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	<title>AI and technology | Audiencers</title>
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		<title>Paywalls &#038; SEO in the AI era</title>
		<link>https://theaudiencers.com/paywalls-seo-in-the-ai-era/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Marion Wyss]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Feb 2026 08:50:06 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Decisions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AI and technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Paywalls]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[SEO]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://theaudiencers.com/?p=49631</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Choosing your paywall type should still be a strategic decision, not a technical one! </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theaudiencers.com/paywalls-seo-in-the-ai-era/">Paywalls &amp; SEO in the AI era</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theaudiencers.com">Audiencers</a>.</p>
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<p>This article summarizes the session presented by Maxime Moné (CEO of Poool) and Virginie Clève (founder of Largow, a consulting agency) at the Audiencers Festival Paris on September 16, 2025. Together, they explored the question of “SEO &amp; Paywalls: how can you combine audience and subscriptions in the age of AI?”</p>



<pre class="wp-block-verse">This presentation summarized in 5 points: <br><br>- Choosing the paywall type (super hard/hard/soft) should be a strategic decision, not a technical one: each option has a different impact on visibility, content protection, and subscription conversion.<br><br>- Anticipate AI: allowing Google to read your content also means opening the door to ChatGPT or Perplexity; blocking Google risks a drop in SEO.<br><br>- Secure markup, and calibrate text before the paywall to prevent content leakage and find the balance between SEO (≥ 800 characters) and conversion.<br><br>- Adopt a hybrid blocking model: adjust the level of openness according to the value, lifespan, and type of content, rather than a single rule.<br><br>- Don't confuse protection with growth: blocking AI protects your content, but only a strong brand and a clear offering will create subscribers.</pre>



<p>A lively presentation, Maxime and Virginie gave a candid overview of the current situation. SEO, paywalls, and now artificial intelligence are intertwined in a complex balancing act, where every decision influences visibility, conversion, and content protection.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">1) Three types of paywalls&#8230; from an SEO perspective</h2>



<p>Virginie pointed out that in SEO, paywalls fall into three main categories:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Super hard: Google is treated as a non-subscriber, with no access to paid content. Examples: Les Échos, L&#8217;Équipe.</li>



<li>Hard: Google is considered a subscriber, so it can crawl all content (e.g., Ouest-France and Le Canard Enchaîné).</li>



<li>Soft: the majority of the market (~80% of sites)—paid content is visually hidden but remains present in the code, accessible to robots&#8230; and to any resourceful user.</li>
</ul>



<p>Problem: in most newsrooms, this choice is not made by marketing management but by developers or SEO specialists, despite this being a highly strategic decision. “<em>We can no longer treat the type of paywall as a technical parameter,</em>” insists Virginie.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2) Why AI is changing everything</h2>



<p>Before the advent of generative AI, a bypassable paywall was no big deal: crafty users were in the minority and subscriber growth continued. Today, it&#8217;s a different story. AI such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Meta AI can query Google via SERP API and reconstruct all or part of the paid content, without compensation for publishers.</p>



<p>The result: if you consider Google as a subscriber (hard or soft paywall), you are indirectly leaving your content open to AI. But if you close the door completely (super hard), you penalize your SEO. This is an unprecedented dilemma that requires careful consideration and discussion among teams.</p>



<p>Another new development: since August 28, 2025, Google has officially recommended that soft paywalls no longer be used. The search engine wants to avoid indexing paid content by mistake, particularly due to new AI features such as AI Overviews and Gemini. In short: a clear line must now be drawn between free and paid content.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">3) Hidden SEO risks in your pages</h2>



<p>Structured markup: in the NewsArticle or ArticleBody format, you should never insert the entire paid text in plain text. Otherwise, any AI tool or scraper can extract it and republish it elsewhere.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-dominant-color="e9ece9" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #e9ece9;" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="1024" height="560" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-1024x560.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49685 not-transparent" srcset="https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-1024x560.jpg 1024w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-300x164.jpg 300w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-768x420.jpg 768w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-1536x839.jpg 1536w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-332x181.jpg 332w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-664x363.jpg 664w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-688x376.jpg 688w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-1044x570.jpg 1044w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-1400x765.jpg 1400w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-1920x1049.jpg 1920w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13.jpg 2048w" /></figure>



<p>The same problem applies to machine translations: Google Translate can host media pages that are translated and laid out identically, but without tracking or advertising. This is simply a case of value capture.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-dominant-color="dee0e4" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #dee0e4;" decoding="async" width="1024" height="495" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-1-1024x495.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49687 not-transparent" srcset="https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-1-1024x495.jpg 1024w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-1-300x145.jpg 300w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-1-768x371.jpg 768w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-1-1536x743.jpg 1536w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-1-332x160.jpg 332w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-1-664x321.jpg 664w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-1-688x333.jpg 688w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-1-1044x505.jpg 1044w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-1-1400x677.jpg 1400w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-1-1920x928.jpg 1920w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-1.jpg 2048w" /></figure>



<p>The text before the paywall: Google considers that below 800 characters, a page is “thin content,” and below 1,200 characters, it is of average quality. On the other hand, the more you give, the less you convert. Each media outlet must therefore find its balance between SEO and conversion—ideally through A/B testing.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-dominant-color="a1a3a0" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #a1a3a0;" decoding="async" width="1024" height="528" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-2-1024x528.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49689 not-transparent" srcset="https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-2-1024x528.jpg 1024w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-2-300x155.jpg 300w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-2-768x396.jpg 768w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-2-1536x791.jpg 1536w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-2-332x171.jpg 332w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-2-664x342.jpg 664w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-2-688x354.jpg 688w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-2-1044x538.jpg 1044w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-2-1400x721.jpg 1400w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-2-1920x989.jpg 1920w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-13-2.jpg 2048w" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">4) Hybridization, the future standard for paywalls</h2>



