Agenda


Thursday, June 13

Module 1: Engagement in the era of AI-powered funnels

10:00 a.m.-12:40 p.m.
(New York time)

About today's module

In this foundational session, we examine the industry's maturity shift from focusing narrowly on conversion or retention to driving continuous subscriber engagement. Learn about conducting customer-base audits, mastering essential KPIs, balancing print and digital strategies, and harnessing the power of personalisation to optimise customer journeys. Gain a deep understanding of how to use data-driven approaches to identify loyal and at-risk subscribers, trigger targeted engagement campaigns, and make informed decisions that lead to long-term success.

Key questions

  • How can a customer-base audit transform your business strategy and help you become truly subscriber-first?
  • What are the essential KPIs for assessing the health of your subscriber base, and how can you leverage them to identify areas for improvement and focus on high-impact product enhancements?
  • How can you balance print and digital subscription strategies to build a durable digital subscription base without compromising the value of your content?
  • What engagement strategies and data-driven models can be used to stimulate digital subscriber growth and improve retention across various platforms?
  • How can machine learning models be applied to personalise specific parts of the customer lifecycle, and what lessons can be learned from real-world experiments in this domain?


Greg Piechota 10:00 a.m.-10:05 a.m. (New York time)
Welcome and introductions

In this opening session, our host will welcome you to the master class and introduce the expert speakers from academia and the news media business across the world.

Greg Piechota, Lead, INMA Readers First Initiative, United Kingdom



Peter Fader 10:05 a.m.-10:30 a.m. (New York time)
Becoming subscribers-first: How a customer-base audit can transform your business strategy

In this keynote session, we will interview professor Peter Fader from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, a world-renowned expert in customer centricity, about his new book “Customer-Base Audit.” We want to learn about the theory and practice of conducting a regular customer-base audit to truly understand the customers' buying behaviour and the health of the overall customer base. We will ask how to use such an audit to make data-driven decisions that lead to long-term success, and transform the company to truly customers-first.

Peter Fader, Professor of Marketing, Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, United States


Angélica Domínguez Martín 10:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. (New York time)
Essential KPIs: Mastering the art of customer life cycle management at Prisa Noticias

In this practical presentation, Angélica Domínguez Martín from Spain’s top national news publisher (e.g., El Pais) will discuss the key performance indicators she and her team uses for assessing the health of the subscriber base – from basic metrics like churn rates and ARPU to more advanced such as recovery rates, promotional level, and migration ratios between products. Angélica will also share strategies for teams to work collaboratively and identify areas for improvement, understand customer segments, and focus on high-impact product enhancements.

Angélica Domínguez Martín, Customer Strategy Director, Prisa Noticias, Spain


Curtis Huber 11:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. (New York time)
Balancing print and digital: Leveraging a subscriber audit for long-term success at The Seattle Times

In this case study presentation, Curtis Huber will take attendees through The Seattle Times' journey in balancing their print and digital subscription strategies. By conducting a thorough subscriber audit, Curtis and his team have developed a roadmap for building a durable digital subscription base without compromising the value of their content. You will gain valuable insights into how to avoid the pitfalls of consistently offering long-term, heavily discounted offers, and the benefits of maintaining a high ratio of tenured subscribers.

Curtis Huber, Senior Director, Circulation and Audience Revenue, The Seattle Times, United States


Kelli Dakake 11:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (New York time)
Leveraging data: Driving digital subscriber growth through engagement at Hearst Newspapers

Kelli Dakake will share how Hearst Newspapers, the publisher of U.S. regional news brands like the San Francisco Chronicle and the Houston Chronicle, has leveraged engagement strategies to stimulate digital subscriber growth. Kelli will discuss how Hearst uses its "Subscriber Score" model to identify loyal and at-risk subscribers and trigger targeted engagement campaigns. You will also learn about the importance of leveraging all platforms, including newsletters and apps, to improve engagement and retention.

