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Content Strategy
In 2022, Publishers Take Back Control With Subscription Success
Jun 15, 2022
Users are ready to pay for content that delivers
The Rise of the Mature User
It's been a long and winding path, but in 2022 the subscription model continues its upward trajectory as a top revenue strategy for publishers of all sizes. The tug of war between platforms and publishers reached its peak in the last few years of the previous decade, leaving users desperate for a modern user experience that's clear of any clutter from the duopoly that is Google and Facebook. This is why intelligent paywall models are a top choice for users looking to consume content right from the source. When done correctly, the strategy can work for any type of media. The New York Times, a frequent showpiece example of the power of paywalls, is constantly reporting record-busting subscription numbers, with 7.6 million digital subscriptions in 2021.
And it all makes perfect sense. The subscription model eliminates the middleman — such as the platforms — so readers get the experience and content they want, and publishers get the cash they need.
RebelMouse's Subscription Features
As a creative agency powered by modern technology, we know how to build a subscription experience that's designed for both the modern user who wants an optimized site experience and the modern publisher who relies on paywall revenue to survive.
RebelMouse's subscription features are customizable and easily support:
- Free Trials: Create one-day, weekly, or monthly subscription plans.
- Coupon Codes: Use promotional codes to give access to strategic partners and complement B2B deals.
- B2B Subscriptions: Use email matching to sell access to companies.
- Testing Powered by Data: We have a sophisticated suite of A/B testing tools — complete with Google Analytics integrations — that give you the ability to test what works, what doesn't, and how to better cater to your readers' needs.
RebelMouse's Paywall API is available to developers to make it easy to manage subscriptions. Access to paid content is managed via subscriptions attached to email qualifiers. Click here for more information on our Paywall API.
The Success of Our Subscription Model
Sites powered by RebelMouse are experiencing enormous success thanks to our subscription strategies, including the Italian newspaper La Verità. While publishers on other platforms typically see a decrease in audience when they implement a paywall, in their time leveraging RebelMouse’s paywall strategy, La Verità has experienced continued, unprecedented growth. They are now one of the highest-growth media properties in Italy, and they've enjoyed significant revenue growth thanks to our paywall tools.
La Verità's superior site performance using RebelMouse's paywall tools.
Is a Subscription Model Right for You?
In the past, there was a stigma around paywalls that signaled they were only sustainable for large publishers with massive audiences already in place. But with today's users maturing, subscription models are more attainable for a variety of emerging media properties and legacy names alike.
It's important to strike the right balance between free content, subscriber revenue, and ad strategy. This is a lot to juggle for publishers who are already maxed out trying to create quality content worth reading.
At RebelMouse, we can help you determine if a subscription model will benefit you, and then build a custom, easy-to-use paywall system that works for your site. If you're not publishing on RebelMouse, we also operate as a world-class creative agency that can help you navigate the subscription business and any other content strategy you may be building toward. Either way, request a proposal today and let's start working together.
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Rebel Insights
RebelMouse Q1 2021 Platform Updates
Mar 29, 2022
Speed, performance, and Core Web Vitals enhancements
Click here to read our Q2 2021 platform performance updates!
At RebelMouse, we pour our souls into making sure that our platform is always the most modern, high-performance CMS on the market. In fact, we invested over $100,000 worth of hours into our platform in Q1 2021 alone. This has resulted in updates and performance enhancements that publishers would have to pay for on their own to make happen on any other platform, such as WordPress. We're proud to be at a level of scale where we can invest this way into our platform, and we will continue to invest at this rate every quarter moving forward just as we have in the past.
Here are the major updates that we've added to the platform in Q1.
Google Chrome Web Vitals and Google Analytics Tracking Installed
We've installed and configured an ultra-lightweight open source project from Google that allows you to track Core Web Vitals data directly in Google Analytics. This is so important because the only other place this data is tracked is only available on a monthly summary level. Now we can analyze changes to the platform and any property in Google Analytics and get daily reports.
You can now run your own reports if you have access to the Google Analytics account connected to your property.
