Feeling the love for INMA’s Media Subscriptions Summit
Editor's Inbox | 05 March 2024
Not to toot our own horn, but last week’s INMA Media Subscriptions Week “knocked it out of the park.”
Not our words, but we’ll take them.
Whether you were one of the 280 attendees with us in New York, followed along on social media following #INMASubscriptions or our Conference blog, or have FOMO, here’s some follow-up we’ve received since everyone returned to their respective desks at news media companies around the world.
In addition to the sampling LinkedIn love from attendees, here are the top 10 main themes of the summit based on the social media posts and e-mails from attendees in the days following the summit, compiled by summit organiser INMA Readers First Initiative Lead Greg Piechota:
Mobile-first approach: Developing content and user experiences with a mobile-first mindset since most content is consumed on mobile devices. This includes creating content specifically for mobile, such as vertical storytelling and optimising for linear reading.
Personalisation and user-centric focus: Prioritising personalisation and understanding user needs to create compelling content and drive subscriptions. This involves leveraging data insights, engaging with customers, and focusing on solving user problems with the product.
AI and its potential applications: Exploring the potential of Artificial Intelligence, generative AI, and language models in various areas such as personalisation, dynamic pricing, and content development. However, the actual impact on human involvement and strategic metrics remains uncertain.
Importance of journalism and brand value: Emphasising the value of journalism and the efforts behind it to both current and potential readers. Building reader understanding of the role and value of independent journalism and clarifying the brand perception through proper marketing.
Cross-functional collaboration: Encouraging collaboration between different departments, such as engaging journalists through data literacy and creating cross-functional teams to integrate the newsroom and other functions.
Product as a solution and “jobs to be done”: Focusing on developing products that solve users’ problems and fulfill their needs. Understanding the “jobs to be done” by the product and ensuring it is compelling enough to drive engagement and subscriptions.
Bundling strategies: Implementing bundling strategies to drive subscription growth, including offering non-news products and collaborating with other publishers to create attractive packages for readers.
Potential for subscription growth: Recognising that there is still room for growth in paid content and subscriptions, especially with upcoming major news events in 2024. Publishers should capitalise on these opportunities to attract and retain subscribers.
Importance of data and metrics: Leveraging data insights to understand user behavior, make informed decisions, and measure success. This includes focusing on key metrics, simplifying data analysis, and using data to guide both editorial and business strategies.
Reader engagement and habit formation: Encouraging reader engagement and habit formation through various means such as newsletters, puzzles, audio articles, and digital newspapers. Utilizing push notifications at fixed times to help establish regular reading habits.

To continue following Piechota and his research on digital subscriptions, INMA members can subscribe to his newsletter here.
Thanks to everyone who was part of our annual subscriptions summit. We hope to see you at our next in-person event, our World Congress of News Media in London, April 22-26.