<p>However, the solution is not to close everything off. Max and Virginie advocate a hybrid blocking strategy: adjusting the level of protection according to the value and lifespan of the content. For example, temporarily opening a news article, then closing it once its peak visibility has passed. Some publishers, such as Ouest-France, are already experimenting with engines capable of automatically arbitrating between free and paid content.</p>



<p>At the same time, other avenues are emerging: technical solutions such as Cloudflare or Akamai (access control, pay-per-crawl), or collective approaches (via GESTE, the Alliance, or joint legal action). But they all rely on one principle: this issue must be addressed across the board—product, SEO, subscriptions, and tech all around the same table.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">5) Blocking is not enough to convert</h2>



<p>Maxime Moné reminded us: “Users don&#8217;t subscribe just to access content. They subscribe for a brand, an experience, a promise.” Work on paywalls and AI is vital for the sovereignty and value of the media, but it will never replace editorial content, trust, and product quality.</p>



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    <p>The post <a href="https://theaudiencers.com/paywalls-seo-in-the-ai-era/">Paywalls &amp; SEO in the AI era</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theaudiencers.com">Audiencers</a>.</p>
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		<title>Profitable by 2026: the business logic behind Le Monde in English</title>
		<link>https://theaudiencers.com/profitable-by-2026-the-business-logic-behind-le-monde-in-english/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[David Carzon]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Feb 2026 08:53:15 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Inspirations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AI and technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Case Studies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Editorial work and products]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Le Monde]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://theaudiencers.com/?p=49296</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The Director of Diversification at Le Monde shares how far Le Monde in English has come and why it's not as simple as 'just' translating.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theaudiencers.com/profitable-by-2026-the-business-logic-behind-le-monde-in-english/">Profitable by 2026: the business logic behind Le Monde in English</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theaudiencers.com">Audiencers</a>.</p>
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<pre class="wp-block-verse">David Carzon (formerly of Arte, Télérama, Libération, and Binge Audio) is a journalist, consultant, and author. This article was originally published in his newsletter Hupster, and <a href="https://theaudiencers.com/le-monde-in-english-6-months-later/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">provides a follow up from Audiencers first article on Le Monde in English, published six months after its launch in 2022.</a></pre>



<p>Increasingly more publishers are launching international editions, all looking to capitalize on the potential of AI translation, particularly into English. While these announcements sound promising, I have my doubts about their viability for private media outlets.</p>



<p>To see if there&#8217;s real opportunity here, I sat down with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/arnaudaubron/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arnaud Aubron</a>, Director of Diversification at <em>Le Monde</em>. Having led <em>Le Monde in English</em> project for four years now, he shares why they launched, the target audience, the work required for this project, and how it&#8217;s on track to become profitable in 2026.</p>



<p>Does that make it a replicable blueprint? It’s not that simple. I’ll let him explain&#8230;</p>


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img data-dominant-color="c8c8c6" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #c8c8c6;" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="484" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Capture-decran-2026-02-05-a-17.36.03-1-1024x484.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49311 not-transparent" srcset="https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Capture-decran-2026-02-05-a-17.36.03-1-1024x484.jpg 1024w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Capture-decran-2026-02-05-a-17.36.03-1-300x142.jpg 300w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Capture-decran-2026-02-05-a-17.36.03-1-768x363.jpg 768w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Capture-decran-2026-02-05-a-17.36.03-1-1536x727.jpg 1536w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Capture-decran-2026-02-05-a-17.36.03-1-2048x969.jpg 2048w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Capture-decran-2026-02-05-a-17.36.03-1-332x157.jpg 332w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Capture-decran-2026-02-05-a-17.36.03-1-664x314.jpg 664w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Capture-decran-2026-02-05-a-17.36.03-1-688x325.jpg 688w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Capture-decran-2026-02-05-a-17.36.03-1-1044x494.jpg 1044w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Capture-decran-2026-02-05-a-17.36.03-1-1400x662.jpg 1400w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Capture-decran-2026-02-05-a-17.36.03-1-1920x908.jpg 1920w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Capture-decran-2026-02-05-a-17.36.03-1.jpg 2560w" /></figure>
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What needs did you identify that led to the launch of <em>Le Monde in English</em>?</h2>



<p>The idea isn&#8217;t anything new. We actually found records of a print edition of <em>Le Monde</em> in English from the late ‘60s, though it didn’t last long. There’s always been this sense that a global heavyweight like <em>Le Monde</em> needs an English voice. To talk to the world, you speak English—and that’s truer now than ever.</p>



<p>The &#8220;why&#8221; was obvious, but the &#8220;how&#8221; was always too expensive. When we revisited the idea in 2021, two things changed the game: advances in AI (specifically DeepL) and the rise of digital subscriptions. Before, you’d need an army of translators, which was a non-starter. Furthermore, an ad-based model doesn&#8217;t work here because advertisers buy national, not global. Since the audience is naturally fragmented, we had to rely on a subscription-first model.        <div
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    <p>The post <a href="https://theaudiencers.com/profitable-by-2026-the-business-logic-behind-le-monde-in-english/">Profitable by 2026: the business logic behind Le Monde in English</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theaudiencers.com">Audiencers</a>.</p>
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		<title>Why it’s time to update your subscription management system to accommodate consumer trends</title>
		<link>https://theaudiencers.com/why-its-time-to-update-your-subscription-management-system-to-accommodate-consumer-trends/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Morten Jørgensen Stald]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 11 Dec 2025 10:56:23 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Decisions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AI and technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Subscription]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>What should you do before changing your subscription management platform and what you need to consider when choosing?</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theaudiencers.com/why-its-time-to-update-your-subscription-management-system-to-accommodate-consumer-trends/">Why it’s time to update your subscription management system to accommodate consumer trends</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theaudiencers.com">Audiencers</a>.</p>
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<pre class="wp-block-verse">Morten Stald is a Senior Partner at Subscrybe, the leading Scandinavian consultancy specializing in subscription. In this article, Morten shares why he thinks you need to update your subs management system, what you should do before moving forward and what you need to consider when selecting the replacement solution.</pre>



