Middle Media Agency

The Paywall Paradox: When Earned Media Hits a Wall

Middle Media PR
Nov 17, 2024By Middle Media PR

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital media, a curious phenomenon has emerged: 

the rise of the paywall. 

While these digital barriers have become a lifeline for many publications, they've created a unique challenge for PR professionals. 

Let's dive into the world of paywalls and explore their impact on earned media.

The Paywall Proliferation

Over the past decade, paywalls have become ubiquitous in the media industry. 

According to Wired, a staggering 76% of American newspapers employed paywalls in 2019, up from 60% just two years prior. 

This trend isn't limited to traditional news outlets; it's pervasive across various industries, including trade publications like AdWeek and PRWeek.

The SEO Conundrum

PR veteran Gini Dietrich recently made a compelling case for the power of earned media, stating, "...that single placement in Forbes, The New York Times, or the Dallas Morning News could have a greater effect on your search position than all the efforts of your SEO firm during the past 10 years."

While this may be true from an SEO perspective, it raises a critical question: What good is improved search visibility if most people can't access the content?

A Tale of Two Cities (and Millions of Locked-Out Readers)

Let's consider the Dallas Morning News as an example:

  • At the end of 2019, it had just over 35,000 paid digital subscribers.
  • The Dallas-Fort Worth area has a population of 6.3 MILLION.
  • Less than 1% of the DFW area subscribes to the paper!

This means that when your company lands a coveted placement, the vast majority of potential readers will be met with a paywall after a few free articles.

The Subscription Saturation Point

While Americans are willing to pay for entertainment (an average of $29 a month for 3.4 streaming services), the appetite for news subscriptions appears much smaller:

  • The New York Times subscription costs $17.99 a month.
  • The Denver Post charges $14.99 monthly.

Even the New York Times, the titan of paywalls, boasts just 6.3 million subscribers—a mere 2% of the U.S. population.

The Uncomfortable Question

So, we must ask ourselves: What good is a media placement if 98-99% of potential readers are greeted with a "Subscribe now" message instead of your carefully crafted story?

Rethinking Earned Media in the Paywall Era

This doesn't mean earned media is obsolete. However, it does require a shift in how we approach and value these placements:

  1. Quality over Quantity: Focus on outlets where your target audience is more likely to have subscriptions.
  2. Leverage Snippets: Work with journalists to ensure key points are visible in the free preview.
  3. Diversify Placements: Balance paywalled placements with open-access outlets.
  4. Content Repurposing: Create owned content that references and expands on paywalled placements.

Conclusion

The paywall paradox presents a unique challenge for PR professionals.

While earned media in prestigious publications can boost SEO and credibility, its reach is increasingly limited. 

As we navigate this new landscape, it's crucial to adapt our strategies, ensuring that our clients' stories don't just rank well in search results, but actually reach and resonate with their intended audiences.


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