Contrary to dire predictions that people will never pay for
content on the Internet, thousands of entrepreneurs are
setting up successful subscription Web sites. Whether you
have a content site that you plan to start charging for or
are in the process of creating a new site with content
behind a toll gate, success comes from understanding what
people will pay for online and including two key marketing
ingredients to persuade them to sign up.
Before committing yourself to a paid subscription site,
think long and hard about the value you will be offering
subscribers. Be ruthless and conservative in your
assumptions! Here are some general categories of things
that people in a number of niches are willing to pay for:
inside or expert information that helps them make more
money or save money
fresher or more complete data than they can get elsewhere
something that consistently brightens their day better
than anything else
solutions to their problem right this minute, especially
if it's the middle of the night or a deadline looms
tools, samples, templates, plans, patterns, checklists,
downloads, scripts
access to experts or celebrities
opportunity to interact with other members of their niche
or people who share a relatively unusual interest
interactive or personalized features not available
elsewhere
fresh information available conveniently and on a reliable
schedule
reviews, recommendations, resources, case studies
step-by-step instruction at their level
the opportunity to feel they are making a difference and
staying informed about a cause that's important to them
information that is exactly tailored to their niche needs
rather than generic
Since your paid content will be password protected, for
members only, even the best offerings can't sell themselves.
Therefore you need mouthwatering descriptive bullets making
the content sound unusually tantalizing and valuable and
testimonials from members who explain how they've more than
gotten their money's worth from the site.
Instead of a dry, factual recital of what people will get
from their site subscription, inject suspense and color into
your descriptions of what they'll get. Especially, make
explicit the benefit people get from your content:
"Unlimited use our secret vault jam-packed with over 3,000
pages of cutting-edge articles, programs and training tips
created by professional strength coaches that are proven to
give you results." (www.sportspecific.com)
"Product Reviews: We search for the best luxury products,
and because we accept no advertising, you receive unbiased
product reviews." (www.luxurylifestyleadvisor.com)
Testimonials are equally important to persuade people to set
aside their skepticism and fears and take the leap to pay
for something they can't touch and examine in advance. Ask
your earliest users or colleagues who have a reputation with
your target niche to put into words what's valuable about
your site. Particularly valuable are blurbs from people who
got concrete results because of their subscription - made
money, lost weight, found a sponsor, improved their SAT
scores, etc.
With content that passes the value test, mouthwatering
marketing copy and quotes from satisfied site subscribers,
you'll soon be proprietor of yet another successful
subscription site.
About the Author
Marcia Yudkin is the author of Poor
Richard's Web Site Marketing Makeover, Six Steps to Free
Publicity and 9 other books. She has recently created
month-by-month marketing plans for site owners hoping to
convert a free site to paid or to start a subscription site
from scratch. Details: http://www.yudkin.com/plans.htm.