Scenario · Media
A publication's newsletter audience had grown, but the team could not connect that growth to paid subscriptions. We clarified the paid editorial proposition, built a reader conversion journey and separated subscriber acquisition from advertiser account development.
250 → 400
$120 → $90
80% → 86%
Comparable reporting periods
A publication's newsletter audience had grown, but the team could not connect that growth to paid subscriptions.
The work focused on new paid subscribers, marketing cost per new subscriber, 90-day paid-reader retention. Advertising-account revenue was excluded from reader acquisition. Retention followed each new-subscriber cohort, rather than total readership.
Which activity helped new paid subscribers, and what happened at the next decision?
What we did
The priority was new paid subscribers. The team used marketing cost per new subscriber and 90-day paid-reader retention to assess the next stages, with a clear distinction between activity and accepted outcomes.
We clarified the paid editorial proposition, built a reader conversion journey and separated subscriber acquisition from advertiser account development.
The team compared new paid subscribers, marketing cost per new subscriber, 90-day paid-reader retention across the agreed reporting periods. Advertising-account revenue was excluded from reader acquisition. Retention followed each new-subscriber cohort, rather than total readership.
New paid subscribers moved from 250 to 400. Marketing cost per new subscriber moved from $120 to $90. 90-day paid-reader retention moved from 80% to 86%.
Advertising-account revenue was excluded from reader acquisition. Retention followed each new-subscriber cohort, rather than total readership.
We calculated relative changes from the baseline and comparison values and reported conversion or retention changes in percentage points. We rounded displayed changes to one decimal place where needed. The figures did not establish that marketing caused the outcome.
Measurement window: Two comparable 90-day reader-acquisition windows, with a further 90-day retention check.
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