For news readers, reliable content is the key driver to subscribe to any news platform.
For news readers, reliable content is the key driver to subscribe to any news platform, according to a study. About 67 per cent of current subscribers cited ‘reliable content’ as a primary factor in their decision to subscribe, stated a report by Google and Kantar.
This is not all. Among those who have not subscribed, the top three barriers cited are being overwhelmed by too many plans and prices (39 per cent), a limited budget (35 per cent), and a lack of flexible payment and cancellation options (33 per cent) .
This contrast underscores the need for publishers to clearly articulate the value proposition behind each offering while addressing pricing and flexibility concerns, said the report titled ‘The Indian News Consumer: Willingness to Pay & Key Drivers,’ brought out in partnership with Google and Kantar. This is the third edition of the Google News Summit.
Among the barriers and opportunities for reader revenue in India, the report found that while users recognize the value of quality journalism, they are overwhelmingly driven by convenience and deterred by cost and a lack of clarity regarding the value proposition of paid subscriptions.
The report also noted that user preferences vary interestingly by language. The study consistently reveals that news in the preferred language is a highly valued content element across various language groups, including Hindi (67 per cent), Bengali (75 per cent), Tamil (63 per cent), and Gujarati (79 per cent) .
While subscription and other revenue models have varying appeal, the overall willingness to pay for digital news content, whether through subscriptions or other models, is comparable between local language and English language news consumers in India.
Durga Raghunath, head of India News Partnerships at Google India, said, “The Indian digital news market is experiencing dynamic growth, driven by increasing internet penetration and an expanding ecosystem of local language publishers. Understanding the nuances of reader revenue models is crucial for the sustainability and growth of digital news.”
The report also highlighted that both Kannada and Tamil speakers are relatively more receptive to subscriptions. They are also open to sharing first-party data and micro-transactions in the form of either pay-per-content or mini access passes.
In contrast, first-party data is likely to be the key to unlocking value with Bengali and Malayalam speakers. This diversity provides publishers with a wider range of revenue models to explore.
Biswapriya Bhattacharjee, Director – B2B Technology, Kantar, said, “Indian digital news consumers increasingly crave immersive, more relevant news consumption experiences, creating a prime opportunity for premium offerings. However, the price-sensitive nature of the market necessitates a diversified revenue strategy. What also comes out strongly is that in order to expand the user base, a meaningfully different and well-communicated value proposition is essential.”
The study also emphasized the need to enhance the Indic language experience. Indic language publications often encounter difficulties navigating subscription processes and accessing content.
The report suggests dedicating resources to build a seamless experience for Indic language users, including intuitive interface design and easy language-switching functionality.
First Published: Aug 06 2024 | 3:02 PM IST