<p>We live in a digital age. Regardless of the type of subscription you offer, you likely have numerous digital interactions with your customers. This places high demands on the system infrastructure that supports your subscription business. At the heart of that infrastructure is a ‘<em>subscription management system</em>‘ which essentially handles the management of your subscribers, pricing, and subscription plans, ensuring that customers are charged the right amount – every time.</p>



<p>But, as a media professional, you already know that. However, do you know what is expected of your media business in the near future?</p>



<p>We keep a close eye on what subscribers like and don’t like. And we know for a fact that subscribers are harder to satisfy than transactional customers. After all, you need a good reason for charging them every month &#8211; and you need to deliver more and more value each month, in order for them to stay.</p>



<p>This is why we are currently helping Nordic media companies choose the best new subscription management system for their needs. And, if you didn’t already do it, we strongly encourage you to consider it as well. Because a new media reality is here. One, where your digital capabilities must be second-to-none, if you want to retain your readers over time. As print circulation slowly declines, media companies must prepare for delivering the most value in a new digital arena. And that is hard to do, without strategic IT investments.        <div
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    <p>The post <a href="https://theaudiencers.com/why-its-time-to-update-your-subscription-management-system-to-accommodate-consumer-trends/">Why it’s time to update your subscription management system to accommodate consumer trends</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theaudiencers.com">Audiencers</a>.</p>
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		<title>The Washington Post: how and why we built “Ask The Post AI”</title>
		<link>https://theaudiencers.com/the-washington-post-how-and-why-we-built-ask-the-post-ai/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jason Langsner]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 21 Nov 2025 14:21:19 +0000</pubDate>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>“Ask The Post AI,” is The Post’s in-house generative AI chatbot tool that uses RAG to answer user questions grounded in their journalism</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theaudiencers.com/the-washington-post-how-and-why-we-built-ask-the-post-ai/">The Washington Post: how and why we built “Ask The Post AI”</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theaudiencers.com">Audiencers</a>.</p>
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<pre class="wp-block-verse">Jason Langsner is Group Product Manager, Data + AI, at The Washington Post. In this article he shares how they built The Post's in-house generative AI chatbot tool that uses RAG to answer user questions.</pre>



<p id="7339">The Washington Post may be best known for our world-class and award-winning reporting, but we also pride ourselves on being industry leaders in technology and innovation. In addition to producing journalism, we also develop products and solutions in house to improve our users’ experience, including through our expanding AI Pod Research &amp; Development (R&amp;D) lab and<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/pr/2025/06/09/office-cto-announces-sam-han-chief-ai-officer-creation-wp-incubator/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;newly launched</a>&nbsp;WP Incubator.<br>        <div
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    <p>The post <a href="https://theaudiencers.com/the-washington-post-how-and-why-we-built-ask-the-post-ai/">The Washington Post: how and why we built “Ask The Post AI”</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theaudiencers.com">Audiencers</a>.</p>
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		<title>The media industry&#8217;s 5 toxic obsessions: no.2 refusing to interact with audiences</title>
		<link>https://theaudiencers.com/the-media-industrys-5-toxic-obsessions-no-2-refusing-to-interact-with-audiences/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Marion Wyss]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 21 Nov 2025 13:01:59 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Decisions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AI and technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Engagement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Audiencers' Festival]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>The greatest threat to media isn't AI, Google or the decline in social traffic. The real problem is us, and our inability to serve readers.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theaudiencers.com/the-media-industrys-5-toxic-obsessions-no-2-refusing-to-interact-with-audiences/">The media industry&#8217;s 5 toxic obsessions: no.2 refusing to interact with audiences</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theaudiencers.com">Audiencers</a>.</p>
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<p>This article summarizes the session given by Max Leroy, Audience &amp; Product Strategist, formerly of The New York Times, CNN, and POLITICO, at The Audiencers&#8217; Festival in Paris on September 16th, 2025.</p>



<p><strong>This session in 5 bullet points: </strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>The real danger to the media? Not AI or Google, but our disconnect from readers&#8217; needs.</li>



<li>Plummeting trust, dwindling audiences, refusal to pay: in any other industry, we would be talking about the collapse of product-market fit.</li>



<li>Urgent action is needed: we must stop pointless obsessions and return to users&#8217; needs.</li>



<li>This series of articles presents five toxic obsessions and offers five useful obsessions for the sustainability of the media: short circuits, communities, respect for audience needs, experimentation, and advertising/UX balance.</li>



<li>This second chapter covers obsession number two: refusing to interact with audiences</li>
</ul>



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<p>What if the greatest threat to the media were neither AI, nor the &#8220;big bad wolf&#8221; Google, nor the decline in social traffic, not even the crisis in publishers&#8217; business model? What if the real problem were us? Us and our persistent inability to take an interest in those we are supposed to serve: our readers.        <div
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    <p>The post <a href="https://theaudiencers.com/the-media-industrys-5-toxic-obsessions-no-2-refusing-to-interact-with-audiences/">The media industry&#8217;s 5 toxic obsessions: no.2 refusing to interact with audiences</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theaudiencers.com">Audiencers</a>.</p>
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		<title>How to stop subscription revenue leaks: technical and strategic solutions</title>
		<link>https://theaudiencers.com/how-to-stop-subscription-revenue-leaks-technical-and-strategic-solutions/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ali Mahmood]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 11 Nov 2025 13:03:56 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Operations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AI and technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Retention]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Subscription]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://theaudiencers.com/?p=47000</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Ali Mahmood shares how to build secure, trust-based subscription systems that protect revenue without alienating readers.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theaudiencers.com/how-to-stop-subscription-revenue-leaks-technical-and-strategic-solutions/">How to stop subscription revenue leaks: technical and strategic solutions</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theaudiencers.com">Audiencers</a>.</p>
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<pre class="wp-block-verse"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-mahmood-fatchilli/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ali Mahmood</a> is a Digital News Strategist, helping publishers navigate the evolving digital landscape to build sustainable, audience-first revenue strategies—even in the most challenging environments.<br><br>This article was written off the back of a conversation from The Audiencers' Whatsapp group about how to prevent password sharing and account misuse within organisations. </pre>