Kelli Dakake, Vice President, Subscriber Engagement and Retention, Hearst Newspapers, United States


Tor Marius Espedal 12:00 p.m.-12:30 p.m. (New York time)
Zooming in on personalisation: Enhancing customer journeys with targeted communication at Schibsted Media

In this expert lecture, Tor Marius Espedal will take us on a deep dive into how Schibsted Media, a Norwegian publisher of brands such as Aftenposten and VG, is using machine learning models to personalise specific parts of the customer lifecycle. Tor Marius will discuss how to personalise both the activity (what needs to be communicated and affected) and content (what content will create the most impact) aspects of customer communication. You will enjoy practical insights into how Schibsted Media has been conducting its personalisation experiments and the lessons learned along the way.

Tor Marius Espedal, Head of Customer Base Management, Schibsted Media, Norway


12:30 p.m.-12:40 p.m. (New York time)
Summary and takeaways

At this closing session, we will summarise the key insights, strategies, and best practices shared by our expert speakers.

Greg Piechota, Lead, INMA Readers First Initiative, United Kingdom


Tuesday, June 18

Module 2: The art and science of churn prevention

Supported by




10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
(New York time)

About today's module

In this deep dive, gain insights into optimising the entire subscriber journey, from the crucial first steps to long-term retention strategies. Through a series of case studies, guest experts will share their experiences in crafting engaging onboarding experiences, leveraging data-driven insights, and applying innovative techniques such as gamification and personalisation. Attendees will learn how to establish habits, drive key actions like newsletter subscriptions and app downloads, and how to engage the newsroom to help increase reader loyalty.

Key questions:

  • What are the key elements of a successful onboarding experience, and how can media organisations design onboarding flows that effectively activate users and establish habits?
  • How can data-driven insights and iterative testing be used to continuously optimise onboarding and drive measurable improvements in engagement and retention?
  • What role can gamification, personalisation, and other innovative techniques play in creating more engaging and rewarding onboarding experiences?
  • How can media organisations leverage the expertise of cross-functional teams and bridge roles, such as "360 specialists," to ensure that content not only informs but also contributes to larger business goals like increasing reader loyalty?
  • What are the most effective strategies for preventing churn throughout the subscriber lifecycle, from proactive engagement campaigns to targeted "downgrade" options and "cancel/save" initiatives?


Greg Piechota
10:00 a.m.-10:05 a.m. (New York time)
Welcome and introductiona

In this session, attendees will be welcomed to the second module of the master class and introduced to the guest experts from news media companies and the industry partners.

Greg Piechota, Lead, INMA Readers First Initiative, United Kingdom



Ginny Dymek de Hernandez
10:05 a.m. - 10:35 a.m. (New York time)
Mastering onboarding: Lessons from Newsday's iterative testing strategy

In this inspiring presentation, Ginny Dymek de Hernandez will share how the leading U.S. local news brand Newsday has transformed its onboarding process to improve new subscriber engagement and retention. We will learn about Newsday's new onboarding card journey, which exposes new subscribers to key benefits and encourages them to take action. Examples include signing up for newsletters, downloading the app, and registering for SMS alerts. Ginny will discuss the importance of a data-driven test-and-learn approach, sharing how Newsday continuously optimises its onboarding flow.

Ginny Dymek de Hernandez, Digital Consumer Sales Manager, Newsday, United States


Katharina Starke
10:35 a.m. - 11:05 a.m. (New York time)
Forming habits: Designing the new subscriber activation at Handelsblatt

In this insightful case study, Katharina Starke will share how the leading German business news brands, Handelsblatt and WirtschaftsWoche, improved their onboarding process starting onsite right after the paywall check-out. Katharina will walk us through the process of designing and implementing a new onboarding flow, from initial design sprints and user testing to the final product. The results achieved were impressive: improvements in activity KPIs, conversion rates, and retention at 30 and 60 days.

Katharina Starke, Topic Owner Engagement, Handelsblatt, Germany


Katelyn Belyus
11:05 a.m. - 11:20 a.m. (New York time)
From onboarding to offboarding: Preventing churn through a subscriber's lifespan with Piano

In this comprehensive briefing, Katelyn Belyus of Piano will share a wealth of insights and best practices for preventing churn throughout a subscriber's lifespan. You will learn how to engage subscribers from day one through effective onboarding techniques and strategic upgrade opportunities. Katelyn will also discuss both active and passive churn prevention tactics, including innovative “downgrade” options and “cancel/save” opportunities that can help retain subscribers who might otherwise churn.

