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Weekly Wrap 🗞 When a “Lifetime Subscription” isn’t for life. Rolling Stone is ending its $99 lifetime print subscriptions, transitioning subscribers to a digital format starting this month. The move has sparked backlash among subscribers who feel their lifetime agreement is being breached. Why this matters ⬇️ This shift highlights the challenges print publications face in the digital age and raises questions about the terms of lifetime subscription promises. It also underscores the need for companies to honour commitments to loyal customers. What's next: A rolling class-action lawsuit? Rolling Stone will need to address these concerns fast. How they manage this will impact both reputation and subscriber trust. ------ Next, Spotify increases membership prices again. You’ll recall that Spotify increased prices in France last week. Now, its America’s turn to get hit. Premium users in the U.S. will see individual plans rising to $11.99, Duo to $16.99, and Family to $19.99 per month. This marks the second increase in a year. Why this matters ⬇️ The price hikes highlight Spotify's need to keep pace with rising costs.  However, it also puts a strain on an inflation-sensitive consumer base. What's next: Another catalogue boycott from Taylor? Spotify has to be careful with subscriber satisfaction in order to avoid any price related churn. Expect more communication about the value these increases bring to justify the costs. ------ Lastly, MSNBC is launching a podcast subscription service. MSNBC is expanding its audio offerings with the launch of “MSNBC Premium” via Apple. Premium will offer ad-free listening and early access to content for $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year. This includes exclusive episodes and a comprehensive podcast catalogue. Why this matters ⬇️ MSNBC’s move reflects a strategic need to monetize its content, and create direct revenue streams as a hedge to the traditional ad model. What's next: The Rachel Maddow subscription club? More media companies will double down on similar subscription models, enhancing their digital ecosystems and offering exclusive content to attract subscribers. The trend isn’t new - it’s a reality given where we are.  ------ Want the latest subscription commerce news, trends and insights? 📌 Get the weekly wrap right here 👉 https://lnkd.in/e7St_YeT

Almost every creator we work with eventually wonders about launching subscriptions natively on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube. Typically the two biggest reasons are: 1. Promotional support that’s been offered by the platform in exchange for a subscription launch. 2. How easy it is to sign up for subscribers who are never going to engage with content outside of that specific platform. Both of which are compelling reasons - especially the promotional levers that platform partners can pull on behalf of a show. Here’s the way we typically think about it when we have these conversations with our partners: - Our top performing creators all optimize their subscription funnel for a single destination (i.e. Supercast) to increase conversion and develop a direct relationship with their subscribers. Our recommendation is almost universally not to create multiple subscription offers (whether a creator works with us or not) because it creates dissonance and confusion for potential subs. - If a creator does plan to launch platform-specific subscriptions, we typically recommend they think of their two subscriptions as primary and secondary. Their primary subscrtiption should be where they deliver the most benefits and premium content - and the ultimate destination they want to optimize for. The platform subscription becomes a secondary offering that functions as an entry point into that customer’s world - and the benefits offered are usually structured so that a subscriber doesn’t quite get the same value as they would by going directly to the creator’s primary subscription. There’s a lot of nuance involved in building promotional funnels and a content strategy that supports that kind of two-tiered approach - but it’s doable. The mistake we see most creators make is not thinking about how both offers fit together - it takes a little more time, but makes all the difference in your ability to scale a premium revenue base effectively.

What do Spotify, Adobe, and your local gym have in common? More than you think. They all use distinct business models that could revolutionize the way you think about revenue. Today, I'm breaking down three business models great for solopreneurs. 1. Freemium to Premium Conversion Capitalize on free users converting to paid plans. - Offer basic services for free. - Introduce irresistible premium features. - Strategically price premium tiers to enhance conversion. Let's look at a less direct but equally profitable model. 2. Ad-Supported Revenue Boost earnings without direct sales by leveraging ads. - Provide content for free. - Partner with advertisers relevant to your audience. - Use analytics to optimize ad placements and revenue. For those seeking recurring revenue, consider the next model. 3. Subscription Services: Ensure a steady revenue stream with recurring payments. - Offer continuous value that justifies ongoing costs. - Regularly update service offerings to retain subscribers. - Employ auto-renewals to reduce churn rates. Each model offers advantages. Understanding and choosing the right model can drastically improve your business's financial health. Which of these models do you think could work for your business? Share your thoughts or ask a question about implementing these strategies. — If you enjoyed this content: ♻️ Reshare with others ♻️ 👍 Follow for more content like this 👍

🚀 How can Spotify improve its ad experience? 🎧🎶 With over 295 million subscribers, Spotify offers both free and premium models, but the ad experience for free users can often feel disruptive. At The Product Folks, we just published a case study on enhancing the ad experience for Spotify users. The following aspects are explored in the case study: 🔍 Key Pain Points 💡 Proposed Solutions 📈 Metrics to Gauge Success Check out the full case study to see how these solutions can shape Spotify’s ad strategy for the future!  👉 https://lnkd.in/dWnJNSSZ #ProductManagement #Spotify #AdTech #UserExperience #TheProductFolks #CaseStudy #Marketing #Ads #TechInnovation #CustomerEngagement

Pushing the boundaries of growth and innovation isn’t foreign for #Spotify’s CEO, Daniel Ek, to accomplish, but can he capture the hearts of 1 billion users by 2030? Spotify’s #marketing strategy encapsulates the human experience and their connection with #music through understanding the importance of personalization, emotion, and the collection of user data. If Spotify feels more #relatable to you, that’s because it is! Take a behind-the-scenes look at Spotify’s marketing strategy using their 4 P’s and comment down below your favorite P besides personalization!

