Here’s the cold, hard truth: Your paid audience revenue opportunities are only as good as your audience data strategy!
Successful audience strategy requires the fine-tuned balance of a clean, up-to-date database combined with a solid understanding of how many times you can actually “hit up” your audience with your own products and advertiser campaigns.
We interviewed upcoming Super Niche Event speaker Melissa Chowning, (CEO of Twenty-First Digital), on some takeaways to jumpstart a successful paid subs strategy. She’ll be leading the session, Audience Data: The Driver Behind ALL Your Revenue!
First, what are publishers doing well and not too great?
“Niche publishers are doing well what they have always done well – creating amazing content. There is no shortage of incredible content being produced right now.
The challenge publishers have is getting their content seen and discovered by their target audience, and I think that’s an ongoing challenge especially as consumer behaviors shift and platforms change priorities. I’d like to see publishers staying ahead of the curve on how they communicate with their audiences more.”
How can niche publishers drive serious paid subs revenue without burning out their list?
“The key to not burning our your list is always relevancy. Relevancy and value. If what you are offering is unique, relevant and of value to your audience, you won’t burn out your list.”
What’s the magic formula for paid reader retention? Can you share with us some of what you will be talking about at The Super Niche Event in March?
“I think the magic formula is all about bringing value and making the consumption of your content a habit in your consumers lives. Think of TheSkimm. No one thought we needed a daily news newsletter for millennials 5 years ago. But apparently the demand was there. They found a way to infiltrate their target audience’s daily habits and create value for them, and it’s succeeded.
Think of new ways you can serve your audiences truly valuable content and deliver it in the format in which they want to receive it. All too often publishers stick with tried and true while their consumer is evolving. Evolve with them.”
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More about Melissa: Melissa is CEO of Twenty-First Digital, a full service agency focusing on audience development for brands, publishers and niche media companies. She geeks out 24/7 on digital marketing, and walks into work every day with her wheels already turning. Melissa guides her clients’ digital strategies and audience development efforts to drive traffic, engagement, and retention.
When she isn’t nerding out in the digital world, she’s reading, listening to podcasts, and keeping up with her two children, both under the age of 5. Formerly the Audience Development Director of D Magazine, Melissa understands the key to audience growth is also monetization. She has held past positions at prominent regionals, including Portland Monthly and Seattle Met. She was recognized in 2016 as one of the Top 100 Most Important People in Media by FOLIO: Magazine.