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) Visualization and Debugging Feature
CLS is very tricky to understand because the data Google collects goes way beyond the first page load. This creates a lot of confusion in the industry because Google's PageSpeed Insights tool only tracks the first page load experience and misreports the CLS penalties that will be collected by Core Web Vitals through the Chrome browsing experience.
Understanding these penalties is vital to fixing them and going all green on Core Web Vitals. So we've implemented a way to expose this on any RebelMouse-powered site by adding the following query parameter to any URL:
?debug=cls (e.g., site.com/slug?debug=cls)
By using our debugger, you can see your CLS penalties in real time, and the code highlights the offending element(s) so that it becomes immediately obvious what needs to be fixed to get a green score on CLS.
Faster Loading of Third-Party JavaScript Calls
We've figured out a new way to load critical third-party calls, such as ads, much faster, and without resulting in any penalties on performance scores. There is a new option in the JavaScript element in Layout & Design Tool that's called "Post LCP," and we highly recommend using it for any JavaScript that you need on your page.
CLS Improvements
With the knowledge that Google is rolling out new algorithm changes in 2021 that will place much higher value on metrics such as CLS, we've made several updates in anticipation of the changes.
- Sticky Element With Zero CLS Penalty
- We have a Sticky element in Layout & Design Tool that lets you do smart sticky footers, headers, or sidebars as users scroll. These were previously causing some CLS penalties, so we pushed out a platform-wide update that included smart CSS transitions. This has resulted in zero CLS penalties.
- We have a Sticky element in Layout & Design Tool that lets you do smart sticky footers, headers, or sidebars as users scroll. These were previously causing some CLS penalties, so we pushed out a platform-wide update that included smart CSS transitions. This has resulted in zero CLS penalties.
- Upgrade for Read More/Keep Reading Feature
- We've figured out a way to have zero CLS penalties when a user clicks the "Keep Reading" button on a post.
- We've figured out a way to have zero CLS penalties when a user clicks the "Keep Reading" button on a post.
- Upgrade for Sticky Leaderboard/Header Ad Units
- Many sites use logic that loads the leaderboard ad sticky for 3–6 seconds before letting users scroll past it. This is excellent for revenue and for page speed, but it was causing CLS penalties. We figured out a platform-wide fix that results in zero CLS penalties for these units. We also met with Google's performance team on this, and the latest version of Chrome Canary has shown that our solution is working.
- Many sites use logic that loads the leaderboard ad sticky for 3–6 seconds before letting users scroll past it. This is excellent for revenue and for page speed, but it was causing CLS penalties. We figured out a platform-wide fix that results in zero CLS penalties for these units. We also met with Google's performance team on this, and the latest version of Chrome Canary has shown that our solution is working.
- Ads Refresh Feature With Zero CLS Penalties
- For most media sites, refreshing a sticky ad unit every 30 seconds is a vital part of revenue. We discovered this behavior was creating CLS penalties, so we figured out a way to fix it so that the feature can work without resulting in any CLS penalties.
- For most media sites, refreshing a sticky ad unit every 30 seconds is a vital part of revenue. We discovered this behavior was creating CLS penalties, so we figured out a way to fix it so that the feature can work without resulting in any CLS penalties.
- Upgrade to Fonts Element for Zero CLS and LCP Penalties With Custom Fonts
- Lazy-loading fonts is vital for Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) scores and page speed. But we found that this frequently results in a CLS penalty since the page will shift a bit when the right font is loaded in. We upgraded to multiple weight options in the Font element of Layout & Design Tool so that you can lazy load a font and have zero LCP and zero CLS penalties. This will take some work to implement per site in order to take full advantage of the zero penalty opportunity.
Please contact your account manager or support@rebelmouse.com if you'd like us to help implement this feature.
- Lazy-loading fonts is vital for Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) scores and page speed. But we found that this frequently results in a CLS penalty since the page will shift a bit when the right font is loaded in. We upgraded to multiple weight options in the Font element of Layout & Design Tool so that you can lazy load a font and have zero LCP and zero CLS penalties. This will take some work to implement per site in order to take full advantage of the zero penalty opportunity.