<p>Many news and media publishers reach a point where subscription growth stalls even when all the basics seem right – a strong product, smooth onboarding, effective newsletters funneling readers in. Often an unseen culprit behind this plateau is revenue leakage: people accessing paid content without paying (or without paying correctly). This leakage tends to hide in the data – for example, odd spikes in “active users per account,” lots of free-trial users who never convert to paid, or unexplained churn. If left unaddressed, it quietly undermines growth, cutting into revenue and even skewing audience metrics. It can also create fairness issues that erode trust between your newsroom and paying subscribers.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why revenue leakage happens (and why it hurts)</h2>



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    <p>The post <a href="https://theaudiencers.com/how-to-stop-subscription-revenue-leaks-technical-and-strategic-solutions/">How to stop subscription revenue leaks: technical and strategic solutions</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theaudiencers.com">Audiencers</a>.</p>
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		<title>Launching a weekday audio news briefing with AI at CT Insider</title>
		<link>https://theaudiencers.com/launching-a-weekday-audio-news-briefing-with-ai-at-ct-insider/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Madeleine White]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 Oct 2025 12:15:05 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Inspirations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AI and technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Case Studies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Editorial work and products]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Engagement]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://theaudiencers.com/?p=46156</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>We speak to Ellie Miller &#038; Derrick Ho on the strategy and processes behind this AI audio briefing project.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theaudiencers.com/launching-a-weekday-audio-news-briefing-with-ai-at-ct-insider/">Launching a weekday audio news briefing with AI at CT Insider</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theaudiencers.com">Audiencers</a>.</p>
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<p>Over the past few months, the team at Hearst Newspapers has been experimenting with AI tools to create “Connecticut Today”, CT Insider’s weekday audio news briefing.&nbsp;</p>



<p>At first the team thought they could summarize a few stories, top with a quick introduction and finish with a closing sentence or two. Those initial scripts were fine but not really something you&#8217;d want to listen to daily to get caught up on the news.         <div
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    <p>The post <a href="https://theaudiencers.com/launching-a-weekday-audio-news-briefing-with-ai-at-ct-insider/">Launching a weekday audio news briefing with AI at CT Insider</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theaudiencers.com">Audiencers</a>.</p>
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		<title>Build or buy: The technology decision that defines modern newsrooms</title>
		<link>https://theaudiencers.com/build-or-buy-the-technology-decision-that-defines-modern-newsrooms/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ali Mahmood]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 Oct 2025 20:39:57 +0000</pubDate>
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		<category><![CDATA[AI and technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>Ali Mehmood looks at why media organizations that can't evaluate software development costs and timelines are already obsolete</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theaudiencers.com/build-or-buy-the-technology-decision-that-defines-modern-newsrooms/">Build or buy: The technology decision that defines modern newsrooms</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theaudiencers.com">Audiencers</a>.</p>
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<pre class="wp-block-verse">I'm Ali Mahmood, and I've spent 20 years watching the media industry make the same costly mistake: confusing technological activity with strategic impact. As someone who's led digital transformations at news organizations across four continents, I've seen too many smart people chase the latest platform update while their audiences quietly slip away. I'm here to help separate signal from noise!</pre>



<p>Media has become a technology business. This isn’t rhetoric, it’s operational reality. Whether you’re running a century-old newspaper or a digital startup, your survival depends on how effectively you deploy technology to reach audiences and generate revenue. As newsrooms face mounting pressure from creator platforms and AI systems, the decision to build custom technology or buy existing solutions has moved from the margins to the center of strategic planning.</p>



<p>Understanding software development lifecycles and conducting rigorous cost analysis aren’t optional skills anymore. They’re survival tools. The industry is littered with expensive failures—custom CMS projects that consumed millions and delivered nothing, ad tech adventures that ended in obsolescence. But there are also remarkable successes where proprietary technology created lasting competitive advantages.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The essential frameworks</strong></h2>



<p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/software-engineering/software-development-life-cycle-sdlc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Software Development Life Cycle</a>( <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/2b05.png" alt="⬅" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> long read here) sounds abstract but it’s simply how software gets built in the real world. Understanding its phases helps you spot where projects typically fail and why timelines explode:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Planning and Requirements</strong>: This is where you define what you’re actually building and why. In newsrooms, this phase often gets rushed because everyone thinks they already know what they need. They rarely do. Requirements shift, stakeholders multiply, and scope creeps before a single line of code is written.</li>



<li><strong>Design</strong>: Architecture decisions made here determine whether your system scales or collapses under load. User interface choices affect adoption rates. Database structures impact performance for years. These aren’t just technical decisions—they shape how journalism gets done.</li>



<li><strong>Development</strong>: Where code gets written. Usually the most visible phase and paradoxically the most predictable. Good developers can estimate coding time reasonably well. It’s everything around the coding that destroys schedules.</li>



<li><strong>Testing</strong>: Reveals the gap between intention and reality. Every newsroom that’s built custom tools has stories about features that worked perfectly in development but failed spectacularly when journalists actually used them. Proper testing doubles timelines but prevents disasters.</li>



