Winning Retention Strategies From Leading European Publishers
Dear reader,
After years of laser-focused volume growth, European publishers are facing a new challenge: keeping subscribers loyal in a shifting digital landscape. Persistent churn and the slowdown in volume growth have made it clear that the game is changing. Publishers are now pivoting to a more balanced strategy, with greater attention devoted to deepening engagement and building lasting reader relationships. In this issue, we spotlight innovative approaches from Mediahuis Belgium, Zeit Online, and Le Monde.
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From Growth to Retention: Shifting Publisher Strategies
For years publishers have focused on driving digital volume growth. But now, as growth begins to level off or even decline, the focus has shifted. It's clear that acquisition alone won’t sustain long-term success. To preserve and grow existing subscriber revenue, many are adopting fresh approaches to retention—from transitioning print subscribers to digital, to proactive onboarding and smart pricing. Let’s look at the innovative ways some European publishers are working to build loyalty and reduce churn.
Digital Transformation: Mediahuis Belgium’s Path for Loyal Print Readers
The long-anticipated shift from print to digital continues to unfold, particularly for European publishers, where consumer preferences and a slower pace of digital adoption have made the transition more gradual. Attracting subscribers alone is no longer enough—actively retaining them is critical, especially when transitioning loyal, older print audiences to digital formats. Mediahuis Belgium exemplifies this retention-first strategy. With a subscriber base averaging three years in tenure and 68 years in age, Mediahuis focuses on providing supportive, seamless transitions tailored to these readers.
At INMA’s Media Subscriptions Town Hall earlier this year, they shared valuable insights into their approach including:
To ensure a seamless transition, Mediahuis provides personalized support, clear communication about the benefits of digital access, and a structured onboarding process, helping subscribers feel comfortable and confident with their digital platforms.
The company avoids relying on long-term discounts but offers incentives like exclusive digital content or bundled offers to make the digital transition more appealing, especially for hesitant print subscribers.
By acknowledging the value of print for long-term subscribers, they continue to offer print options alongside digital access. This flexibility helps maintain loyalty while adapting to new formats, with subscribers eventually able to prioritize digital while still engaging with print.
To avoid price concerns among its audience, their subscribers can easily downgrade to a more affordable subscription tier if they’re hesitant about digital-only pricing. This approach eases fears of price increases while encouraging digital adoption.
Mediahuis leverages data insights to understand print subscribers’ habits, identifying those most likely to transition to digital. Thanks to an analysis of content consumption and engagement, they can target these subscribers with personalized messages, driving conversion efficiency.
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