Exclusive Case Study Library

Note: Click here to see our Case Studies listed alphabetically by site name.

CASE STUDY: Structured Credit Investor's Subscription Revenue Helps It Survive 2008 Crash

Structured Credit Investor (SCI) launched just two years before the global financial meltdown shrunk their industry by 75%. Managing Director John-Owen Waller tells us how subscriptions made it possible for the site to continue to thrive despite their reduced growth. Plus, discover the site's seven conversion tactics, its two methods for acquiring group subscriptions, and one great SEO trick to make featured content stand out in search results. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: Toronto Star Launches Star Dispatches -- an eBook Subscription Service for Long-Form News

In November of 2012, the Toronto Star launched Star Dispatches, a subscription eBook service. Sandy MacLeod, VP of Consumer Marketing, spoke with us about how Star Dispatches is driving acquisitions through the Toronto Star's website and existing subscribers, how it's been able to create a new product using existing employees, and why it chose a $1 a week subscription price. Plus, discover how you can drive subscription sales through your site while still having a presence on Amazon and Apple's eBook discovery platforms. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: Datamyne Makes Millions with Site License Sales for International Trade Data

Group subscriptions for B2B data is not a new thing, and Datamyne is a great example of this, having offered them since 1992 (albeit with modems). CEO Brendan McCahill and Lisa Wallerstein, VP of Marketing & Product Development, spoke with Insider about how the site cleans and standardizes international trade data from countries all over the world and then tailors its subscription packages for each organization, allowing them to charge anywhere from $3,000 a year to $10,000 a month. Plus, discover how the site is driving conversions with a free demo and in-person sales calls. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: Fast Fitness to Go Converts 11% to Email Opt-In and 2.5% to Paying Subscriber with Timed Offer

With a novel concept in a competitive niche, Fast Fitness to Go shows how a subscription site can generate reliable revenue early on compared to most online start-ups. Founder Shay de Silva spoke with us about the key factors in creating downloadable exercise videos for traveling professionals, what Wordpress plugins have helped her push conversions, and why she's pursuing group subscription opportunities for her B2C site. Plus, learn how the site converts 11% of visitors to its email list and 2.5% to paying subscriber. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: PitchBook Generates $12M-$15M through VC and PE Information Database

Directories and databases can be one of the most lucrative online subscription businesses, especially for B2B information. In this Case Study, John Gabbert, CEO & Founder at PitchBook, spoke to us about how the site gets its killer content, pricing group subscriptions, and the downloadable reports that are their best lead gen device for live demos . . . click here

CASE STUDY: HDI Keeps Membership Organization Going with Online Training and Local Offline Events

How does a membership organization survive in the era of social media, when the community aspects of association are so easy to replicate for free? Help Desk Institute (HDI) evolved its membership model for the online space not just by providing digital content and Web-based certification for IT support and help desk professionals -- it also launched successful in-person events and 63 local chapter meetings, providing a benefit social media can't. Managing Director Craig Baxter spoke to us about how these local volunteer chapters extend account lifetimes, and how events, trainings and subscriptions all cross-sell one another. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: Popular Science Profits from iPad App, But Struggles to Get Marketing Data

In 2010, Popular Science was one of the first consumer magazines to launch an iPad edition and has made more than $1.5 million from it to date. In this in-depth Case Study, Robert Cohn, Consumer Marketing Director at parent company Bonnier, reveals the many lessons learned from abandoning a free trial model for a composite prototype model that converts better, to the frustrations of getting data from Apple. This Case Study also includes tips and tricks for publishing and pricing tablet editions for Nook, Kindle, Android devices and Zinio. If you're remotely interested in tablet publishing, this is the a must-read! . . . click here

CASE STUDY: Megawatt Hour Disrupts Subscription Pricing With Percentage-Based Monthly Plans

