800 new digital subscriptions and considerable earnings. These are the results of Hallandsposten's new digital strategy, which has also strengthened the newspaper's relationship with its readers.
In February 2013, Hallandsposten added a paywall that gave the newspaper's subscribers access to all digital content if they simply activated an account.
And in just under a year, in addition to 800 new digital subscriptions – half of the total print subscription base has opened accounts.
"The initiative has generated SEK 1 million in earnings. And even more positive has been the good response we've received from our loyal subscribers. By giving subscribers access to all content from wherever they may be creates even more value for our paying readers," says private market manager Marie Erlandsson of Hallandsposten.
Not surprising, the paywall has resulted in fewer visits to the newspaper's homepage. On the other hand, though, the subscribers are spending more time on the site, as they are reading more pages and articles during their visits.
The subscribers also have access to the newspaper's historical archive from their computers, smartphones and tablets. As one of the first Swedish newspapers to do so, in November 2013 Hallandsposten began offering its readers a searchable digital archive that stretches back to 1931.
"New money for old newspapers, we call it. Media houses that are currently feeling their finances tighten need to strengthen income, and old newspapers issues can actually help with that," says journalist Jan-Erik Skoglund, who has been working on digitalising some 600,000 newspaper pages from microfilm since 2011.
Facts about the results:
- Number of digital subscribers: 802 (Target: 200)
- Number of two-day subscriptions: 112 (Target: 300)
- Percentage of subscribers who have activated digital accounts: 51% (Target: 50%)
- Total circulation: -2.2% (Target: -2%)
- Annual earnings from digital and two-day subscriptions: SEK 1 million
- Drop in page views: -4% (Projected: -25 to -40%)
- Circulation: 30,900 (2010)
Hallandsposten is Halland's biggest and oldest newspaper. The first issue was printed on 30 July 1850, and the newspaper today has about 120,000 daily readers. Hallandsposten is part of the media company Stampen AB.
