According to research by the Reuters Institute, an average of 17% of people paid for online news in 2023 (across 20 markets). Additionally, 36% indicated that they might consider paying in the future. These figures vary by market, with Norway and Sweden having the highest percentage of users paying for news access.

Proportion paying for any online news in 2023 [Source: Reuters Institute]

The 2023 data shows no significant change from the 2022 results. This brings the researchers to suggest that subscription-based profits have temporarily reached their peak.

So, how can digital publishers effectively increase the number of paid subscriptions and retain subscribers in a competitive market?

Much like optimizing abandoned carts in e-commerce, the paid subscription process can be refined to ensure more users complete their transactions. For digital publishers, push notifications can be a powerful tool in driving these conversions.

Goals 

• Informing customers about paid subscriptions

• Reminding customers of abandoned shopping carts and encouraging completion of purchases

• Optimizing the purchase path

Push notifications for optimizing paid subscription conversions

You can use push notification mass campaigns to effectively inform customers about paid subscription options. This form of communication ensures that both new and existing push subscribers are aware of the value and benefits of subscribing to premium content.

In addition to promotion via mass campaigns, you can also implement push automation. Send personalized reminders to subscribers who have added a subscription to their cart but haven't completed the process, guiding them back to finalize the transaction. 

You can encourage customers to complete their subscription purchases with timely reminders. You can also offer additional incentives such as special discounts or limited-time offers to increase conversion rates.

You can customize push notifications based on the exact step where the subscription process was abandoned. This allows you to send more relevant messages to re-engage users. By testing different notifications at each stage, you can identify which ones perform best and drive higher conversions.

Handy advice

The most effective cart abandonment notifications are sent within 20 minutes after the subscriber exits the site. If this attempt fails, the notification can be retried the next day around the same time.

When setting up automatic notifications for abandoned transactions, consider how long the subscription can stay in the cart. The notification should include a direct link to finalize the order, so sending it after the process is finished makes the whole point moot. If the push notification directs users back to the beginning of the process - or, worse, the main page - after the cart is automatically cleared, it will reduce the scenario's effectiveness.

Additionally, monitor the stages where transactions are most frequently abandoned. This can provide valuable insights to optimize the purchase process on your site.