How to target (and convert) free registered users into paying subscribers

Ready for the next step in growing your paid subscriptions?

So, you’ve launched your paywall and are growing your audience with your free registration promotion. What are the next steps for converting these free users into paid subscribers?

Its time to target them to get your subscription messaging at the right time… right when they reading articles on your website. 

How do I target my free registered readers on my website?

Fortunately, there are two of quick, easy ways to target your free readers, which will smooth the subscription journey for all your readers to come.

The tools we’re about to suggest can change the message they display for different readers, depending on their level of subscription they are logged in with. 

1. Targeted header (or footer) bar promotions

Create a thin, elegant message bar that appears at the top of your website with the “Conditional Display Notice”.

The content of your message in the header bar changes depending upon the subscription status of the reader. You can use it to encourage logged-in free-level users to simply upgrade to paid, as Small Boats does (they moved the message bar to the footer):  

You can also try out different promotions for your free registered users. Here, Tea Journey promotes a ‘first month free’ for an annual paid subscription. Make sure you test your promotional links with a UTM code.

Either way, it’s a steady but unobtrusive reminder to your readers that there are better ways to enjoy your content, and it will help boost your new paid subscriptions.

Easy setup

The best part is that getting these promotion bars up and running is easy. For your dashboard all you have to do is enable the feature, select your member levels, select the trigger for the notice to appear, and write your message. 

While the bar defaults to the top, a very simple bit of CSS can send it to the bottom of the screen instead. 

And there you have it: a subscription promotion targeted only to your free registered reader. No other visitors will see it.

2. Targeted in-content promotions

Our Ad-Dropper add-on allows you to drop in your own promotional messaging as an ad in the article content (or in a sidebar widget).

The best part is that Ad-Dropper allows you to promote your subscriptions to everyone except for logged-in paid subscribers (or whatever subscription levels you choose).

That means that casual or free-level readers will see your subscription-oriented ads but paid members won’t be bothered by them. Here is what an article looks like on Tea Journey magazine to everyone except paid subscribers:

It is an especially powerful tool for your mobile readers since it displays right after paragraph #3 in all Tea Journey’s articles.

#3 Bonus tip

Use Ad Dropper to display gift subscriptions, referral messages, or other subscriber-only messages to those who are logged in on a paid level. Make sure you add UTM codes to your links so you can test what promotions work the best for your publication.

Good tools for easy wins

Both these add-ons are easy to use and easy to set up, and they can have powerful results. They allow you to form a relationship with your readers that is personal to the level of membership they currently enjoy. 

You are creating an experience that puts the option of upgrading always before them, without inhibiting their ability to enjoy your content – which means that everybody wins. 

Want to know more about setting up profitable paid subscriptions? Get in touch. We are always happy to chat. 

Learn how Leaky Paywall can help grow your subscription revenue