Personal Generosity
What goes around, comes around. It’s not a new philosophy and it comes in many forms and phrases, but the general idea is this: do the right thing and rewards will find their way back to you.
The Coloradoan – the main news source for Northern Colorado – has hit upon a great way to serve the public and attract subscribers by the same, simple method.
It starts with being personal – knowing what matters to your audience – and acting generously.
When a news piece that’s important to the public safety – for example, a massively dangerous storm – comes up, The Coloradoan makes it free to all readers. No meter, no subscription necessary.
But with a few easy alterations to the filters and visibility settings of their paywall, The Coloradoan has found a gentle way to turn an act of genuine good will into subscriptions.
Premium Pitch
All it really takes is a quick editor’s note at the top of these public service articles. A reassurance that the publication serves the public…and a gentle reminder that such information is usually a premium service.
And then, in both the note and an auto-generated message at the bottom of the page, comes the pitch: subscribe now for all that wonderful premium content and support local journalism.
It is just that easy – The Coloradoan has done a genuinely good thing for their readership. And that kind of goodwill is a great way to generate paid subscribers.
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