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1. Four years ago, Swedish newspaper @dagensnyheter had almost no digital subscribers. Today they have more digital subscribers than print subscribers, and more than they've had at any point since the early 2000s. It's a great success. A quick thread on how they've done it
2. As part of my research for the @risj_oxford, I talked to @DagensNyheterMJ, their head of digital development. Martin told me why they started pushing digital subscriptions: the ad market was plummeting and it was the only real alternative to raising prices and cutting jobs
3. One of the most important things they did was reducing friction during the payment process by working with Swedish online company @Klarna. Now readers can subscribe with one click after giving their cell phone number. No need to write their credit card number or postal address
4. They also reimagined their digital value proposition. They improved digital packaging, created new formats (newsletters, VR, an audio version of their long-form stories) and analyzed usage data to fine-tune their offerings all the time.
5. This relentless focus introduced them to a new audience. Their digital subscribers are 20 years younger, more female and less Stockholm-based.
6. Dagens Nyheter's pay model has three pieces:
- A metered paywall allows everyone to read 3 articles a week.
- Some articles are always behind the paywall (mostly quality lifestyle content).
- When a free article goes viral, they put it behind the paywall.
- A metered paywall allows everyone to read 3 articles a week.
- Some articles are always behind the paywall (mostly quality lifestyle content).
- When a free article goes viral, they put it behind the paywall.
7. 55% of conversions happen through these viral articles. "We want our best and most popular content to be behind a paywall, but we need it to be open for a while in order to get new readers into the funnel. That's the reason why we do this," explains @DagensNyheterMJ.
8. Dagens Nyheter has often refined its value proposition. They offer bundles with @nytimes and also with local newspapers. They've developed an app with crossword & quizzes. They're leveraging their brand to sell event tickets, railway trips and cruises to their subscribers
9. During the last Swedish election, they offered a free digital subscription to any citizen under 25. After the election, they offered them a 12-month subscription for a lower price. Many of them took it and stayed with them
10. Acquiring new subscribers has been much less important at Dagens Nyheter than fighting churn. They've reduced churn by 50% in the last 18 months. How? By building loyalty and habits among their readers 
11. After becoming a subscriber-first company, their editorial priorities have changed. A few examples:
- They've reduced the number of pieces they publish.
- They've done more investigative pieces.
- They've identified the stories no one reads and stopped doing them.
- They've reduced the number of pieces they publish.
- They've done more investigative pieces.
- They've identified the stories no one reads and stopped doing them.
12. So after all this, how does their business look like?
- Two thirds of their revenue comes from their readers.
- Approximately 35% comes from digital.
- Profits in 2019 are predicted to reach €9m.
More details in this @ft piece ft.com/content/26e123…
- Two thirds of their revenue comes from their readers.
- Approximately 35% comes from digital.
- Profits in 2019 are predicted to reach €9m.
More details in this @ft piece ft.com/content/26e123…
13. Dagens Nyheter should be an inspiration for every European newspaper who is hesitant about embracing digital subscriptions. It's not an easy path by any means but it's possible. It takes discipline, focus, courage and collaboration between the business and the editorial side
