Publishing expo 2010

Paid or free, content is redefinedCarolyn Morgan

Penmaen Media

Specialist Media Show

Paid or free, content is redefined

• (free) content = marketing

• publisher business models

• what content will people pay for

(free) content = marketing

Photoanswers attracted 158,000 user photos and a new audience; then sold subs to them

Econsultancy attract 80,000 registered digital marketers with free content & sell training to them

Gramophone grew traffic by a third by adding its archive online; searchers can buy recordings

Publisher business models

Racing Post has built 10,000 paid subs in 6 months, while 90% online content is free

Spectator charges for digital edition, iphone app, Kindle version and sees them as sampling

FT offers metered access

Econsultancy: free content drives traffic to paid events, training, directories and reports

What content will people pay for?

Pay to gainPay to own

Pay for expert contentPay for data/ intelligence

Pay for convenience

Pay to gain: Racing Post has built 10,000 paid subs in 6 months, while 90% online content is free

Pay to own: Lonely Planet sell chapter extracts

Pay for expertise: Members pay £69pa for wine reviews from Jancis Robinson

Pay for data: Brad Insight charge £1400pa for access to their database of advertiser contacts

Pay for data: Enthusiasts subscribe £40-70pa for access to services from birdguides.com

Pay for convenience: Business execs pay from 89 euros pa for book reviews at getabstract.com

Tips for publishers

• What free content will draw an audience?• What content has value:

– Expert– For gain– Data– Convenience– To own

• How to promote the paid services to the free audience