<li><strong>Deployment</strong>: Moving from controlled environments to production systems where real journalism happens or where distribution happens surfaces integration issues, performance problems, and workflow conflicts that nobody anticipated.</li>



<li><strong>Maintenance</strong>: The phase that never ends. Software isn’t a product you finish it’s a service you provide. Bugs need fixing, features need updating, security patches need applying. The true cost of custom software lives here, accumulating month after month, year after year.</li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-dominant-color="c1ccb8" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #c1ccb8;" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/b4b2d455-5637-436a-8523-256ed8de5ac6_1248x832-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-46074 not-transparent" srcset="https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/b4b2d455-5637-436a-8523-256ed8de5ac6_1248x832-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/b4b2d455-5637-436a-8523-256ed8de5ac6_1248x832-300x200.jpg 300w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/b4b2d455-5637-436a-8523-256ed8de5ac6_1248x832-768x512.jpg 768w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/b4b2d455-5637-436a-8523-256ed8de5ac6_1248x832-332x221.jpg 332w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/b4b2d455-5637-436a-8523-256ed8de5ac6_1248x832-664x443.jpg 664w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/b4b2d455-5637-436a-8523-256ed8de5ac6_1248x832-688x459.jpg 688w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/b4b2d455-5637-436a-8523-256ed8de5ac6_1248x832-1044x696.jpg 1044w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/b4b2d455-5637-436a-8523-256ed8de5ac6_1248x832.jpg 1248w" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Source:&nbsp;<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systems_development_life_cycle#/media/File:SDLC_Phases_Related_to_Management_Controls.jpg">Wikipedia</a></figcaption></figure>



<p><a href="https://www.cio.com/article/242681/calculating-the-total-cost-of-ownership-for-enterprise-software.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Total Cost of Ownership</a>&nbsp;captures this full lifecycle burden. It’s not just what you pay to build—it’s what you pay to run, maintain, upgrade, and eventually replace. Operational expenses typically dwarf upfront investments. I’ve seen newsrooms spend five times their initial development budget just keeping custom systems running over three years.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The strategic trade-offs</strong></h2>



<p><strong>Arguments for buying:</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Speed and predictability—vendors have already absorbed development costs and technical risk</li>



<li>Your team focuses on journalism instead of debugging code</li>



<li>Access to ongoing updates and support from specialists</li>



<li>Proven systems that work from day one</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>But buying means accepting constraints:</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Limited customization options</li>



<li>Your data lives in someone else’s system….This is what the first party data is discussion is partially about.</li>



<li>Dependence on vendor roadmaps and pricing decisions.</li>



<li>Generic workflows that might not match your newsroom’s needs</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>Arguments for building:</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Perfect alignment with your specific workflows</li>



<li>Complete control over features and roadmap</li>



<li>Ownership of code and data or open source. Open source means somebody did some serious work that you won’t need to pay for.</li>



<li>Potential competitive advantage through unique capabilities</li>
</ul>



<p><strong>But building demands sustained commitment:</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Technical talent that understands both code and journalism.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ftstrategies.com/en-gb/insights/newsroom-transformation-101-the-importance-of-bridge-roles">Bridge roles</a>&nbsp;become important.</li>



<li>Deep pockets for development and maintenance</li>



<li>Tolerance for risk and potential failure</li>



<li>Years-long commitment to ongoing development</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The new complexity</strong></h2>



<p>AI adds urgency to these decisions. Should you develop proprietary AI tools or integrate existing services? The same calculus applies: What’s core to your value proposition? What resources can you commit? Where will proprietary capability create lasting advantage?</p>



<p>The creator economy raises the stakes. Individual creators now have access to sophisticated tools from major platforms. News organizations must match or exceed these capabilities while maintaining journalistic standards.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>A strategic framework</strong></h2>



<p>The build versus buy decision isn’t binary, it’s a spectrum of options. As Aakash Gupta argues in his&nbsp;<a href="https://aakashgupta.medium.com/the-product-leaders-guide-to-buying-vs-building-software-a67a87bfca04">product leader’s guide</a>, these decisions should align with your strategic priorities and organizational capabilities. The International News Media Association’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.inma.org/blogs/product-initiative/post.cfm/here-s-a-new-take-on-the-age-old-dilemma-of-buy-vs-build-and-the-gray-in-between">recent analysis</a>&nbsp;similarly highlights this “gray area” between pure building and buying.</p>



<p>Build when:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>The technology is central to your unique value proposition</li>



<li>You have resources to sustain development over years, not months</li>



<li>Off-the-shelf solutions fundamentally don’t meet your needs</li>



<li>The competitive advantage justifies the risk</li>
</ul>



<p>Buy when:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>You need proven capability quickly</li>



<li>The function, while necessary, isn’t your differentiator</li>



<li>Your resources are better spent on content and audience development</li>



<li>Vendor solutions meet 80% or more of your requirements</li>
</ul>



<p>The hybrid path often makes most sense: buy core platforms but customize through APIs and open source integrations. This balances control with efficiency. Modern vendors increasingly offer this flexibility, understanding that no single solution fits every newsroom.</p>



<p>Without technical leadership at the strategic level, even established media organizations risk irrelevance. The future belongs to those who treat technology decisions as editorial decisions because in digital media, they’re the same thing.</p>
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    <p>The post <a href="https://theaudiencers.com/build-or-buy-the-technology-decision-that-defines-modern-newsrooms/">Build or buy: The technology decision that defines modern newsrooms</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theaudiencers.com">Audiencers</a>.</p>
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		<title>The media industry&#8217;s 5 toxic obsessions: no.1 criticizing platforms</title>
		<link>https://theaudiencers.com/the-media-industrys-5-toxic-obsessions-no-1-criticizing-platforms/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Max Leroy]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 28 Sep 2025 19:42:53 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Decisions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AI and technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Engagement]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Médias d’info]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Audiencers' Festival]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>The greatest threat to media isn't AI, Google or the decline in social traffic. The real problem is us, and our inability to serve readers.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theaudiencers.com/the-media-industrys-5-toxic-obsessions-no-1-criticizing-platforms/">The media industry&#8217;s 5 toxic obsessions: no.1 criticizing platforms</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theaudiencers.com">Audiencers</a>.</p>
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<pre class="wp-block-verse">This article summarizes the session given by Max Leroy, Audience &amp; Product Strategist, formerly of The New York Times, CNN, and POLITICO, at The Audiencers' Festival in Paris on September 16th, 2025.</pre>