Katelyn Belyus, Vice President Strategy and Analytics, Piano, United States


Ashok Subramanian P
Ankit Nama
11:20 a.m. - 11:50 a.m. (New York time)
Gamifying engagement: Applying psychology and behavioural science to trial subscribers at The Hindu

In this innovative case study, Ankit Nama and Ashok Subramanian P will share how the leading Indian news brand, The Hindu, revolutionised its free trial onboarding experience through a clever mix of gamification, psychology, and digital marketing. We will learn about The Hindu's unique approach, which leverages the Principle of Loss Aversion to incentivise reading and drive conversions. By offering fluctuating discounts based on reading patterns, the newspaper created an engaging and rewarding onboarding journey that resulted in a remarkable 140% increase in post-trial conversion rates.

Ankit Nama, Growth Product Manager, The Hindu, India
Ashok Subramanian P, Head Of Digital Subscriptions and Marketing, The Hindu, India


Louise	Sköld Lindell
11:50 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. (New York time)
Reader loyalty: Collaborating with the newsroom for success in driving engagement at Göteborgs-Posten

In this practical case study, Louise Sköld Lindell will share her newspaper's groundbreaking strategy for maximising the societal and business impact of their award-winning journalism. Louise will introduce the concept of the “360 Specialist” – a new role designed to help journalists of Göteborgs-Posten focus on creating exceptional content while ensuring that each piece contributes to larger company goals such as increasing reader loyalty and retention. You will learn how 360 Specialists work to optimise content for format, visualisation, reader interaction, SEO, social media, and more, as well as how they contextualise articles through advertising, customised paywall offers, and strategic linking.

Louise Sköld Lindell, Head of Editorial Development, Göteborgs-Posten / Stampen, Sweden


12:20 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. (New York time)
Summary and takeaways

After an intensive module, the moderator will distil the new lessons and actionable insights shared by the guest experts.

Greg Piechota, Lead, INMA Readers First Initiative, United Kingdom


Thursday, June 20

Module 3: Transformative retention strategies

10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
(New York time)

About today's module

In our final session, we reveal holistic strategies for maximising retention through creating and scaling successful bundle offers, and implementing exclusive subscriber features, benefits, and experiences. Learn about the impact of these strategies on key metrics such as customer lifetime value, churn rates, and overall subscriber growth. The module will also explore the latest research on the potential of multi-brand bundles and innovative cancellation flows.

Key questions:

  • How can media organisations create and scale successful multi-brand bundle offers, and what impact can these bundles have on subscriber acquisition, engagement, and retention?
  • What does the latest research reveal about the potential of subscription-based product bundles for digital journalism, and how can media organisations leverage this knowledge to attract a broader subscriber base?
  • How can media organisations identify and cater to the unique content and feature preferences of existing subscribers to drive retention, particularly in niche markets?
  • What are the key elements of a successful subscriber club, and how can exclusive benefits and experiences be leveraged to reduce churn rates and enhance subscriber loyalty?
  • How can media organisations tailor their retention strategies to address the specific reasons behind subscriber churn, such as news cycle fluctuations or changing subscriber needs?


Greg Piechota 10:00 a.m.-10:05 a.m. (New York time)
Welcome and introductions

In this session, attendees will be welcomed to the second module of the master class and introduced to the guest experts from news media companies and the industry partners.

Greg Piechota, Lead, INMA Readers First Initiative, United Kingdom



Gustaf Eriksson 10:05 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. (New York time)
Pioneering multi-brand bundling: Insights from Amedia's +Alt success story

In this enlightening case study, Gustaf Eriksson will share the Norwegian group Amedia's groundbreaking journey in creating and scaling +Alt, one of Europe's most mature and successful multi-brand bundle offers. You will learn how Amedia grew the +Alt bundle from scratch to an impressive 400,000 subscribers, and the impact this has had on both readers and individual newspapers within the group. Gustaf will discuss the strategies Amedia employs to encourage subscribers to fully utilise their subscriptions across 100+ brands (and 1,000+ unique articles daily), and how this drives improvements in customer lifetime value.

