“How can we convince younger readers to subscribe?” is without a doubt a question you’ve heard before. But whilst most media outlets are simply offering a discounted subscription for students, for Mediahuis Belgium, the solution lies in developing distinct products that speak directly to the needs and concerns of these audiences.
Katia Debusschere, Manager of Acquisition and Conversions at Mediahuis Belgium, spoke at our recent London Festival on the topic, sharing the ins and outs of their subscription product built for 18-26 year olds, providing recommendations for others looking to do something similar.
Company info card:
Mediahuis Belgium, part of the wider European media group Mediahuis, is made up of 5 brands: De Standaard, het Nieuwsblad/De Gentenaar, Gazet van Antwerpen, Het Belang van Limburg
Together, the brand counts 432,000 subscribers
Brands reach a total of 2 million people daily
The average subscriber is 64.5 years old
The challenge: attracting younger readers, aged between 18-26
Young readers are willing to pay!…
Katia opened the floor with a statement that most weren’t expecting – unlike assumptions, research has proven that most US Millennials and Gen Z audiences are paying for news. Notably, however, they’re twice as likely to pay for or donate to email newsletters, video blogs, or audio podcasts from independent creators than pay for newspapers in print or digital.
So the challenge is in offering value.
As the latest data shows, the challenge is not to get young readers to pay (for any news) – they already do – but rather to get them to value traditional sources more, such as digital newspapers.