<p><strong>This session in 5 bullet points: </strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>The real danger to the media? Not AI or Google, but our disconnect from readers&#8217; needs.</li>



<li>Plummeting trust, dwindling audiences, refusal to pay: in any other industry, we would be talking about the collapse of product-market fit.</li>



<li>Urgent action is needed: we must stop pointless obsessions and return to users&#8217; needs.</li>



<li>This series of articles presents five toxic obsessions and offers five useful obsessions for the sustainability of the media: short circuits, communities, respect for audience needs, experimentation, and advertising/UX balance.</li>



<li>This first chapter covers obsession number one: exhausting ourselves by criticizing platforms.</li>
</ul>



<div class="wp-block-kadence-spacer aligncenter kt-block-spacer-45652_fc6acd-58"><div class="kt-block-spacer kt-block-spacer-halign-center"><hr class="kt-divider"/></div></div>



<p>What if the greatest threat to the media were neither AI, nor the &#8220;big bad wolf&#8221; Google, nor the decline in social traffic, not even the crisis in publishers&#8217; business model? What if the real problem were us? Us and our persistent inability to take an interest in those we are supposed to serve: our readers.</p>



<p>The symptoms of this disconnect are measured each year by the Digital News Report and the figures for France are damning:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Trust in free fall</strong>: Only 29% of French people still trust the media, compared to 39% 10 years ago. This score places us among the lowest in Europe, just ahead of Viktor Orbán&#8217;s Hungary</li>



<li><strong>An audience that shuns the news</strong>: More than a third of the population (36%) actively avoids the news, exhausted by information overload and paralyzed by information anxiety</li>



<li><strong>A value that is no longer perceived</strong>: Barely 11% of readers are willing to pay for online news</li>
</ul>



<p>In any other industry, such a verdict would be final: <strong>the loss of product-market fit</strong>. The absolute priority would then be to stop everything and go back to talking to our users, understanding their pain points and needs, and reinventing our value proposition. </p>



<p><em>How did we get to the point where our product no longer meets an essential need of its audience?</em></p>



<p>Yet where do our eyes and conversations among media professionals turn? To the evolution of algorithms and the experiences of Google, Meta, X, and OpenAI, which are drying up our traffic sources. Or to the adoption of ad blockers and the end of third-party cookies, which are jeopardizing our advertising revenue&#8230; We are obsessed with other people&#8217;s products, those that impact our distribution. Meanwhile, a new generation of content creators is exploding, <strong>forging direct and authentic bonds of trust with their audience</strong>, something we no longer know how to do with ours.</p>



<p>Of course, the risks posed by platforms are real, and the political, legal, and economic battle to defend our value is necessary. But it must not become an excuse to paralyze what is essential: <strong>the work of our editorial, product, and marketing teams to urgently regain that product-market fit</strong>. We must focus our efforts on what we can control and accept the rest. Fear does not prevent danger.</p>



<p>Let&#8217;s dare to use a metaphor that&#8217;s not so far from reality. Imagine for a moment that traditional media are like historic car manufacturers, spending their days complaining about gas prices, CO2 emissions regulations, low-emission zones, or the end of combustion engines in 2035. Meanwhile, in a decade, electric cars have become more accessible and cycling in cities has made a strong comeback. Users have moved on: you don&#8217;t fight product-market fit, you pursue it.</p>



<p>It&#8217;s time to radically shift our obsessions. We need to abandon toxic topics over which we have limited influence and refocus on our main lever for action: <strong>our relationship with our current and potential audiences</strong>. In this series for The Audiencers, I invite you to explore five of these toxic obsessions that paralyze our teams. The hope is to replace them with five obsessions centered on the needs of our audiences and thus find our way back to product-market fit.</p>



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Toxic obsession 1/5 : Criticizing platforms </strong></h2>



<p>Our first toxic obsession is to waste time and energy denouncing platforms. We criticize their products, algorithms, and decisions, but let&#8217;s be clear: these companies are empires that write their own laws and have the means to listen to (almost) no one except Donald Trump, who supports them. Some executives even display a visceral, personal contempt for the press. Why, then, would they negotiate sincerely with us, when our dependence gives them all the leverage?</p>



<p>The fight for neighboring rights or against uncontrolled crawling is legitimate. But to wage it from a position of quasi-absolute digital vassalage is to condemn oneself to reaping only crumbs. The real leverage for negotiation lies neither in Brussels nor in the forums we sign, but in our direct relationship with our audience. To start a serious conversation with Google, it would be wise not to depend on its services (Search, News, Discover). For many media outlets in France, Google accounts for more than 50% of traffic, and in some cases more than 85%.</p>



<p>Faced with changes to their products—AI Overviews in particular—our instinct is to want to slow things down and demand guarantees. This ignores the reality of their market. Google is not on a crusade against the press; Google is fighting for its own survival in the face of the massive adoption of LLM chatbots as response engines by users. Google&#8217;s goal is to stay in the game by responding to this new need. In this battle of titans, we are neither their ally nor their enemy; we are simply the battlefield.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">To replace this trait: Grow our audiences through short supply chains</h3>



