Subscription services appear to be all the rage these days. Brands like them because they cut out a retail middleman and create a more regular revenue stream. Consumers like them because they’re convenient, offer greater choice, and allow customers to tailor their buying experiences to their needs. But not every product or service is suited to a subscription model, and if you can’t help consumers see the benefits of yours, you won’t get very far.

In a recent article for eConsultancy, Rebecca Sentance recounted a panel discussion that took place recently where panelists discussed the distinction between products that we need, such as food and toiletries, and products that we want, like wine or beauty products. The nature of the products themselves will dictate whether a subscription plan is viable, and the success of similar products as a subscription doesn’t guarantee that a product will go down well on a subscription basis.

“Certain products just don’t work well as a subscription service,” wrote Sentance. “Underwear and socks are a tricky proposition for a subscription because people only need them semi-regularly, but they also don’t work as a rental item, which is how other clothing subscriptions like Rent the Runway succeed with a subscription model.”

An Incentive to Buy

Panelists agreed that to succeed, subscription-based items must offer a regular incentive to buy. The subscription model works best for products and services that customers need regularly (or higher-priced items that they need semi-regularly). But the management of the subscription process is also key: customers won’t be wowed by a subscription process that’s cumbersome, limited and hard to manage. For this reason, it’s critical that subscription businesses have a good management platform in place.

A Good Subscription Platform

Subscription DNA’s subscription management software is ideal for small and medium-sized businesses that wish to build a startup subscription business model. It features group enrollment tools and group communications, email marketing automation, cloud billing automation and payments, intuitive membership management, CRM and premium content, and paywall management. Your customers can even log in and manage their own accounts right from your Web site.

To succeed in the business subscription model, it’s important that you build the type of community that keeps subscription customers engaged, interested and loyal. Contact Subscription DNA via to learn how you can market to, communicate with and support younger consumers.

Many businesses, such as newspapers, blogs, and video and music streaming services, utilize paywalls that only allow paying subscribers to access content, or that offer samples free of charge to entice viewers into subscribing. Some companies have found this model lucrative, but to be successful, it’s essential to understand the mindset of consumers.

Types of Paywalls

The way your paywall is designed will have a major impact on the number of people who subscribe. Some paywalls don’t allow people to view any content unless they have purchased subscriptions, while other models give access to a limited amount of content before a subscription is required, or provide access to premium content for a fee and access to non-premium content at no charge.

Why Do Consumers Pay for Subscriptions?

A paywall model in which some content is freely accessible and other content is viewable only by subscribers can be successful if your company offers plenty of unique and interesting content. It’s important to put your most desirable content behind the paywall to attract and keep subscribers. This is where market research comes in. Analyzing which content gets the most attention and surveying current and prospective customers to find out which types of content are most appealing to them can help you figure out what people would be willing to pay for.

If your company already has a strong brand identity and produces copious amounts of content, a metered paywall, in which customers can view a set number of pieces of content for free, they must subscribe to view more, maybe the best solution. This model can be successful if customers are already familiar with the type of content your company produces. Providing subscribers with access to high-quality content can elevate the perception of your brand and increase customer loyalty. If you decide to utilize this model, choose a threshold carefully. You don’t want to give away so much free content that few people have an incentive to subscribe, but you want to give customers enough of a taste that they will be intrigued and want more.

Learn How a Paywall Could Help Your Business

Subscription DNA offers paywall software and premium content management features that can be utilized in a variety of ways to suit the needs of your business and to help you attract and retain customers. Our software can be used to restrict access to news articles, white papers, blogs, videos, podcasts, infographics, and other content.

Subscription DNA’s software can verify a user’s subscription status at each visit and prevent workarounds, such as logging in on different devices to view more than the amount of content allowed without a subscription. It also includes a secure subscriber portal where members can manage their subscriptions, profiles, and payments. Contact us today to learn more about how our paywall services can help your business.