Gustaf Eriksson, Executive Vice President Subscriptions, Amedia, Norway



Lukas Erbrich 10:30 a.m. - 10:55 a.m. (New York time)
Unlocking the power of bundling: Findings of the landmark study by TU Dortmund

Lukas Erbrich will share the findings of a comprehensive study by Technische Universität Dortmund exploring the potential of subscription-based product bundles for digital journalism. We will learn about the theory behind the value of bundling and how it can lead to higher subscription levels by attracting a broader subscriber base with different preferences. Lukas will discuss the current landscape of cross-publisher bundling in Europe and the preferences of digital news consumers in Germany for access to multiple news sources at a lower combined cost.

Lukas Erbrich, Research Associate, Chair of Media Economics, Technische Universität Dortmund, Germany



Madelein Venter 10:55 a.m. - 11:20 a.m. (New York time)
Acquisition vs. retention: Long-term engagement drivers of Netwerk24

In this practical presentation, Madelein Venter will share the key drivers of subscriber retention for Netwerk24, the leading Afrikaans-language news brand in South Africa. We will discuss how the content and features that work well for retention differ noticeably from acquisition drivers, highlighting the importance of understanding and catering to the unique needs of existing subscribers. You will learn about the additional factors influencing retention, such as high engagement and audience-specific characteristics, and how Netwerk24 has leveraged these insights to maintain a loyal subscriber base in a niche market.

Madelein Venter, General Manager, Marketing and Subscriptions - News Division, Media24, South Africa



Lior Kodner 11:20 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. (New York time)
Offboarding subscribers: New dynamic cancellation flow at Haaretz

In this case study, Lior Kodner will share how the leading Israeli news brand Haaretz implemented a new cancellation flow that has helped save up to 17% of subscribers who were considering unsubscribing. You will learn about the key elements of their approach, which takes into account factors such as the news cycle and targeted discounted offers for certain subscribers. Lior will discuss the importance of understanding the reasons behind subscriber churn and tailoring retention strategies to address these specific concerns.

Lior Kodner, Chief Executive Officer, Digital, Haaretz, Israel



Giacomo Bernardi 11:45 a.m. - 12:10 p.m. (New York time)
Subscriber-only club: Boosting retention with subscriber Webinars and other experiences at Corriere della Sera

Giacomo Bernardi will share how Italy’s largest national news brand Corriere della Sera has successfully implemented value-added services to enhance subscriber retention. We will learn about Corriere's webinar series, which offers subscribers exclusive live events featuring interviews with guest experts on topics of interest. Giacomo will also demonstrate Corriere’s loyalty club, which offers tiered membership benefits based on subscription tenure, ranging from discounts on RCS products to exclusive experiences. These subscriber-exclusive benefits have reduced churn rates by 13% in just a few months since launching.

Giacomo Bernardi, Head of Customer Engagement and Churn, RCS Mediagroup, Italy



Alan Streck 12:10 p.m. - 12:35 p.m. (New York time)
Subscriber-only club: Transformation of a legacy loyalty programme to the digital era at Zero Hora

Alan Streck will share how Brazil’s leading regional media group RBS has leveraged its long-standing Subscribers Club to effectively engage and retain both print and digital subscribers. With nearly 170,000 subscribers, 70% of which are digital-only, Grupo RBS has found that subscribers who participate in the club have a 45% lower churn rate compared to those who don't. Learn about the wide range of exclusive benefits and discounts offered to club members, spanning over 300 brands across various categories such as entertainment, dining, health, and online shopping.

Alan Streck, Digital Growth Executive Manager, Grupo RBS, Brazil



12:35 p.m. - 12:45 p.m. (New York time)
Summary and takeaways

In this session concluding the module and the master class, the moderator will share his personal highlights and takeaways from the 2024 class.

Greg Piechota, Lead, INMA Readers First Initiative, United Kingdom



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