<p>Our obsession with platforms keeps us in a reactive, sterile, and exhausting position. Since the balance of power is stacked against us on their turf, the only viable strategic response is to <strong>change the playing field.</strong></p>



<p>Rather than fighting to optimize increasingly precarious traffic, we must devote our resources to building short circuits with our audiences. It&#8217;s up to us to <strong>transform volatile, algorithm-dependent readers into a loyal and engaged audience that we can activate ourselves.</strong> This approach makes our newsletters, apps, events, and communities the main tools of our resilience strategy to resume negotiations from a better position.</p>



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    <p>The post <a href="https://theaudiencers.com/the-media-industrys-5-toxic-obsessions-no-1-criticizing-platforms/">The media industry&#8217;s 5 toxic obsessions: no.1 criticizing platforms</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theaudiencers.com">Audiencers</a>.</p>
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		<title>IamExpat: Keeping users at the center when diversifying revenue</title>
		<link>https://theaudiencers.com/iamexpat-keeping-users-at-the-center-when-diversifying-revenue/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Madeleine White]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Sep 2025 08:42:39 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Inspirations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AI and technology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Case Studies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Community]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[The Audiencers' Festival]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>IamExpat shares how they're diversifying revenue through understanding their audience and continuously innovating to serve evolving needs. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://theaudiencers.com/iamexpat-keeping-users-at-the-center-when-diversifying-revenue/">IamExpat: Keeping users at the center when diversifying revenue</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theaudiencers.com">Audiencers</a>.</p>
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<pre class="wp-block-verse">At The Audiencers’ Festival in London this June 24th, Panos Sarlanis, Co-founder of IamExpat Media, invited by kind invitation by <a href="https://code.store/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">code.store</a>, the media tech and low-code experts, shared their journey of empowering expats navigate every aspect of life in a new country. <br><br>The secret? Understanding their audience’s needs, building revenue streams around this and continuously innovating to serve evolving needs. </pre>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>From personal need to pioneering platform</strong></h2>



<p>Panos’s own expat journey began in 2007 when he moved to Rotterdam with one of his co-founders for his studies and met the rest of the founding team there. A year later, after moving to Amsterdam, the idea for a comprehensive platform for internationals moving to the Netherlands was born.&nbsp;</p>



<p>&#8220;When you move to a new country, there are so many challenges you have to deal with. You may have no network, you may not speak the language, you don&#8217;t know who to trust for the main services you need.&#8221; This sense of insecurity sparked the creation of <strong>IamExpat</strong>.</p>



<p>The platform&#8217;s core mission is to empower the expatriate community by providing essential resources, tools, and a community to more confidently navigate life in a new country. This includes a wealth of content: news focused on expat life and local culture, crucial guides on topics like taxes and healthcare, articles from experts and even a dedicated job board and a housing platform.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Today, IamExpat is active in the <a href="https://www.iamexpat.nl/">Netherlands</a>, <a href="https://www.iamexpat.de/">Germany</a>, and <a href="https://www.iamexpat.ch/">Switzerland</a>, welcoming a million users monthly and collaborating with over 800 companies annually, ranging from banks to real estate agencies and healthcare providers.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img data-dominant-color="dcd8c1" data-has-transparency="true" style="--dominant-color: #dcd8c1;" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="575" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-5-1024x575.png" alt="IAMExpat in numbers" class="wp-image-45117 has-transparency" srcset="https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-5-1024x575.png 1024w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-5-300x169.png 300w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-5-768x432.png 768w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-5-1536x863.png 1536w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-5-332x187.png 332w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-5-664x373.png 664w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-5-688x387.png 688w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-5-1376x774.png 1376w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-5-1044x587.png 1044w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-5-1400x787.png 1400w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-5.png 1600w" /></figure>
</div>


<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Evolving beyond traditional revenue streams to consider user needs</strong></h3>



<p>In its early days, IamExpat focused on building the brand through &#8220;evergreen content,&#8221; such as guides on applying for work permits. This foundational content continues to perform, and has provided an important advertising space for monetization.</p>



<p>But as the platform grew, the team began exploring other revenue streams based on their <strong>user’s needs</strong>. The question they kept asking: “What essential needs can we solve with new products or services?”</p>



<p>This led to the launch of <strong>directories</strong>, helping users find trusted professionals, from tax advisors and language schools to English-speaking dentists, lawyers and career coaches. These have become a significant part of IamExpat&#8217;s business model.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-dominant-color="f1eeec" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #f1eeec;" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="798" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-5-3-1024x798.jpg" alt="IAMExpat diversification of revenues" class="wp-image-45112 not-transparent" srcset="https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-5-3-1024x798.jpg 1024w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-5-3-300x234.jpg 300w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-5-3-768x598.jpg 768w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-5-3-332x259.jpg 332w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-5-3-664x517.jpg 664w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-5-3-688x536.jpg 688w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-5-3-1044x813.jpg 1044w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-5-3.jpg 1384w" /></figure>



<p>Recognizing the challenges of finding accommodation and employment in new countries, IamExpat also launched a <strong>housing platform</strong> (aggregating rental properties from partners) and a <strong>job board</strong> specifically tailored for their international and multilingual audience.&nbsp;</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-dominant-color="efeadb" data-has-transparency="false" style="--dominant-color: #efeadb;" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="493" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6-1-1024x493.jpg" alt="IAMExpat job board" class="wp-image-45119 not-transparent" srcset="https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6-1-1024x493.jpg 1024w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6-1-300x144.jpg 300w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6-1-768x370.jpg 768w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6-1-1536x739.jpg 1536w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6-1-332x160.jpg 332w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6-1-664x320.jpg 664w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6-1-688x331.jpg 688w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6-1-1044x502.jpg 1044w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6-1-1400x674.jpg 1400w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6-1.jpg 1600w" /></figure>