While there are plenty of subscription site launches in recent months, we liked Megawatt Hour for its smart approach and use of existing industry data. Co-Founder Deirdre Lord spoke to us about why the site developed a percentage-based subscription plan that's familiar to professionals in the energy purchasing industry. Plus, discover when to follow up a lead gen tactic with an email and when to call the prospect directly. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: Business Management Daily Uses Webinar Trainings to Upsell Database Subscriptions

Online training can be the bread and butter of many industry and professional development sites. Business Management Daily (BMD) has capitalized on this by tying subscription database trials to one-off Webinar trainings. Publisher Adam Goldstein spoke to us about how the site generates seven-figure revenues through a multi-faceted conversion process. Plus discover why display ads may be better than overlays for free product lead generation. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: Surfline Turns Weather Updates into a 7-Figure B2C Subscription Business

Surfline started out as a pay-per-call telephone service, providing surf conditions to surfing enthusiasts, but entered the Internet age in 1995 with live HD streams of surf breaks. Vice President of Subscriptions and Product Marketing George Roletter spoke to us about how Surfline has used A/B testing to get 30% of visitors who enter the trial funnel to convert. Plus, discover how this B2C site is able to retain up to 93% of subscribers! . . . click here

CASE STUDY: Equilar Insight Makes $20 Million with Group Subscriptions for Open-Access Data

By cleaning up publicly-available SEC data, Equilar Insight generates approximately $20 million a year by selling group subscriptions, priced above $11K/year, to large corporations. CEO David Chun spoke to us about how the site uses old-school B2B sales techniques to close deals, while investing heavily in technology to create online content that's consistent and convenient. Plus, find out why Chun thinks usage, not renewal numbers, are the most important retention figures. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: Stanford Social Innovation Review Makes $1 Million Catering to Emerging Niche

Stanford Social Innovation Review (SSIR) made $1 million last year by catering to the growing number of professionals interested in social innovation. Publishing Director Regina Starr Ridley shared how the 5-person staff has optimized its revenues by mimicking The Economist's pricing and subscription plan structure and by upselling Webinars through annual-access packages. This Case Study also includes great screenshots and creative samples of how to optimize subscription conversion through tabs, links and offers. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: How ArkansasOnline Makes Millions from Paywalled Local News

When the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette put all its local news behind a paywall in 2001, traffic dropped by 30% for three months... but then it rebounded and the site has gone from strength to strength since then. Executive VP for Digital Conan Gallaty spoke with us about the site's marketing, price tests, and subscription conversion tactics including one of the best-designed paywalls we've ever seen on a newspaper site. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: GenomeWeb Upsells Site Licenses With Clever 3-User Trial

GenomeWeb started off with a paid trial for single users, but then converted it into a 3-user trial, thereby turning every trial-taker into a site license prospect. Publisher/COO Greg Anderson spoke to us about the site's clever conversion process, as well as the site's multi-title pricing strategy. This is a great Case Study for anyone trying to increase its site license sales, especially B2B sites. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: JTS.tv Promotes and Profits from Original Internet TV with a Subscription-Only Model

JTS.tv founded a new network that offers original, online-only television programming exclusively through subscriptions. CEO Carter Mason spoke to us about how the site is curating original content through exclusive and semi-exclusive licensing deals and converting 80% of trial takers to paying subscribers. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: Strategy+Business Turns Free Web Content into Revenue-Generating Apps

Booz & Co. created Strategy+Business as a content marketing tool with a free-to-view website, but the publication has boldly began charging for the convenience of viewing the same content through mobile and tablet apps. Publisher Gretchen Hall spoke to us about why the site decided to bundle all of its digital offerings into one package and how social media sign-on has helped registration. Plus, learn how you can get the customer info you need from app subscribers, even when Apple refuses to provide it! . . . click here

CASE STUDY: TheDay.com Launches a Paywall That Keeps Readers and Advertisers Happy

Want to create a paywall, sell thousands a year in online subscriptions, and keep both advertisers and readers happy? Well, read on. The Day's Director of Marketing & Audience Development Daniel Williams spoke to us about how The Day continues to sustain impressive company revenues - including $100,000 in online subscription sales. Plus, this Case Study contains lessons about membership rewards program, retention marketing, and subscription marketing ideas to inspire every subscription and membership site! . . . click here

