New Data Shows Consumers Prefer Ads Over Paywalls, Giving Publishers a Sustainable Way Forward in Difficult Market

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- PowerInbox, the trusted audience engagement and digital monetization partner for publishers, today announced the results of a new consumer survey that shows online media consumers overwhelming prefer ad-supported content from publishers over subscription paywalls. The revelation proves that consumers understand "free" content comes at a cost, and they're willing to pay it with their eyeballs and data if it means getting a more personalized experience.

According to a survey soon to be released by PowerInbox, 82% of consumers say they'd rather see ads in exchange for content instead of paying for a subscription, but with a caveat: nearly half say they want those ads to be personalized to their interests and online behavior. That means publishers must prioritize advertiser relevancy in order to deliver content that entices online subscribers to click: Two-thirds say relevancy and trust in the publisher are key drivers of advertising click-through.

But, that can be difficult in an environment where consumers are growing increasingly skeptical of how companies collect and use their data. That puts the onus on publishers to find new ways to connect with audiences over channels they trust and have already used to build an existing relationship, like email.

PowerInbox CEO Jeff Kupietzky says publishers can leverage that one-to-one relationship with email subscribers across other channels to reinforce engagement. He says that by adopting a multi-channel messaging strategy that enables publishers to optimize, personalize and automate subscriber messaging, publishers can deliver the highly targeted, relevant content subscribers expect to drive revenue with minimal effort.

"Publishers are in trouble: they're losing revenue and traffic to the likes of Facebook and Google, and they need solutions that can help them regain control of their audience relationships and generate new revenue," Kupietzky said. "Our data shows that publishers have a tremendous opportunity to leverage a multi-channel strategy over channels that consumers already trust to drive engagement and monetization, putting the power back into the hands of publishers."

To help publishers begin assembling this multi-channel messaging strategy, PowerInbox VP of Marketing Renee Chemel will participate in a Drop In Clinic at Affiliate Summit West at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, January 29^th in the Exhibit Hall, Paris Ballroom. Chemel will be available to answer questions and provide consumer survey insights to help publishers optimize their customer strategy.

Several members of the PowerInbox team will also be available at Table 1913 during the Meet Market on Monday, Jan. 27 and throughout the event at Booth #317. Stop by the booth on Tuesday, Jan. 28^th for a customized airbrush t-shirt, and guests who schedule a meeting with the PowerInbox team will receive a VIP personalization. 

For more information, visit www.powerinbox.com or https://www.affiliatesummit.com/west/affiliate-summit-west-agenda.

About PowerInbox
PowerInbox provides comprehensive, multichannel digital monetization solutions that help publishers and marketers drive new revenue with personalized subscriber engagement. Venture backed and profitable, PowerInbox supports 150 million unique users a month from more than 650 leading publishers including The Atlantic, Bonnier, Salem Web Network, Crains, HarperCollins, New York Magazine, Palm Beach Gazette and Seattle Times. For more information about PowerInbox, visit www.powerinbox.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Julianne Weinman 
SSPR
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jweinman@sspr.com

SOURCE PowerInbox