A paywall is a barrier to the public that requires payment in order for them to view content. Paywalls are often used by news organizations and other media outlets to limit free distribution of their articles online. Also known as an access wall, a payment wall or gatekeeper, they can be implemented using software, browser plugins, mobile apps, or web pages with embedded scripts. The term “paywall” was coined by Tim Berners-Lee when he created the World Wide Web.
The first newspaper paywall appeared on April 1, 1828, when William Cobbett published his weekly paper, The Political Register, which charged readers one penny per week (equivalent to $0.50 today). It has been estimated that about half of all newspapers have some sort of paywall. In addition, many websites use a combination of advertising and subscriptions to generate revenue. For example, The New York Times uses both print ads and digital subscription fees to cover its costs.
How does a paywall work?
Paywall models are described as hard, soft, freemium, metered and dynamic. Typically, the way paywalls work is that your readers have to register to access online content or a service. This can be done for free or it could cost money. Once registered, the reader is given access to content which may not otherwise be available to non-registered users. The idea behind this is that if people want to read your articles they will need to subscribe and/or make payments.
Furthermore, you are able to track how many visitors come from each country in order to see where most of your traffic comes from. You should also consider using Google Analytics so that you know what keywords bring them there.
The best thing about having a paywall on your website is that it allows you to control who has access to certain information. For example, you might only allow subscribers to view specific pages within your site.
What is the purpose of a paywall?
Paywalls help digital publishers monetize content by charging fees for accessing it. It’s important to note that some websites use a paywall like Wallkit as a means to drive more traffic to their sites while others use it purely as a revenue stream. In other words, some websites don’t charge any fee at all but still offer paid subscriptions because they believe that offering paid services will increase their popularity. Others do charge a subscription fee but provide no additional benefits beyond those offered through advertising.
Paywall Examples
The best examples of paywalls are ones that require payment before viewing content. Some popular examples include:
- New York Times — A New York Times article costs $1 per day or $9.99 per month. If someone wants to read one article every week then they would need to spend around $19.98 per year.
- Wall Street Journal — An individual pays between $15-$25 per month depending on whether they choose to receive digital or physical copies.
Other best-in-class examples of paywalls to check out are:
How do paywalls help journalism?
Journalism organizations generate income by allowing them to restrict access to news stories based on financial contributions. Paywalls help journalists maintain independence and integrity since they prevent companies with vested interests from influencing coverage. They also protect against censorship since they ensure that individuals cannot block access to particular pieces of media. Furthermore, paywalls enable publishers to keep up with rising production costs without compromising quality.
What is a Hard Paywall?
A hard paywall is when readers must register an account in order to access content. These types of paywalls usually have different tiers of membership ranging anywhere from free to premium. There are two main reasons why these kinds of paywalls exist:
- To encourage new memberships.
- Publishers often make special promotions to get new memberships. They hope to get people to sign up by creating incentives.
What is a Soft Paywall?
A soft paywall is similar to a hard paywall except that instead of requiring registration, readers must click an “I agree” button when prompted. Soft paywalls have been used successfully by several publications including:
In addition, these types of paywalls work well for smaller blogs and magazines with niche audiences since they’re easier to implement than traditional paywalls.
What is a Metered Paywall?
A metered paywall is where users can view a selection of articles each time they visit a website. This type of model has become increasingly common among online newspapers such as The Guardian and The Washington Post. For example, if you want to read 10 articles this month, you’ll be charged £2.50 per article. However, if you only want to read 2 articles this month, you won’t be charged anything extra.
For a sustainable digital content business, AdMonsters reports that 5–10% of the most engaged visitors are typically willing to subscribe to digital content.
What is Premium Content?
Premium content can be defined as high-quality material that requires a higher level of commitment from its audience. Typically, premium digital content includes things like video games, music albums, ebooks, etc. Since there isn’t much competition in the market, most businesses who sell premium content tend to earn significant profits.
Types of Subscription Business
A subscription business is any company which sells products or services through subscriptions rather than selling items at retail prices. Examples include Netflix, Spotify, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu Plus, HBO Go, Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, Apple Music, Pandora, Sirius XM Radio, CBS All Access, Showtime Anytime, Starz Play, Crunchyroll, Disney+, ESPN+ and many more!
Paywall Providers
The companies that offer paywall software include Tilt, Patreon, Recurly and Wallkit.
How Can I Implement A Metered Paywall? What Is My Best Option?
The best option depends on your goals: if you want to increase engagement and drive more traffic to your site, then consider implementing a free trial period where people can try out your service without having to commit to a full membership. If you’re looking to monetize through advertising, then consider a hybrid solution where you allow certain types of advertisements while blocking others.
In summary, here’s what we recommend:
- If you want to build a long term relationship with your customers, go with a soft paywall. It will help keep them coming back for more.
- If you want to generate revenue quickly, go with a hard paywall. You may lose some loyal fans but it could also bring in lots of money.
- If you don’t know how to choose between the two options, contact us at Wallkit today so we can discuss your needs further.