- Slideshow Upgrade for Zero CLS Penalties as You Flip Through Slides
- We found that slideshows created in Entry Editor using Particle Assembler were creating CLS penalties. So we found a way to fix this so that you can use slideshows and have zero CLS penalties.
Redis Upgrade
We've upgraded Redis to the latest version, which has significantly improved back-end performance, as well as helped us stay compliant with the highest standards of security.
Platform Team Updates
DevOps
- This group focuses on developing platform infrastructure.
- We've added two senior hires to this team to focus on building out new features, as well as improve all of the platform functionality that RebelMouse users already enjoy today.
QA
- This group focuses on testing platform infrastructure.
- We've added four experienced hires to this team to help scale QA and find things that need improvement in development, build, and staging environments before they ever hit production.
We hope that you're as excited about these upgrades as we are, and we can't wait to show you all of the things that we plan to accomplish in Q2 2021!
They're here! Click here to read our Q2 2021 platform performance updates.
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Rebel Insights
The Subscription Model Is Taking off and Competition Has Never Been Steeper
May 19, 2022
The post-pandemic user landscape is still ripe for subscription revenue
You can get a subscription for everything these days. Whether it’s a cheese-of-the-month club or annual access to read your favorite content, the subscription-based model has continued to gain steam in recent years. In fact, the market for digital subscriptions is valued at $650 billion according to a new report from Lineup, a subscription management solution.
The power of the subscription model has been growing since even before the COVID-19 crisis began, and isn’t showing any signs of slowing as we enter a post-pandemic landscape. According to What’s New in Publishing, Gannett reported a 46% year-over-year increase in digital subscriptions in November 2021, putting them at 1.5M total subscribers. Hearst grew its digital subscriptions by 50% in 2021.
But subscriptions aren’t just for big name publishers. Users in 2022 are ready to pay up for legacy names and new media companies alike, as long as it’s for an experience that’s beneficial to them, reliable, and free of the clutter that can come from third-party platforms. Speaking of platforms, even TikTok and Instagram have started to gauge their audiences’ temperature on subscription experiences. So, the competition has never been steeper for publishers looking to build a subscriber base. Unfortunately, launching a simple paywall may not be enough.
According to Lineup’s report, “as available options continue to increase, so does demand for flexibility. The media companies that understand their audiences’ needs and craft highly personalized packages will come out ahead of those that take a one-size-fits-all approach to their subscription strategy.”
So how do you create a well-rounded approach to subscriptions when some industries in the subscription market are reporting a 30% customer churn?
Diversify Your Options
Creating a personalized content experience is of course key for a successful subscription model. However, that content has to be supported by the right technology to have a lasting impact. As mentioned before, there isn’t a one-stop solution for generating ROI from subscriptions. That’s why it’s important to diversify your revenue streams to see what works best for your audiences. On RebelMouse, we help you build a subscription experience that's designed for both the modern user who wants an optimized site experience and the modern publisher who relies on paywall revenue to survive.
RebelMouse's subscription features are customizable and easily support:
- Free Trials: Create one-day, weekly, or monthly subscription plans.
- Coupon Codes: Use promotional codes to give access to strategic partners and complement B2B deals.
- B2B Subscriptions: Use email matching to sell access to companies.
- Testing Powered by Data: We have a sophisticated suite of A/B testing tools — complete with Google Analytics integrations — that give you the ability to test what works, what doesn't, and how to better cater to your readers' needs.
RebelMouse's Paywall API is available to developers to make it easy to manage subscriptions. Access to paid content is managed via subscriptions attached to email qualifiers. Click here for more information on our Paywall API.
Sites powered by RebelMouse are experiencing enormous success thanks to our subscription strategies, including the Italian newspaper La Verità. While publishers on other platforms typically see a decrease in audience when they implement a paywall, in their time leveraging RebelMouse’s paywall strategy, La Verità has experienced continued, unprecedented growth. They are now one of the highest-growth media properties in Italy, and they've enjoyed significant revenue growth thanks to our paywall tools.
