Need feedback on paywall, free memberships

Using Ghost
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Thinking about following the Guardian model and getting rid of the paywall, thus making almost all of the content available to all. (Newsletters and some special services, like Election Central and the legislative bill tracker, would still require a paid membership.)

I’m considering this because with the metered paywall in place, only 6 people joined as a result of hitting the paywall.

I’m also getting rid of the ads, as we don’t get enough traffic to make something like Google Ads make sense, and I don’t have time to sell ads myself.

So, here’s my question: Before, one of the main advantages of the free tier was (a) no ads, and (b) no paywall. Now, the only perks left for the free membership would be (c) leave comments (which almost no one does), and (d) get the weekly newsletter.

It seems to me that the free membership just lets people sign up with no commitment or investment to speak of, and doesn’t lead to more revenue without some serious bugging and begging.

Feedback on all of this? And how do YOU do it (assuming you’re trying to make money with your site)?

1 Like
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I like where you’re going with this.

My site is small and in a niche [aren’t we all] but I don’t paywall, but instead am trying the route of donations/buy me a coffee kind of thing.

When I did paywall content, I never got anything out of it.

But having donations have indeed given me smaller amounts, and I will keep pushing that idea.

Cause I like what The Guardian does.

I know everybody needs income from something but paying for news on each and every site one come across is not cheap.

So for me personal I like the idea of a random donation from time to time more than a regular subscription.