By Minal BopaiahThe Online Publisher Association released a report this week based on its interviews with 12 media professionals at digital subscription publications, and while none of the findings are game-changing, the main points are worth repeating here:

1. Digital subscriptions do NOT cannibalize print, and overall, have a positive impact on bottom lines.
2. Digital subscribers tend to be younger than print subscribers, but a growing segment. In other words, while the average age for first-time subscribers has not changed, the percentage of first time subscribers that are digital is growing. With the millennial generation, digital subscriptions will likely be a consumer expectation, not a perk.
3. Publishers are looking to develop expertise in digital marketing (particularly social media), platform partnerships and behavioral data analysis.
4. Behavioral data analysis is also being used to reduce churn and increase retention. However, many publications are cognizant of the need to balance data-driven delivery and exposing customers to new content.
5. Subscription data has given most publications an edge in advertising sales and contributed to a lift in CPMs.
6. One of the biggest obstacles remains discovery in the digital world. So the digital subscriber acquisition funnel is constantly being tweaked and needs massive improvement on an industry-level.