared to the 2024 average. This targeted outreach approach underscores how consistent, value-driven communication can enhance both engagement and subscriber satisfaction.

Source: Unveiling Subscription Value: How Le Monde Boosted Engagement and Profitability with Mather’s Analytics

Retention-First Pricing: Mediahuis Aachen’s Strategic Increases

With established subscriber habits and loyalty, publishers like Mediahuis Aachen are finding opportunities for strategic price adjustments. By adopting a retention-first approach to renewal pricing, they drive revenue growth while preserving subscriber relationships. For Mediahuis Aachen, this approach involved:

Data-Driven Pricing Sensitivity Analysis: In collaboration with Mather, the publisher evaluated a range of pricing scenarios and regional industry benchmarks to gauge revenue potential and predict churn impact.

Retention-Focused Price Adjustments: Guided by this analysis, they strategically implemented rate increases of 7% for print subscribers and 6% for e-paper subscribers.

Revenue Growth with Minimal Churn Impact: These carefully calculated pricing adjustments led to a six-figure revenue boost with lower-than-expected churn.

Source: How Mediahuis Aachen Unlocked Six-figure Revenue Gains with Mather’s Data-Driven Pricing Guidance

Closing Thoughts

As European publishers pivot to retention-focused strategies, examples from Mediahuis Belgium, Zeit Online, and Le Monde demonstrate a range of effective retention-first tactics across the customer lifecycle. From easing the print-to-digital shift to proactive engagement and strategic pricing, these approaches offer a solid foundation for sustainable growth. These examples represent just a sampling of retention strategies, with publishers continuing to leverage data-driven, personalized tactics to succeed in today’s competitive landscape.