Insight to drive subscription growth

Join

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

Postmates Raises $100 Million Investment As It Plans Its IPO

Auto-renew Subscription, Business Strategy, Consumer Services, FInance, Industry Announcements, Memberships, News, Product Development, SaaS and Cloud Services, Subscriber Acquisition, Subscription Apps /

Last week, on-demand delivery service Postmates announced that it raised $100 million in Series F funding, led by BlackRock (a first-time investor in Postmates), Tiger Global Management and Glynn Capital Management, reports Recode. The company is now valued at $1.85 billion, just ahead of the company’s planned IPO, which is likely to happen in the first half of 2019. This was the company’s 11th round of funding, bringing the grant total raised to date to $678 million.

Postmates Raises $100 Million Investment As It Plans Its IPO Read More »

Five on Friday: Free Streaming, Media Trends and Top Subscription Jobs

Auto-renew Subscription, Business Operations, Business Services, Business Strategy, Consumer Services, Data and IoT, Entertainment and Streaming, Free Subscription, News, Revenue and Sales, SaaS and Cloud Services, Subscriber Only, Subscription Apps /

TGIF. We hope youve had a good week so far and are ready for a three-day weekend! We are ready to kick things off with Five on Friday. This weeks edition features a growing trend in streaming services – the ad-supported video on demand model; how entertainment companies are using data to fuel the future; Spotifys new strategy of selling its own ads; 2019 media trends according to Reuters; and everyones favorite, top subscription jobs from LinkedIn.

Five on Friday: Free Streaming, Media Trends and Top Subscription Jobs Read More »

Netflix Price Hike Will Affect More Than 58 Million U.S. Subscribers

Auto-renew Subscription, Business Operations, Consumer Services, Entertainment and Streaming, News, Paywall, Revenue and Sales, Subscription Apps /

In its biggest price hike to date, Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) is raising subscription rates for more than 58 million U.S. subscribers, reports the Associated Press. Netflix’s three streaming plan options, all of which are ad-free, will go up $2 each per month, effective February 15, 2019. After their one-month free trial, new subscribers will be charged the new rates. Existing customers will see the price increases over the next several months, depending on their billing cycle. The Netflix site already shows the new plan pricing.

Netflix Price Hike Will Affect More Than 58 Million U.S. Subscribers Read More »

Franklin Covey Sees Success as It Transitions to Subscription Model

Auto-renew Subscription, Business Services, Business Strategy, FInance, Learning and Training, News, Product Development, Revenue and Sales, SaaS and Cloud Services, Subscription Apps /

In its first quarter financials, Franklin Covey Co. (NYSE: FC) reports a strong start to its fiscal year 2019 for the period ended November 30, 2018. Highlights include net sales of $53.8 million, an increase of $5.9 million or 12 percent; gross profit of $36.8 million, an increase of $3.9 million or 12 percent; and cash flows from operations of $8.1 million, a $5.8 million or 248 percent increase year-over-year. The organizational improvement firm attributes its successful quarter to its transition to a subscription-based model in its Enterprise Division.

Franklin Covey Sees Success as It Transitions to Subscription Model Read More »

Piano Software Raises $22 Million in Series B Round to Fund Growth

Business Operations, Business Services, Customer Service, Industry Announcements, News, Payment Processing, Paywall, Product Development, Revenue and Sales, SaaS and Cloud Services, Subscriber Retention, Technology /

Last week, Piano Software, Inc., a content monetization platform for digital media companies, announced it has raised $22 million in Series B funding. The funding round was led by Updata Partners, an investment firm that provides growth capital to software and software-enabled companies. The infusion of capital will be used to support Piano’s growth, specifically in research and development and client services and to expand into new markets. It may also be used for acquisitions, said Piano in a January 10 blog post.

