Dorian Benkoil.
Anne Holland, publisher of Marketing Sherpa, opened with three main points:
– Advertising is coming back. For a large number of subscription sites on the Web, they got into subscription years ago because they realized they might go out of business, or couldn’t serve too many ads to annoy users. Said that now many presenters are thinking of tests whether they should “go back to being free.” Said selling subscriptions does mean a stronger ad team, selling to advertisers paying for the strength of that audience, a brand sale, a hard sell but in a stronger economy you can make it.
– Second theme: Continued emphasis in offline tests, integrated online and offline. Presenters say best online subscription acquisition tool is print(!). They’re also testing radio, podcasting, PR heavily (on and off-line); TV is becoming a huge part of the mix for some of the bigger consumer sites. Does mean metrics become a lot messier if you’re a marketer.
– Third theme: Industry spawning a lot of entrepreneurial activity. Usually a niche, “real nichy-niche right now.” A lot of VCs have money, Europeans coming in strong because dollar is weak. Seeing a lot of activity “finally” in wireless, “some real subscription models.”
The coverage is sponsored by Click&Buy.
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