What makes audience members subscribe to news?

Legacy newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ), podcast platform Podimo, and start-up newsletter The Edinburgh Minute have each managed to serve users’ needs and encourage growth with premium content. During the INMA Media Subscriptions Summit in Amsterdam last week, attendees heard how each company has found its own path to success.  

SZ tailored its editorial decisions to a user needs model reflecting its audience. Podimo leverages audience loyalty and habit-driven listening to drive engagement. And The Edinburgh Minute focuses on community building, word-of-mouth, and transparency to build a loyal audience base.

Premium content drives engagement and conversions at SZ

Dominic Grzbielok, head of news product at Süddeutsche Zeitung, explained how premium content tailored to user needs is driving growth: “Readers and news lovers actually expect SZ to give perspective in the sea of different opinions.”

SZ’s strategy focuses on identifying and delivering content that meets specific user needs, such as planning personal budgets. A study by Smartocto and Ringier showed articles aligned with user needs generated 34% more pageviews than standard content.

This approach has been tested through targeted experiments, Grzbielok said:

• Real estate content designed for prospective homebuyers performed significantly better than general real estate coverage, generating 5X more subscriber pageviews and 12X more conversions. 

• A science column published at lunchtime increased subscriber pageviews by 44%, showing that timing content to match user habits can drive engagement. 

• Similarly, coverage of Oktoberfest aimed at non-Munich readers attracted new audiences and performed well among non-subscribers.

SZ’s user needs framework now informs the entire editorial process, from content planning to distribution, Grzbielok said. The company is refining its editorial workflow and feedback loops to further improve content performance.

The goal is to increase pageviews and conversions and build stronger reader relationships through valuable and relevant content.

Grzbielok stressed that improving premium content and aligning it with user needs remains an ongoing process: “We are not finished yet; we cannot be.” 

Success relies on effective collaboration between teams, he said: “What really matters is cross-functional work, across hierarchies and the sponsors.” 

The alignment between editorial, product, and business teams is essential for maintaining long-term growth and strengthening reader relationships, he added.

Podimo builds a podcast subscription business

Tim de Gier, head of content at Podimo, outlined the company’s strategy for growing its podcast subscription business. Podimo evolved from an advertising-based model to a subscription-focused platform, reaching 1 million paid subscribers in 2025.

Podimo’s growth began with the launch of Dag en Nacht Media in 2016, which operated on a revenue-sharing model supported by advertising. The company offered podcasters free studio space and invested in developing new shows. This approach helped build a strong content library and secure a loyal audience.

In 2017, Podimo launched in Denmark and quickly expanded to Norway, Germany, Spain, and later, Finland and Mexico. The shift to a subscription model began with the company’s entry into the Dutch market in 2022 through the acquisition of Dag en Nacht Media. Podimo strengthened its market position by acquiring Tonny Media in 2024, helping to broaden its content offering and drive subscriber growth.

De Gier described Podimo’s strategy as “creating an attractive dancefloor,” focusing on building a foundation of popular shows and consistent genres to attract users. “Documentaries have become the cornerstone of podcast culture,” he said, highlighting the importance of high-quality content in retaining subscribers.

Podimo’s success lies in understanding audience behaviour and filling content gaps. The company analyses listener data to identify underrepresented groups and tailor content to their interests. 

By combining strategic acquisitions, targeted content development, and a strong understanding of audience needs, Podimo has positioned itself as a leader in the competitive podcast subscription market.

The Edinburgh Minute is driven by the community

Michael MacLeod launched The Edinburgh Minute newsletter in March 2023 on Substack, with the goal of making it easier for people to find local news.

In the past two years, it has grown into a strong local news community with 25,000 subscribers and an impressive 89% retention rate. He launched The London Minute in May 2024; many other newsletters now follow this format. 

MacLeod understands that “audiences are looking to find the quality among all the noise.” This newsletter uses a simple format and compresses a day’s reading into one or two minutes. “People are moving away from news, bothered by the endless cycle and looking for solutions to stay updated, which is the main user need of the format.”

MacLeod operates by the following principles:

• Make it easier for people to find local news.

• Always link to every source.

• Always include the name of the journalist and publication.

• No ads.

• No clickbait.

• Fair use of other people’s content, no breach of copyright.

• Encourage interest and participation in local democracy.

Half of The Edinburgh Minute’s content is links to local reporting collated by MacLeod, and the other half comes from reader contributions. User-generated content ensures a highly engaged audience that adds value to the publication. 

Audience members point to the mental health benefits, sense of connection and community, and transparency as reasons for subscribing. With subscriptions costing up to €5.95 per month, The Edinburgh Minute taps into reader generosity without putting all its content behind a paywall. 

Steady, organic growth has been driven by high referral rates and word-of-mouth — the advertising budget is €0. MacLeod’s strategy is “slow growth with the right audience is better than no growth. Even worse is fast growth with the wrong audience.”

The audience’s habits show how much they enjoy this format: 60% of readers open the newsletter before getting out of bed, often enjoying it with a cup of tea or coffee.

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