MegaSack DRAW - 6pm Christmas Eve - LIVE on our YouTube Channel
I may have missed this conversation so apologies if I have.
I just noticed most reviews on STW are now behind a paywall that you can't access without being a member? I'm just curious what benefit this brings as I just went to Pinkbike and Vital et al instead.
Has there actually been any benefits in subscriber numbers compared with the presumable loss of ad venenue?
Mark has mentioned many times that this place won't survive without paying subscribers so clearly ad revenue isn't enough.
Hows it a loss of ad revenue?
I get both sides but subs are an important revenue stream.
Don't think this is new. There have been articles for a good while (several years) that you needed to be a subscriber to read.
Nixie is right as SDB and Duncan. STW try to keep ads to a minimum they help keep the forum alive but that alone can’t, especially with those who don’t subscribe then also ‘hide’ the ads.
CV-19 has reduced the Ad market a fair bit eg holiday companies won't be advertising as no one can go on holiday etc....
I completely understand for stories and long features, which are the articles that make me pick up the magazine every know and again.
But for reviews, you have a dozen excellent other sources on the web so I'm not sure how that would entice anyone to sign up?
Because you might want to read reviews without skipping around ads??? 🤔
You pays your money (or not) and takes your choice.
Maybe it's to drive value for existing subscribers rather than attract new ones. I don't see it as any different to only publishing reviews in the mag.
Is it still just £2.50 (58p a week) to support Singletrack?
Wait until you find out about the secret subscribers only section of the forum
It's inconvenienced you enough to post about it, and presumably you've considered putting your hand in your pocket.
Even if you've decided not to, others will probably have subscribed.
Meanwhile I'm sure the ST team are monitoring any potential ad revenue decrease vs. uptick in subs.
Also, I presume they've already served you an advert (or six) by the time you realised there was a paywall - so perhaps they're not losing out as much as you think.
Wait until you find out about the secret subscribers only section of the forum
It’s good, but it’s no lifer’s area 😉
