3 paid content success stories from newspaper publishers

Paid content in particular is coming into focus, as coverage via social media is declining and data protection requirements make tracking difficult. Although only 13% pay for digital news in Germany (Austria 14%, Switzerland 17%), there is stable revenue potential for publishers. This blog post is based on findings from the Ultimate Guide to Reader Revenue Strategies in DACH Countries and uses three examples — Die Zeit aus Deutschland, Blick von der Schweiz and the BILD newspaper from Germany — to show what successful paid content can look like, what publishers should pay attention to and why it is worthwhile to invest in a digital business model.

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1 Time — premium approach to paid content

The weekly newspaper The time got serious about her in March 2017 paid content: Instead of relying on mere ad revenue, she introduced a hard paywall (Zeit Online Z+). Until then, the online offering was largely free of charge, financed by advertisements and e-paper revenue. But the digital environment was tightening, and purely advertising-based growth proved uncertain.

“I always say that 2017 was the time when Zeit Online became a mature organization,” said Christian Röpke, Managing Director of Zeit Publishing Group and Zeit Online. A year later, after an internal strategy meeting, the company switched to a subscription-first business model, with expected growth on the digital side, while print — while remaining significant — stagnates. According to Röpke, the COVID pandemic also led to an unforeseen boost: “On the first day of the pandemic, we had around seven times our usual range, and it remained high. ”

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Building a subscription-first business model

Following this change, the editorial team began developing internal data products, such as an engagement score that specifically recommends relevant content to users. This approach was particularly confirmed during the Covid-19 pandemic, as the need for information skyrocketed.

• Transformation: Extensive investments in digital editing (approx. 400 employees). ‍
• Sales shares: 70% from paid content, 25% from advertising, 5% from other sources. ‍
• Pricing: Zeit Online Z+ costs 5.95€ per week (after a cheap start month) — noticeably more than the 2-5 € that many would be willing to pay according to surveys.

Learnings for paid content: The time shows that consistent premium journalism is also read by people who are willing to pay online. The decisive factor is a clear positioning as a quality medium and creating added value that users are looking for beyond quick news reports. The result was a stable foundation for paid content.

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2 Blick — Boulevard goes paid content

In Switzerland, the tabloid was glimpse (Ringier Media Switzerland) facing a particular challenge: Can readers be successful in the tabloid segment paid content If these titles were free and purely ad-financed for a long time? In June 2023, the editorial team introduced a freemium paywall. Since then, around 10% of content — over 300 articles a month — has only been available behind payment barriers.

“We weren't 100% sure which articles would work as paid content, so we had the editorial staff place eight to twelve contributions behind a strict registration barrier every day. Readers had to sign up or log in to read these articles. You can't directly compare a registration with a payment, but in the end it is an additional effort for the user — so we thought it could be an indication that it worked,” recalls Adrian Gottwald, Head of Digital Reader Revenue at Ringier Media Switzerland.

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A clever test run with registration barrier

The experiment was successful: Within a few days, around 170,000 users signed up — a strong indication that even in the tabloid sector paid content Can be well received. A clearer payment strategy was developed from the data obtained:

• Service articles & explanations: very high conversion rates. ‍
• Realignment: Less sensation, more relevant content and a stronger focus on female target groups.

Currently counts Look+ 21,000 purely digital subscribers already. In addition, there are around 65,000 print subscriptions and other registered users who can be targeted.

Learnings for paid content: Anyone who tests boldly can be successful even in a price-oriented and range-oriented segment. A registration phase provides valuable insights into willingness to pay and reading preferences. The offer of real added value remains decisive.

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3 BILD — pioneers in paid content

Die IMAGE-Newspaper is considered one of the most successful examples of paid content in Germany. It introduced a paywall back in 2013, before many other tabloid titles followed suit. Today, BildPlus has more than 800,000 digital subscriptions, making it one of the largest offerings on the market.

“Subscriber figures for BILDplus are still increasing every month, and there are still numerous opportunities to increase growth,” says Daniel Mussinghoff, SVP Business and Growth PREMIUM Group at Axel Springer, in conversation with Press Gazette.

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Successful freemium model and Amazon Prime bundle

BildPlus uses a freemium model: Not all, but certain articles are only available to subscribers (around 15% of the online offering). The bundle with Amazon Prime stands out, which is available as a standard subscription for just €1 extra — a very attractively priced package. BILD also benefits from high reach, strong brand recognition and consistent optimization of its offering. The sister title The world operates a similar paywall concept, but recently raised the subscription price in order to stabilize revenues.

Learnings for paid content: Tabloid titles can also be paid content be successful, provided that the offer is convincing and remains attractively priced. Help constant adjustments and a clear brand strategy IMAGE to continue to play a leading role in this segment.

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conclusion

Whether it's a hard paywall, a freemium concept or a bundle offer: The three examples The time, glimpse and IMAGE Explain how different paid content can be implemented in German-speaking countries. Direct connection to the reader, supported by flexible subscription options, low barriers to entry and clever workflows, is crucial. Localized payment options and continuous monitoring (such as from MRR or LTV) are also helping to break away from the pure advertising market and build up a loyal community.

If you would like to find out more about which steps are decisive in building a digital business model sustainably and what role our digital-first CMS Purple can play for you, then Schedule a non-binding demo now.

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