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Hearst Hits 1 Million Digital Subscribers for Tablet Editions

FInance, News /

Last year, Hearst Magazines CEO David Carey said that he expected the company to hit 1 million digital subscribers for the company’s tablet editions. Hearst fell short of that goal by the end of 2012, but just hit the 1 million  mark this past March. That’s an impressive number that includes subscriptions across the three major tablet devices — iPad, Kindle and Nook. Carey said in a video interview with All Things D that the Nook, Kindle…

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Cookie-Free Paywall Gets Around EU Regulations

News, Technology /

Did you know that the EU requires that all websites alert visitors if they’re using cookies? That goes for sites managed by companies based in the U.S., although regulation of the EU cookie policy is fairly impossible, by the EU’s own admission. (For more on EU regulations for digital content and online subscriptions, see our Laws & Regs resource on Subscription Site Insider.) It’s unclear whether the cookie alert significantly impedes site visitation or alters customer…

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Get Triple-Digit ROI With One-Page Websites

News /

Sometimes we make things more complicated than they need to be. That’s the lesson learned after speaking to Michael Zenga, the President of ZR Internet, LLC and creator of some great one-page subscription sites, like Massachusetts Construction School and Massachusetts Gun Safety. Zenga created simple one-page sites that included a prominent headline, welcome video and colorful call-to-action button. But with a finely-tuned understanding of SEO and conversion tactics (like strategically placed “trust” symbols), he was able to…

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How VAT Eats Into Your Profits on Digital Subscription Sales

FInance, News, Payment Processing, Technology /

Most US publishers are unaware that they need to be collecting the value added tax (VAT) when selling online subscriptions to UK and EU audiences. That may be because printed periodicals and newspapers have been (and still are) exempt from VAT, but digital goods are not — that includes online and digital subscriptions. For those of you unfamiliar with VAT, it functions a bit like a sales, where goods and services are taxed at a percentage…

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‘Dayparting’ and Other Ways to Time Your Content for Maximum Effect

News, Subscriber Acquisition /

For many years, radio and broadcast media have understood the importance of dayparting — hitting your audience with the most important news during “drivetime” or the most revenue-generating shows during primetime. Online publishers have been slow to catch on to this savvy marketing tactic, instead adopting traditional print models of posting new content online as it went to press. But recently, a number of paid content sites have shown the importance of timing in publication. The…

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Do You Know the Difference Between Native and Web Apps?

News, Subscription Apps, Technology /

Last Wednesday, I spoke at the Specialist Media Show in London, presenting data and tactics on selling online subscriptions. While speaking on the FT’s decision to go with a Web-based mobile app, I asked the audience if there was anyone who didn’t know the difference between a native app and a Web-based app. There was dead quiet, so I was ready to plow on, but then someone finally raised their hand and asked for an…

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Subscription Site OKCupid to Start Accepting Bitcoins as Payment

News, Subscriber Acquisition, Technology /

Payment processing processes and options have a real impact on bottom line profits for subscription sites selling digital content. From ACH fees to gateway restrictions to regional differences in preferences, payment processing is an important strategy to increasing revenues from online and digital subscription sales. That’s why it’s so interesting that OKCupid recently announced that it will begin accepting bitcoins for its A-list paid memberships. Bitcoin is a digital currency that can be transferred in seconds across…

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Netflix Tops $1B in Q1, Has 34 Million Paying Subscribers

Entertainment and Streaming, FInance, News /

Netflix garnered more than $1 billion in the first quarter of 2013, according to recent earnings reports, mainly from subscription revenue from its 34 million worldwide subscribers (of those subscribers, nearly 30 million are in the U.S.). However, the company only made $3 million in profit, likely because of the video streaming subscription site’s decision to invest heavily in international growth and expansion in 2012. The company also took the time during its quarterly earnings report to…

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Case Study Lessons: Create Scarcity Effect with Timed Subscription Offer

Entertainment and Streaming, News, Subscriber Acquisition, Technology /

When you’re selling online subscriptions for continued access, it can be counter-intuitive to adhere to the marketing best practice of creating scarcity to sell more. However, Fast Fitness to Go, the subject of this week’s Case Study on Subscription Site Insider, was able to find a way to do so, despite the fact that the site is operating in a highly competitive niche. Fast Fitness to Go provides 25-minute workout videos to traveling professionals looking for quick,…

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Online Publishers Can Boost Analytics and Advertising through Article Embedding

News, Subscriber Acquisition /

While inbound links can increase search rankings, a new API Repost would allow publishers to embed articles into web pages, much like embedding a YouTube video, thereby solving the age-old aggregation dilemma. After all, mentions and summaries that link back to original articles are favorable, but not as favorable as direct traffic. But, with Repost, aggregators could embed original articles in their own posts (see an example here from TechCrunch). The advantage for aggregators is that…

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