Piano Software Raises $22 Million in Series B Round to Fund Growth Read More »

IMDb Launches Free Streaming Video Channel for Movies and TV

Business Strategy, Consumer Services, Entertainment and Streaming, Free Subscription, Industry Announcements, News, Revenue and Sales, SaaS and Cloud Services, Subscriber Acquisition /

IMDb is the latest entertainment company to offer free streaming video. Last week, the Amazon-owned IMDb announced the launch of Freedive, its free, ad-supported streaming video on demand channel, available to viewers in the U.S. Freedive takes IMDB beyond its existing content of short-form video, movie trailers and celebrity interviews to include top-rated movies like Awakenings, Donnie Brasco, Single White Female and The Illusionist; TV series including Fringe, The Bachelor, Heroes and Dallas; and IMDb originals including Casting Calls, IMDB at the Emmys and IMDb at San Diego Comic-Con. Though IMDb is owned by Amazon, a Prime membership is not required to watch Freedive.

IMDb Launches Free Streaming Video Channel for Movies and TV Read More »

Weekly Subscription News: Samsung, iTunes and The Economist

Auto-renew Subscription, Business Operations, Business Services, Consumer Services, Entertainment and Streaming, Memberships, News, Revenue and Sales, SaaS and Cloud Services, Subscription Apps, Subscription Business Marketing /

In this week’s subscription headlines, we’ve got everything from A to Z, including Amazon, Apple, Susan Zirinsky and Mark Zuckerberg. CBS has named Susan Zirinsky as its next president, the first woman to lead the division. Also, Samsung signs a deal with Apple to bring iTunes-purchased content to its Smart TVs; Kroger and Microsoft partner on retail-as-a-service platform; and media experts are calling for Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg to resign amid controversy.

Weekly Subscription News: Samsung, iTunes and The Economist Read More »

Vive to Offer Unlimited VR Games with Viveport Infinity Subscription

Auto-renew Subscription, Business Services, Consumer Services, Industry Announcements, News, Product Development, SaaS and Cloud Services, Subscriber Acquisition, Subscription Apps, Subscription Gaming /

At this week’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, HTC Vive announced a big upgrade to its Viveport VR subscription service. Starting April 5, which is Vive Day, Viveport will offer Viveport Infinity which will give subscribers unlimited access to its catalog of more than 500 virtual reality titles. With the existing subscription service, subscribers can only access five apps and games per month, including titles like Vestige, Time Carnage, AnimVR, Slightly Heroes and The Wizards from a variety of genres, including 360° video, action, adventure, business, comedy, creativity, health care, sports, music and education.

Vive to Offer Unlimited VR Games with Viveport Infinity Subscription Read More »

Five on Friday: Social Media, Sports and Smart Home Devices

Auto-renew Subscription, Business Media and Publishing, Business Services, Business Strategy, Consumer Services, Entertainment and Streaming, Industry Announcements, Memberships, News, Product Development, Revenue and Sales, SaaS and Cloud Services, Subscriber Acquisition, Subscriber Only, Subscription Apps, Subscription Business Marketing /

In this weeks Five on Friday, CJR explores the state of social media in 2019; Forbes shares sports entertainment trends, including subscription opportunities; Hulu hits 25 million subscribers, a 47 percent increase; Comcast launches a subscription to help people protect their smart home devices from attacks; and DC Comics joins Comixologys unlimited subscription service.

Five on Friday: Social Media, Sports and Smart Home Devices Read More »

SiriusXM Paid Subscriber Base Hits Record High of Nearly 34 Million

Auto-renew Subscription, Business Strategy, Consumer Services, Entertainment and Streaming, FInance, Industry Announcements, Mergers and Acquisitions, News, Product Development, Revenue and Sales, Subscriber Acquisition, Subscription Apps /

SiriusXM (NASDAQ: SIRI) is starting out 2019 on a positive note. On Tuesday, the company reported that its total paid subscriber base has hit a record high of 34 million. By the end of 2018, SiriusXM had added 1.4 million self-pay subscribers bringing the total self-pay subscribers to 28.9 million, exceeding the company’s 2018 guidance by about 40 percent. At year end, total net subscriber additions were 1.3 million, helping the company hit its record high.

SiriusXM Paid Subscriber Base Hits Record High of Nearly 34 Million Read More »