In an era where digital noise often drowns out quality journalism, Zidni Kadir, head of subscription growth at Kompas.id, Indonesia’s leading news platform, brought a fresh perspective to the table. 

Speaking at INMA’s recent Asia/Pacific News Media Summit, Kadir unveiled how Kompas.id has not only navigated but thrived amidst the challenges of modern media consumption. By integrating sophisticated digital strategies such as pixel tracking, Kompas.id has masterfully enhanced its profitability and subscriber base.

Challenges

Kadir identified common challenges across the media landscape as organisations transition from traditional news dissemination to dynamic, subscription-based models. 

One of the primary hurdles for Kompas.id was educating potential subscribers on the value of paying for news. 

In a landscape awash with free content, articulating a compelling value proposition becomes crucial. Kadir emphasised the importance of showing audiences the high-quality journalism they gain access to upon subscribing — content that offers depth and critical insight rather than just surface-level news. 

“It’s all about the value proposition we communicate to our audience and what benefit they will receive after they subscribe to our news,” he said.

Another significant challenge is differentiating their in-depth, professionally produced content from the more casual and often less reliable content found on social media platforms: “Many people are struggling to see the differences, so it is really tied to our main question: why we shall pay for the news,” Kadir said.

Moreover, the transition from merely spreading news to selling news subscriptions represents a fundamental shift in the business model. 

“We have a new path that we must learn,” Kadir said, referring to the need for a strategic overhaul in how content is presented and marketed to resonate with potential subscribers through various touchpoints and tailored marketing campaigns.

But with challenges come opportunities. Kadir adeptly shifted the conversation from the hurdles to the innovative approaches Kompas.id has implemented to turn these challenges into avenues for growth and increased engagement.

Pixel tracking

Kompas.id leverages the Meta Pixel, a specific type of tracking pixel, which enables staff to collect comprehensive data on user interactions across their digital platforms.

Kadir highlighted the capability of this technology:

“These tools in the Meta Pixel allow us to capture data from every touchpoint ... . We then use this data to build lookalike audiences that are in our targeting.” 

This meticulous monitoring of user behaviours allows Kompas.id to optimise its marketing efforts for maximum conversion.

Kadir elaborated on a compelling case study highlighting the strategic use of technology to streamline Kompas.id’s user journey, thus improving subscription rates. He identified a common barrier in the subscription process where potential subscribers were dropping off — specifically, the requirement to create an account before making a payment. 

To address this, Kompas.id simplified the user journey by removing the mandatory account creation step. 

Kadir explained: We freed this step, making sure that once they subscribe, they can quickly move to payment and complete the process without hassle.” 

This adjustment allowed users to engage more smoothly with the service, leading to a seamless transition from interest to subscription, ultimately enhancing user experience and boosting conversion rates.

The “Kompas Brief”

The “Kompas Brief” is an innovative content format introduced by Kompas.id as part of their strategy to address the challenge of maintaining reader engagement in the fast-paced world of digital media. This format is specifically designed to cater to the consumption habits of social media users, who typically prefer quick, easily digestible information. 

The Kompas Brief is crafted to provide readers with a concise, straightforward summary of news articles. By simplifying the presentation of news without sacrificing the depth of information, Kompas.id aims to bridge the gap between casual news consumers and more dedicated readers.

“The Kompas Brief is basically still an article, but the format helps you understand news more easily and quickly,” Kadir said. This format is particularly effective in capturing the fleeting attention of users scrolling through their feeds, offering them a gateway to deeper content should they wish to explore further.

Kompas.id also strategically times its marketing campaigns to coincide with paydays and other significant dates to maximise subscriber acquisition, capitalising on the increased consumer spending power during these periods.

Kadir underscored the effectiveness of this targeted approach: “Our goals is to quickly convert them with our affordable pricing ... especially during the double dates or payday promotions.”

This strategy is designed to attract potential subscribers who are more likely to spend on subscriptions when they have greater financial flexibility, thereby enhancing the impact and success of Kompas.id's promotional efforts.

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