<p>These &#8220;classifieds&#8221;—directories, housing, and job boards—<strong>now account for a considerable part of their revenue. Directories contribute the most, and </strong>this highlights the high value and conversion rate of these specialized services that focus on user needs.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>From online to offline, to online again</strong></h3>



<p>IamExpat&#8217;s journey didn&#8217;t stop at online services. &#8220;What if users and clients could actually meet in person?&#8221;, leading to the creation of the <strong>IamExpat Fair</strong> in 2015. These events bring readers and advertisers together under one roof, fostering direct connections.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Since their inception, the fairs have attracted over 40,000 visitors and 600 exhibitors across four locations in the Netherlands and Germany.</p>



<p>The COVID-19 pandemic, while initially impacting revenue, spurred further innovation. The need for personal advice remained, prompting IamExpat to shift from offline to online with <strong>webinars</strong>. What started as a temporary solution has become a permanent and successful part of their business model, with <strong>events and webinars (primarily the fairs) now being important revenue contributors</strong>. This diversified approach not only serves their existing advertiser base but also attracts new clients who may not have considered online advertising.</p>



<p>Today, IamExpat boasts a remarkably balanced revenue model in the following areas:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Online Marketing (banner ads, content marketing, email marketing)</strong></li>



<li><strong>Classifieds (directories, job ads)</strong></li>



<li><strong>Events (fairs, webinars)</strong></li>



<li><strong>Affiliates</strong></li>
</ul>



<p>However, Panos emphasized the need for constant vigilance in the rapidly changing media industry, citing concerns like platform shifts, cookie deprecation, the rise of content creators, and the uncertainty surrounding AI.</p>



<p>A crucial first step in further diversifying IamExpat’s portfolio was a <strong>significant technological upgrade</strong>. Recognizing their outdated website was a &#8220;big pain point,&#8221; they decided to rebuild everything from scratch. Partnering with <a href="https://code.store/"><strong>Code.Store</strong></a>, they adopted a modern tech stack, including a headless CMS (Directus), Vercel for front-end hosting, Cloudflare for caching and CDN, Algolia for powering search, and n8n to import jobs and properties.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-dominant-color="eae3dc" data-has-transparency="true" style="--dominant-color: #eae3dc;" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="578" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6-1024x578.png" alt="Technology at IAMExpat" class="wp-image-45121 has-transparency" srcset="https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6-1024x578.png 1024w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6-300x169.png 300w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6-768x433.png 768w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6-1536x867.png 1536w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6-332x187.png 332w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6-664x375.png 664w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6-688x388.png 688w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6-1044x589.png 1044w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6-1400x790.png 1400w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-6.png 1600w" /></figure>



<p>With the close support of the team at Code.Store, this overhaul dramatically improved performance and user experience, while maintaining an SEO-first approach.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img data-dominant-color="f5f5f5" data-has-transparency="true" style="--dominant-color: #f5f5f5;" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="700" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" src="https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-8-1024x700.png" alt="Dashboard at IAMExpat" class="wp-image-45123 has-transparency" srcset="https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-8-1024x700.png 1024w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-8-300x205.png 300w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-8-768x525.png 768w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-8-1536x1049.png 1536w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-8-332x227.png 332w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-8-664x454.png 664w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-8-688x470.png 688w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-8-1044x713.png 1044w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-8-1400x956.png 1400w, https://theaudiencers.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-8.png 1600w" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Vertical expansion and community spaces</strong></h2>



<p>Looking to the future, IamExpat is considering different expansion plans. Ideas for diversification include:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Vertical expansion: </strong>Identifying opportunities from popular products and services for expatriates</li>



<li><strong>Membership programs:</strong> Offering packages with special discounts and offers from existing clients, potentially as a company benefit for international employees.</li>



<li><strong>Merchandise:</strong> While not expected to be a major revenue driver, it could enhance offline branding.</li>



<li><strong>Physical IamExpat spaces:</strong> A bold vision for a blended short-stay, co-working, café, and restaurant space where expats can live, work, learn, and connect. This concept draws inspiration from media companies like Time Out, which have successfully integrated online and offline experiences.</li>



<li><strong>Geographic expansion:</strong> Bringing their proven model to new international destinations in Europe and globally.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>What can you take away from IamExpat’s diversification strategy?</strong></h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><strong>Diversification is crucial</strong> to reduce exposure to industry volatility &#8211; new products and services are no longer optional</li>



<li>New products must be <strong>aligned with the core mission and users</strong> to expand reach and influence.</li>



<li>Build products with <strong>cross-functional teams</strong> that unlock synergies</li>



<li>Be <strong>open-minded</strong> for opportunities to emerge</li>



<li><strong>Offline experiences</strong> will become even more vital for building connections and trust &#8211; <strong>direct client contact</strong> is invaluable for distributing and selling new products.</li>



<li>The <strong>right technology and partners</strong> are essential for scaling &#8211; keep the tech fresh to unlock speed, scale and innovation.</li>
</ul>



<p>IamExpat is open to strategic partnerships to support its growth plans. Interested? Contact their team via <a href="https://www.iamexpat.com/">https://www.iamexpat.com</a> or <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/panossarlanis/">connect with Panos</a>.</p>



<pre class="wp-block-verse">"IamExpat shows what we do at code.store: help clients pick the right stack and make the move without pain. We retired their costly Drupal 7 system and migrated to Directus Cloud + Vercel. Our team handled the migration end-to-end—data, content, SEO, editor workflows, and deployment—without downtime. For media and publishers, we provide practical, full-scope IT outsourcing, from CMS, Data, Mobile apps to subscriptions. The relaunch of IAmExpat is a good example: with the right stack and a focused team, you get a faster site, lower costs, and room to grow."<br>- Maxime Topolov, Founder &amp; CEO at code.store</pre>
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