Subscriptions Everywhere: Why Is Everything a Paywall Now? Yo, have you noticed how everything these days comes with a subscription? I just wanna catch up on the news, and bam, subscription required. Want to jam to the latest track? Boom, another subscription fee. Even scanning a document to PDF? Yup, you guessed it—subscription needed. It’s like subscriptions are taking over our lives! In this digital age, subscriptions are everywhere, from streaming services to everyday tasks. It’s all about that recurring payment model now. Companies love it because it means steady income, but for us regular folks, it can be a drag. Small fees here and there add up fast, leaving us with subscription fatigue and less cash in our wallets. And what about TV? Remember when you could just flip channels for free entertainment? Now, it’s all about Netflix and Hulu, with their exclusive content behind paywalls. It’s cool if you’re subscribed, but if not, finding free, quality shows is getting harder. But here’s the kicker—what about people who can’t afford all these subscriptions? Are they left out of the loop, missing out on news, music, and shows? So yeah, while subscriptions offer convenience and cool stuff, they’re also changing how we access information and entertainment. As more companies jump on the subscription bandwagon, it’s up to us to decide where to spend our hard-earned cash. After all, staying connected shouldn’t mean breaking the bank.

Spotify went from $13m to $13b in annual revenue in 15 years. Their CFO said it was due to these 4 growth strategies: (In particular, they noted, from 2020 onwards.) 1. Freemium Model Expansion Spotify continues to leverage its freemium model to attract users, with free users being supported by advertisements. This model has been critical in converting free users to paid subscribers, driving user engagement and retention. 2. Diversification and Acquisitions Spotify has made strategic acquisitions to diversify its offerings beyond music. This includes investments in podcasting through purchases of companies like Gimlet and Anchor, and expanding into audiobooks. These moves have not only brought in new types of content but also new revenue streams. 3. Advertising Innovations Advertising has become a significant growth driver for Spotify. The company has enhanced its advertising technologies, such as Streaming Ad Insertion (SAI) and the Spotify Audience Network, to better target and measure ad effectiveness. These innovations have tripled Spotify's ad revenue since 2018 and created new opportunities for advertisers. 4. Global Partnerships Spotify has entered into partnerships, such as the one with WPP, to integrate deeper insights and create more relevant advertising strategies. This partnership aims to leverage Spotify's extensive user data to enhance ad engagement and effectiveness. * * * * * * * They now have: → 550+ million Monthly Active Users → 230+ million paid subscribers → A valuation of $25–35 billion They are still losing money, but now less than ever. Their aim is to dominate the audio space long-term. They're certainly on track to achieving that. I give insights like this every week in my newsletter: The Growth Mindset. Subscribe using the link below. https://lnkd.in/gwnJ28jy Repost this to help your network & follow me Adam Graham for more content like this.

Spotify Wrapped: Turning Data into a Fun, Shareable Experience Every year, Spotify takes something as simple as listening data and turns it into a viral sensation that everyone loves to share. In my latest blog, I dive into how Spotify Wrapped makes data-driven marketing fun, personal, and engaging for millions of users worldwide. From clever personalization to its viral effect, there’s a lot that brands can learn from Spotify’s approach. Devleena Banerjee Sharad Gupta Check out my full blog here

Have you ever tried to cancel a subscription and felt trapped? Today, cancelling a subscription isn’t always easy, and this is not a design flaw, but an actual marketing strategy. Companies intentionally make it very difficult to cancel services or subscriptions. And what is worse, in North America, this is a legal practice. Perhaps we need to create an online blacklist of companies that practice this dark pattern of marketing behaviour, Shame them into improving their cancellation policies. I will call out a few companies whom I have experienced this practice with. Rogers Communication - Cancelling my internet services, required a phone call and 40 minutes of insisting to cancel my services. I had already moved my services to the competition as Shaw-Rogers failed to provide the performance as advertised. This was such a hassle and waste of my time and was intentional by the trained Rogers Staff. This has become the norm with internet and cell companies. Spotify - this was brutal, I had to YouTube search how to do it. It wasn't even available on the mobile app, I had to log in on my notebook and go into a hidden menu. uncool Spotify. Many apps and services make signing up a breeze, but cancelling is like navigating a deliberate time-consuming maze. Some companies hide the cancel button deep in the app, make you call customer service, or flood you with annoying pop-ups asking, "Are you sure?" Why? They hope you’ll give up or forget, so they keep billing you! This trick is what marketers call a “dark pattern.” Instead of being honest, they make the cancel process confusing on purpose trapping time-constrained consumers into one more month of billing. People might be less likely to trust any subscription service after experiencing one of the dark pattern cancellation gauntlets. The good news is that some European countries are starting to make new laws that force companies to allow cancelling subscriptions and services as easily as signing up. These laws aim to put power back into the hands of consumers - This must happen in Canada and the USA. Companies that make leaving easy show they care about customers, not just profits. Before signing up for anything, check the cancel policy—or you might find yourself stuck paying for a service you don’t even use. Read this post and more on my Typeshare Social Blog: https://lnkd.in/gRkYnZhm