Paywalls Are Not The Answer
The Great Wall of China, which was built to ensure no one was able to read Chinese poetry without first paying a fee. (Photo credit WikiMedia.)
Troy Hunt recently wrote a blog post with the wonderfully descriptive title, It’s 2016 already, how are websites still screwing up these user experiences?!. Many of the problems Mr.Hunt describes are manifestations of content producers inability to figure out how to make money.
On the one hand, if you’re selling ads, you can end up crossing this weird line where you’re basically telling your readers that you don’t really want them to read your articles. You simply want them to click on an ad. Your content has become subordinate to the ads. Is that really what you wanted?
And then your readers start using ad-blockers and now you’re basically in a fight with them, because they aren’t really your customers, they’re your product.
On the other hand, I keep hearing this refrain that you can’t get people to pay for content. Which is silly, since people pay for content all the time. The real reason people won’t pay for content is because most of the content they’re asked to pay for isn’t unique or valuable.
Never Blame Your Customer
Ironically, content producers often diminish the value of their content even when they’re not shoving ads in your face, by chasing page views. For example, I enjoy reading FiveThirtyEight, but they continue to obsess over Trump’s chances in the Presidential election. One or two pieces would have been fine, especially since they’re a unique voice. But they run a variation of the same analysis almost every day, which displaces higher value content. Content I might have been willing to pay for otherwise.
Loyalty Versus Growth
This is a variation on a larger theme: companies are so focused on growth, and thus on attracting new customers, that they end up eroding the loyalty of their existing customers. They’ll offer a great promotion for new customers while neglecting their existing customers.
For example, this was my experience with Amazon Web Services. I was an early adopter of the technology back in 2008, when a lot of people were still skeptical, and even hostile, toward cloud infrastructure. Fast forward to 2012, when I had to go through a business partner in order to get credits with them for use at Panda Strike.But, hey, I’m not bitter.
The same principle applies to writing endless click-bait articles. You’re telling your readers that you’re more concerned with attracting new readers than you are with giving your existing readers what they want. And then you complain because they don’t want to pay for your content. So then you get more aggressive and put a paywall. Here’s a hint: any time you’re battling your customers, you’re doing it wrong.
A Leap Of Faith
Take a leap of faith if you want people to pay for your content. After all, you’re asking your readers to take a leap of faith by paying for it in the first place. Prove to them that you value them, and that you aren’t going to pander to drive-by readers. Only then will people seriously consider paying for your content.