La Verità's superior site performance using RebelMouse's paywall tools.
Click here to read more about RebelMouse’s subscription model.
Nurture Your Subscribers
Creating resonating content that’s supported by the right subscription technology only gets you half of the way there. Once you’ve made it to this mile marker, it becomes critical to nurture your subscriber base to encourage customer loyalty.
In fact, recent data from Chartbeat found that in Northern Europe, 40% of traffic in the first quarter of 2022 came from what Chartbeat calls “loyal readers.” A loyal reader is someone that returns to your site at least 50% of the days in a two-week period.
If loyalty can account for almost half of your traffic, it’s important to invest in technology that focuses on the full user journey beyond just a subscription signup. From high-performance standards to industry-leading SEO features, RebelMouse has innovative ways to support customer loyalty for your customer base. Click here to learn more.
Create a Modern Subscription Plan on RebelMouse
If you’re looking to start a subscription model for your site, request a proposal today and we’ll help you create a holistic revenue plan that’s centered around personalization and loyalty.
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Rebel Insights
Engagement on the Rise: Why It’s Your Ticket to Loyalty
May 11, 2022
New data from Chartbeat shows engagement time is increasing despite traffic dips
Getting users to your site is only half the battle. For publishers, it’s now become more critical to focus on how long those users stay on your site — and if they ever come back. Q1 2022 data analyzed by Chartbeat found that engagement is on the rise, even though metrics like pageviews and mobile traffic experienced a decline.
Chartbeat measures engaged time by the “amount of time that readers spend actively engaging with a page — scrolling, clicking, or moving their mouse.” With this in mind, their data showed that most regions in the world registered an average of 30 seconds of engaged time on site in Q1. Readers in Latin America led the results with an average of 34.7 seconds of engaged time.
Taking a look at how engaged time has increased in recent weeks, and even years, is critical because engagement builds loyalty. If you provide users with an engaging experience, they are more likely to return. It’s those repeat behaviors that create sustainable growth for your site. Chartbeat’s data from Q1 certainly confirmed this. In Northern Europe, 40% of traffic came from what Chartbeat calls “loyal readers.” A loyal reader is someone that returns to your site at least 50% of the days in a two-week period.
How RebelMouse Builds Engagement and Loyalty
Since Chartbeat’s data shows that loyalty can account for nearly half of your traffic, it’s important to make sure that your content isn’t just resonating, but that it’s also supported by the right technology.
Here are just a few of the ways RebelMouse can help you build loyalty and engagement.
Page Performance: Many publishers are still on the fence about whether or not excellent scores on Google’s Core Web Vitals are worth the effort. They also worry that even a quality user experience won't deliver the boost in readership they need. Fortunately, our prioritization of performance at RebelMouse has given us the data to prove that Core Web Vitals are an excellent way to generate new traffic and build the user loyalty needed to have a successful business. Click here to read more on Google’s web.dev blog.
Custom Data: It’s important to clearly see how users engage with your site so that you can identify strengths and weaknesses within your user journey. RebelMouse offers unique, customizable dashboards through Google Data Studio that provide key insights into the metrics that matter most to publishers. We give our clients the ability to quickly understand the performance of their sites so that they can then make important decisions on the fly. Click here to learn more.
Distribution: Your loyal readers aren’t just on your website, which means it's important to properly engage them across multiple platforms. As publishers, you don't need to waste resources on strategizing the perfect plan for every platform. RebelMouse enables companies to succeed in a world where audiences can get easily fragmented. Click here to learn more about all of the distribution channels that easily integrate into our platform.
Holistic SEO: Another key way to improve engagement and loyalty is through content discovery, and search is the top referral traffic source in 2022. However, a modern search strategy takes a lot more to pull off these days. RebelMouse’s platform takes a holistic approach to optimizing websites for search, combining the best practices for content and technical SEO out of the box. Click here to learn more.
The data is in, and it’s never been more important to focus on the engagement and loyalty metrics that move the needle. RebelMouse can make this an easy part of your content strategy so that you can build new audiences with every publish.
Request a proposal today and let’s start working together.
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