Why This is the Perfect Time to Start Charging for Website Subscriptions
by Peter A. Schaible
If you're a writer, researcher, subject matter expert, enthusiastic hobbyist, or an
authority on almost any topic, there has never been a better time to start your own
subscription website or online newsletter. And if you're already publishing a hobby website,
now is the ideal time to convert at least a portion of the content to fee-paid access.
Smart website owners are now realizing just how valuable their hard-earned knowledge
is to others. Much of the information that used to be available for free to anyone and
everyone on the World Wide Web is moving behind closed doors, accessible only to paying subscribers.
Savvy writers and publishers are not giving it away anymore. They're setting up
profit-driven, members-only websites and building online communities of subscribers who
value their knowledge. Perhaps surprisingly, resistance to paying for content is
gradually melting away.
The end of free
This trend away from websites offering free information and toward a subscription,
or pay-for-access business model, has several causes. First, only a few websites operated
by big companies can afford to provide valuable content without being compensated. Some
of them can do it for the public relations value, but they are the exception.
The rest of us can't be so generous. And trying to recapture our expenses by selling
advertising on our websites has failed to pay the bills. Online advertising and
click-through rates are on the decline.
Second, many people are now more than willing to pay to learn what you already know, as
thousands of online publishers of subscription websites have already proven.
Why subscribers are ready to pay
The Internet has enabled people with similar interests to find each other and form
online communities. Whether your interest is in politics, gardening, or model railroading,
the Internet enables you to connect to others who share your enthusiasms and values.
But in the current political and social climate, there is heightened anxiety and concern
about privacy. If you previously contributed to public online discussion forums, you may
now be feeling vulnerable. You never know who is lurking and reading your comments, or gathering
information about you. One frequent concern: what spammers are harvesting your e-mail address?
However, in the seclusion of a subscribers-only website, you feel more protected. You
can share ideas with an affinity group of like-minded people with less fear of ridicule
or repercussions. The publisher moderates the forum and promises to honor your privacy.
These concerns are not diminishing over time, they are intensifying as people perceive
the world -- and cyberspace -- as an increasingly dangerous place. The result has been
a proliferation of private, members-only, subscription websites and online newsletters
covering literally hundreds of diverse and specialized topics.
Finding the right subscription business model
Coming up with the right topic for a successful subscription website is usually the
biggest stumbling block for those wanting to get into this business. Choosing your site
topic is a serious issue, as the topic you select pretty much dictates your chances of
success with a subscription website.
Research by the Subscription Website
Publishers Association shows at least five successful models for subscription
website topic selection. These include existing print newsletter topics; trade and
professional associations; career advancement, personality based or insider tips; and
downloadable product libraries. For details go to
www.swepa.com/public/136.cfm.
As the Internet changes, it is creating moneymaking opportunities for people who like to
write, teach and otherwise share their expertise. Your years of study, hands-on experience,
and tried and true wisdom could be worth a hefty income when turned into an online community.
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