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Bill Baird
Presented to API
Content MarketingSuccess Factors
Content Marketing Trends Content Value Assessment Marketing Best Practices Infrastructure Planning
What’s in This For You
$5.88b Annual B2C Content Sales 76% of content sites offer Free Trial Profitability Timeframe
◦16-20% within 3 mo.◦44% within 6 mo.◦57% within a year
Majority of co’s > $1mm fell into this category
Big Picture Trends
Source: Subscription Site Insider 2010 Study
Which Content Will They Pay for?
Type 2:Mission-Critical
Decision Support
Type 3:Interactive
Functionality
Functional Exclusivity
&
User Need
Type 1:Searchable Text / Visual Content
Rich data, online software, multi-player gaming (Match.com, AviationWeek, LinkedIn, McAfee.com, GoToMyPC, Techtracker.com)
WSJ, FT.com, Angie’s List, Consumer Reports, Zagats
Traditional Mass Media
Publicly-Reported User Growth, 2012
Producing Traffic: Where to Invest?Producing Traffic:
Where to Invest?
Conversion Metrics
Registration Techniques
• Start Far in Advance of Launch• Make it Ubiquitous and Easy• Provide a reason to register
– Tier Content Access– Newsletter(s)– Interactive Features– Table of Contents or Digest– Special Report– Social Media Features– Sweepstakes
• DHTML pop-up for Visitors• Multivariate or A/B Testing
Page
9
Paid Content
Free Content
Conversion Best Practices: Barrier Wall“What Are They? Why Do They Work?”
Bait
On-Site Conversion Best Practices
Page 10
• Match expectations between pages
• Make it easy• Capture only email at first• Field above the fold
• Use design to guide
the eye• Eye flows left to right
Get Ready …Get Set ….
The Mirror Trick Color Mass Position Clear Call to Action
Registration and Conversion Best Practices:
Driving the Eye to Your Goal
Term Considerations
Term Considerations
The 3 Offer Drivers◦Commitment -- Free Trial vs. Risk-Free
◦Price Point ($4.99, $9.99, $14.99, $19.99, etc.)
◦Term Options Push for highest possible Price expression as monthly Monthly billing? Multi-term options?
What Should You Test?
Commitment, Price and Term
A/B or Multivariate Testing of Landing Pages
◦ Copy (Headlines, length)
◦ Design Elements
What Should You Test?
A/B or multivariate testing on landing pages
Price testing for subscription offers
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
26%
43%
74%
57%
% Conducted Test % Not Used
Source: SubscriptionSiteInsider.com Observational Study of paid subscription content sites conducted June-September 2009. Study n=550.
Tests Used by Subscription Sites to Maximize Profits
Recency Drives Response◦ The sooner a name is promoted after an action, the better◦ Buyers > Hotlines > Responders > Openers > Non-Openers
Use an Email Service Provider (ESP)◦ Inhouse implementation -> delivery problems
Special Time-Based Offers◦ Effort 1 => 0.7%, Effort 2 => 1.6%◦ First customer service, second new offer w/ TCO
Email Conversion to Paid
Retaining Trials
Goal = an immediate, positive experience Lead the new customer to value Plan engagement infrastructure
Autorenew = 2x the conver$ion revenue Ensure proper fulfillment practices in advance
◦ Expired Cards
◦ VISA/MC Updater Programs
◦ Etc.
Retention – Automatic Renewals
Conceptualizing Retention
Months after credit card is provided
# of starts still active
0 12
100 people Simple Retention rate
Equivalent Retention Rate
50 people
Social Media: What Role?
15% 30% 45% 60% 75%0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
Email discussiongroups
(Unsure 24%)
Twitter(Unsure 49%) LinkedIn
(Unsure 31%)
MySpace (Unsure 29%)
Facebook(Unsure 25%)
Company - sponsoredonline
community(Unsure 7%)
% Responding Somewhat or Very Time Consuming
% R
espo
ndin
g Ve
ry E
ffecti
ve
Sphere Volume = Usage
Source: SIPF, MarketingSherpa and Baird Direct, May 2009Methodology: Survey fielded to SIPF members. N = 311
Icon from SmashingMagazine.com
1. Triggered Emails.2. Editor’s Picks.3. Member Ratings.4. Personal Profiles.
Engagement Infrastructure
Build marketing technology proactively ◦ Barrier - Payment Terms – Creative – Offer – Tracking – Database
Gather newsletter addresses 1 year before launch Plan proactively for resource needs (SEO/SEM/DB/etc.) Know the staff skill sets for success
Identify Marketing Needs Well in Advance
