Riding History’s Wave
This week, while most of the world focused on The Guardian’s bombshell reports on Edward Snowden, the former U.S. intelligence officer turned whistleblower, The Agitator turned to The Guardian for news of real interest to our readers.
With just 7 days remaining before we go behind The Wall – the paywall – The Guardian confirms that those willing to subscribe to The Agitator are not only riding the wave of history, but may have inadvertently discovered a digital fountain of youth.
“Young people more willing to pay for digital news, report finds” heralded the headline in The Guardian. Behind the headline was a report from The Reuter’s Institute for the Study of Journalism on paywall trends.
- A survey of 11,000 internet users in 9 countries (all filled with Agitator readers) found that 25-34 year olds are twice as likely to part with cash for digital news as older readers.
- “We’re starting to see significant shifts in public attitudes to online news, with more people starting to pay for digital news or seeming to accept that in the future they will probably have to pay for a service they currently get free”, says Nic Newman, author of the study.
- “Paywalls and apps are no longer regarded as novelties, but are now increasingly part of everyday life….”
Attempting to apply the Reuters report to our own paywall experience we (not so scientifically ) conclude the following:
- Agitator readers who have voted with their wallets to continue The Agitator are on history’s leading edge.
- Subscribing to The Agitator is indicative of the bold curiosity of youth.
- Subscribing to The Agitator before The Wall goes up next week is a sure sign that even an old fart can think young.
Roger and Tom
P.S. We’re getting some might nice notes along with the subscriptions. Some samples:
- “Your content is totally worth it. I hope everyone clicks Continue.”
- “I get $50 worth of usable material to raise more money every week.”
- “ Your content is totally worth it.”
- “What others were afraid to ask: Can we pony up the 50 bucks AND get you back in your caves?”
Behavioral Science Q & A
Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]
Read Full Answer
I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]
Read Full Answer
Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
Read Full Answer
Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
Read Full Answer
There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
Read Full Answer
I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
Read Full Answer