Well played, good sir! I ended up making the same call a few weeks ago after test-driving the "Paid archive" option for a few months. I now removed all paywalls from archived posts and am focusing exclusively on bonus "paid perks" for paid subscribers.
I saw Alejandro in the comments is suggesting to try code/proofs/etc. for subscribers. As you may know, I'm currently trying out the "Sunday Showdown" segment attached to the weekly Sunday news column - the column itself is free as it's always been, and this new bottom section is paid. It's still early days so I can't say if it's working, but I feel it's a nice way to give something extra to the paid subscribers without taking much away from the rest. Maybe that's an option for you as well?
Don't hesitate to write me if you want to exchange thoughts and learnings. Good luck on this new era.
Now I'm off to free up a dozen hours in my schedule to revisit some of your no-longer-paid stuff!
That's a great idea, man. I'm not sure exactly how a similar thing to your showdowns would fit the type of articles I write, but I'll definitely give it a serious thought, and I'll take you up on that offer to exchange ideas. Wait for my DM :)
Really appreciate you sharing this rationale and making this call. This whole writing on the internet thing during a period of intense change (not sure if I mean the last 5 months or 5 years) is hard to figure. I agree that total reads is the best metric. All platforms give you the metrics they want you to see. It seems to me what you want is readers, that is people actually attending to the words and thinking about what you are writing, which is not the same thing as subscribers or followers or clicks or heaven help us, "impressions."
Yep, I couldn't have articulated it any better. Just want to reach the widest possible range of readers while making it sustainable. The metric to optimize is "people who deeply engage with my writing", which is not exactly "email opens" either, but that's the closest one can get, I suppose.
Much appreciated. And just to say lack of paid subscription in no way indicates lack of interest in content, but there has to be an affordable limit on the number of paid reads.
Well played, good sir! I ended up making the same call a few weeks ago after test-driving the "Paid archive" option for a few months. I now removed all paywalls from archived posts and am focusing exclusively on bonus "paid perks" for paid subscribers.
I saw Alejandro in the comments is suggesting to try code/proofs/etc. for subscribers. As you may know, I'm currently trying out the "Sunday Showdown" segment attached to the weekly Sunday news column - the column itself is free as it's always been, and this new bottom section is paid. It's still early days so I can't say if it's working, but I feel it's a nice way to give something extra to the paid subscribers without taking much away from the rest. Maybe that's an option for you as well?
Don't hesitate to write me if you want to exchange thoughts and learnings. Good luck on this new era.
Now I'm off to free up a dozen hours in my schedule to revisit some of your no-longer-paid stuff!
That's a great idea, man. I'm not sure exactly how a similar thing to your showdowns would fit the type of articles I write, but I'll definitely give it a serious thought, and I'll take you up on that offer to exchange ideas. Wait for my DM :)
I have a suggestion. Make the writing free, and the code, proofs, etc, for subscribers only.
That's an interesting value proposition! I'll give it a serious thought, thanks! :)
Really appreciate you sharing this rationale and making this call. This whole writing on the internet thing during a period of intense change (not sure if I mean the last 5 months or 5 years) is hard to figure. I agree that total reads is the best metric. All platforms give you the metrics they want you to see. It seems to me what you want is readers, that is people actually attending to the words and thinking about what you are writing, which is not the same thing as subscribers or followers or clicks or heaven help us, "impressions."
Yep, I couldn't have articulated it any better. Just want to reach the widest possible range of readers while making it sustainable. The metric to optimize is "people who deeply engage with my writing", which is not exactly "email opens" either, but that's the closest one can get, I suppose.
Much appreciated. And just to say lack of paid subscription in no way indicates lack of interest in content, but there has to be an affordable limit on the number of paid reads.