Examples of how you deal with copyright for paid content?

Memberships & subscriptions
1

A two-part question.

Copyright for paid material (emails)

This is the first time I’m going to be charging for my writing. In the past, when it’s been free, I’ve actively encouraged my subscribers to share my emails willy-nilly, thinking the more people who see them, the better.

But I’m aware that the landscape changes a bit, for paid subscribers. How do you guys deal with copyright on paid content? Because technically, someone could just forward paid content on to thousands of people on their own mailing list, every day. Are you cool with this, or do you including wording that says something to discourage nefarious practices like that.

(If so, what does that text say, and where do you include it? Email Footer?)

Granting permission / “Gift” posts (web)

The second part is related. Let’s say I have a practitioner colleague on my email list. They’re a paid subscriber and they wouldn’t dream of constantly forwarding on my emails to their clients, cos they know that’s wrong.

However, they do like to share the odd one that is pertinent to a particular client in a particular situation, and approach me to ask how they can have a random client, or friend, or family member read one of my paid-subscriber posts online.

How would you handle this? Is there such a things as “Gift” posts in Ghost? If not, do you know if anyone has requested this feature?

I have a few fellow-professionals on my list who might fall into this category, and was almost considering a specific “Professional/Practitioner” membership tier for them, with permissions to share my content with their clients.

The ability to assign them x number of “Gift” posts a month would be the perfect scenario.

But I’d need to know there was a way to differentiate them from a technical standpoint, before doing that, as I don’t want have to duplicate content for what would be a very small number of people.

Thoughts?

2

I’m not even sure if the first is truly a copyright issue unless they’re forwarding the newsletters and claiming they wrote them. I’m aware paying recipients can forward my newsletters, but I don’t think many of them do … I’d expect to see it in excessively high clicks on some of the internal links. I make sure my newsletters carry links to other paywalled stuff, forcing readers to the website. If they were reading a forwarded email they would not have access.

I have no “don’t share this email” instructions, and on other sites I pay and subscribe I’ve not seen things like that. One financial site I read tags the footer with “this first appeared in blah blah” which I’ve been meaning to include.

There was a recent post about sending just the ‘teaser’ part of the post as a newsletter, and then forcing the reader to click through to the website to read the full post. I think this is it, though I’ve not tried it. If that solution worked it would answer your first question.

2 Likes
3

Thank you @fatshark – I’ll get my head round the changes shortly, I guess.

I don’t actually have a problem with my existing subscribers (paid and unpaid) not visiting the website. It’s a daily newsletter, first and foremost; that’s what they’re used to.

Paid will continue to get daily posts. Then each week I’ll be sending out one value email to everyone (free & paid) that includes a roundup of the week’s posts, with links.

For paying subscribers, that will act as a bit of a catch up, if they missed any, and for those on the free tier they’ll see everything they’ve missed, so one click and they’re over on the website, to read the above-the-paywall content.

I’m guessing they’ll either be:

  • Disgruntled at all the paywalled content and unsubscribe entirely :waving_hand:t2:
  • Be so lightly-engaged that they barely read the weekly email, and don’t click through :see_no_evil_monkey:
  • Disappointed at how much they’re missing out on, and subscribe! :partying_face:
4

I don’t understand the question. Having a paid or free article doesn’t make any difference in regards to copyright. In most countries of the free world, both are automatically protected by copyright law.

5

Yes, you’re right. I’ve used the wrong word, haven’t I? It’s more about giving permission to share paid content for free. (Not sure what word you’d use?)

1 Like
6

Aaa, then I understand it better. Personally I would be a bummed out if people shared paid content for free. But it could also depend on the topics and the context, and if one can weigh in any extra income out of it.

I worked as a professional sports photographer for years and i.e giving photos away for free never led to anybody I know ever grew their business out of it.

1 Like