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Dana E. Neuts

Dana Neuts is Subscription Insider's Editorial Director, covering our daily subscription news as well as member features, case studies, premium content, and reports. Dana is also a writer, editor, marketer and communications professional. Her work has appeared in AARP Bulletin, The Seattle Times, Seattle Business, 425 Business, 425 Magazine, South Sound Magazine, Northwest Travel and more. Her specialties include business writing, community news, senior issues, travel and, of course, subscriptions!

Dana E. Neuts

Google Tests Play Pass Subscription for Premium Apps and Games

Consumer Services, News, Product Development, Revenue and Sales, Subscription Apps, Subscription Gaming /

Google is testing Google Play Pass, a new subscription that gives users access to a curated collection of hundreds of premium apps and games for $4.99 a month. The subscription is ad-free and it helps subscribers avoid in-app purchases and download fees, says Variety. The subscription comes with a 10-day free trial and is commitment-free. Subscribers can cancel at any time. Android Police said Google Play Pass will have a family plan, but pricing is not known.

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Spotify Wraps Up Q2 with 108 Million Premium Subscribers

Business Services, Consumer Services, Entertainment and Streaming, FInance, Freemium, News, Revenue and Sales, Subscription Apps /

On July 31, streaming music provider Spotify reported it had reached 108 million premium subscribers at the end of the second quarter. This represents an increase of 8 million paying subscribers over the prior quarter and a 31% increase year-over-year. The total fell well within Spotifys guidance of 107 million to 110 million. Monthly churn decreased to a record low 4.6%, but student subscriptions were lower than targeted. Spotify said it missed the target due to poor execution, not due to a soft market.

Spotify Wraps Up Q2 with 108 Million Premium Subscribers Read More »

DoorDash Buys Competitor Caviar for $410 Million

Business Services, Consumer Services, Industry Announcements, Mergers and Acquisitions, News, Payment Processing, Subscription Apps /

Last week, food delivery start-up DoorDash agreed to buy competitor Caviar from Square for $410 million in cash and DoorDash stock. The acquisition will expand the number of premium restaurants that DoorDash currently works with and deepen the companys relationship with Square, who powers in-person and online transactions between restaurants and DoorDash customers. The deal is expected to close this year, following regulatory approval.

DoorDash Buys Competitor Caviar for $410 Million Read More »

Weekly Subscription News: Alphabet, Archives and Audio Ads

Auto-renew Subscription, Business Services, Consumer Services, Entertainment and Streaming, FInance, Magazines, News, Product Development, Revenue and Sales, Subscription Apps, Subscription Gaming /

This week our subscription headlines feature Alphabets quarterly ad budget, selling photo archives for big bucks, and testing audio ads on Alexa Music. Also, Regal Cinemas launches its unlimited movie ticket subscription plan, a Disney+ exec talks about Marvel shows and creating a place that brings families together, and RingCentrals stock soars to a new high after beating earnings estimates and raising its financial guidance.

Weekly Subscription News: Alphabet, Archives and Audio Ads Read More »

Subscription Food Service Sifted Hits $10M in Annual Recurring Revenue

Auto-renew Subscription, Business Services, Business Strategy, News, Product Development, Revenue and Sales /

In less than five years, Sifted, a corporate catering and data-driven lunch provider, has achieved a major milestone – hitting $10 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) in less than five years. Available in six U.S. cities (Atlanta, Austin, Denver & Boulder, Nashville, Phoenix and Seattle), Sifted provides chef-crated, catered meals to companies including Twitter, SugarCRM, Samsara and theChive. To date, the company has catered over 1 million meals.

Subscription Food Service Sifted Hits $10M in Annual Recurring Revenue Read More »

25 Tips for Using Instagram to Increase Engagement and Drive Sales

Best Practice and How To, Consumer Services, Customer Service, News, Revenue and Sales, Subscriber Acquisition, Subscriber Only, Subscription Business Marketing /

Whether you are scrolling through your best friend’s baby photos or looking for travel or fashion ideas, Instagram’s visual storytelling platform has become a wonderful marketing tool for subscription businesses. Subscription boxes like FabFitFun post photos of upcoming giveaways to Instagram, while Netflix posts clips from new releases like season 3 of “Stranger Things,” and Salesforce posts pix of an event featuring kids pitching ideas on how to improve the world.

25 Tips for Using Instagram to Increase Engagement and Drive Sales Read More »

illustration of the number five, representing the five subscription business topics for this column, Five-on-Friday

Five on Friday: Ad Blocking, Digital Ads and Subscription Jobs

Auto-renew Subscription, Business Operations, Business Services, Consumer Services, Data and IoT, Entertainment and Streaming, News, Product Development, Revenue and Sales, Subscription Apps, Subscription Boxes /

For the last several years, ad blocking has been a hot topic and a growing problem. In this week’s Five on Friday, eMarketer explains that ad blocking isn’t going away, but its growth is slowing down. Also this week, data privacy is having a big impact on digital advertisers, BMW will charge an annual fee for drivers to use Apple CarPlay, and Home Chef is seeing success with its in-store meal kits versus its subscription service. Last but not least is everyone’s favorite Five on Friday feature – top subscription jobs!

Five on Friday: Ad Blocking, Digital Ads and Subscription Jobs Read More »

25 Tips for Using Instagram to Increase Engagement and Drive Sales

Subscriber Acquisition, Subscriber Only /

Whether you are scrolling through your best friend’s baby photos or looking for travel or fashion ideas, Instagram’s visual storytelling platform has become a wonderful marketing tool for subscription businesses. Subscription boxes like FabFitFun post photos of upcoming giveaways to Instagram, while Netflix posts clips from new releases like season 3 of “Stranger Things,” and Salesforce posts pix of an event featuring kids pitching ideas on how to improve the world.

25 Tips for Using Instagram to Increase Engagement and Drive Sales Read More »

NBCUniversal to Launch Direct-to-Consumer Streaming Service Next April

Auto-renew Subscription, Consumer Services, Entertainment and Streaming, FInance, News, Product Development, Revenue and Sales /

Eager to get its slice of the direct-to-consumer streaming action, NBCUniversal is planning to launch its own ad-supported streaming video service in April 2020, says Variety. NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke shared a few additional details about the streaming service during Comcasts second quarter earnings call last week. For example, a team of more than 500 people is working on the service to get it ready for launch. At NBCUniversal, we’re making great progress on the direct-to-consumer streaming service that we announced earlier this year…”

NBCUniversal to Launch Direct-to-Consumer Streaming Service Next April Read More »

WWE Reports Mixed Results for Second Quarter of 2019

Auto-renew Subscription, Consumer Services, Entertainment and Streaming, FInance, News, Product Development, Revenue and Sales, Subscriber Acquisition, Subscription Apps /

WWE (NYSE: WWE) reported mixed results when it released its second quarter financials on July 25, 2019, for the period ended June 30, 2019. Revenues dropped 5% to $268.9 million, compared to $281.6 million in Q2 2018. Revenue declined in WWEs Media, Live Events and Consumer Products business segments. Operating income was $17.1 million, compared to $21.2 billion for the same period last year. WWEs operating margin dropped from 8% to 6%.

WWE Reports Mixed Results for Second Quarter of 2019 Read More »