CASE STUDY: Eagle Financial Uses Video Landing Pages and Price Testing to Make Millions

In addition to classic best practices in marketing, Eagle Publishing's financial division has adopted some shocking marketing tactics and tested them to profit maximization. Vice President and Goup Publisher Roger Michalski shared the Eagle Financial's counterintuitive testing results and what it's like to work with independent experts. Plus, discover why video landing pages may be the best conversion tactic since long-letter postal direct mail pieces. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: How to Survive in the Paid eCards Industry -- A/B Tests, Pricing Models & Quality Content

Katie's Cards -- a subscription ecard company -- is the case that proves you can make money from exceptionally high quality content, even in a market flooded with free stuff. The company profits from a mixed business model, selling similar content to consumers through low cost subscriptions and to businesses through high-priced one-off sales. Marketing Manager Racheal Ellis spoke with us about the site's A/B test results and Facebook integration. Plus, learn why you need to add new online tools -- not just new content -- to retain subscribers. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: SafetySmart Grows New Subscriptions by 200% After Revamping Online Platform

In 2011, SafetySmart re-launched with a savvy Web platform that had online tools to save customers time and effort. John Doyle, Senior Vice President of Products and Content at parent company Bongarde, spoke with us about how moving to more interactive content services increased subscriptions by 200%, how low-priced items through sister sites have been an enormously productive source of lead generation, and how the company's sophisticated in-house sales system incorporates user-generated information and telesales. Plus, check out the best use of a call-to-action button on a site tour we've ever seen. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: The Successful Investor Network Finds a Winning Formula With Bundling and a Unique Paywall Concept

By bundling and flipping the traditional idea of a paywall on its head, The Successful Investor Network has acquired more than 12,000 paying subscribers, only 25% of which are print-only. Online Editor Alex Conde spoke to us about how the site charges for its most recent content, as well as some of the site's savvy conversions tactics, including swiping a free trial for a "no-risk" trial and guest subscription offers. Plus, discover how you can boost your subscription revenues with a separate membership plan! . . . click here

CASE STUDY: How WritersMarket.com Turned a 90-Year-Old Print Directory into a Profitable Online Subscription Site

At any given moment, 50,000 subscribers are paying to access WritersMarket.com's robust database. Winter Thielen, Director of Online Product Development at WritersMarket.com and Robert Brewer, Senior Content Editor, spoke with us about how the site maintains its listings, succeeds with email marketing, and creates perceived value with limited-release compilations. Plus, get inspired by some great conversion tactics, including an unusual navigation bar and a well-designed site tour. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: Highbeam's Conversion Optimization Tests Sell More Subscriptions to Consumers and Business Execs

Highbeam Research provides students, journalists, academics and business execs a convenient subscription database of 90 million newspaper, magazine and journal articles. In this Case Study, Joe Miller, Vice President of Product, UX & Marketing, and Sarah Hough, Analytics Manager, reveal the company's extensive testing of trial offers, conversion tactics, and pricing -- including special pricing for students and how to word your annual rate to get more conversions! . . . click here

CASE STUDY: Contact Any Celebrity Generates $1M+ by Staying Nimble in a Changing Market

Through a powerful database and switching from a B2C to a B2B focus, Contact Any Celebrity is able to generate more than $1 million a year in revenues. Learn how Founder Jordan McAuley tested his prices to generate more revenue with fewer sign-ups, as well as why he decided to go with a $1 trial instead of a free one. Plus, learn a new tip for testing your market's receptivity to live events, and how you can make money from events without ever having to host one. This is a must-read, especially for other B2B sites that should be creating industry-specific databases of their own! . . . click here

CASE STUDY: A Story Before Bed Soars With Unique Presentation of Online Content

With an exceptionally unique content offering that can't be replicated in print, A Story Before Bed is changing the way parents and children connect online. CEO Hillel Cooperman spoke with us about the technology behind the site, its native iPad app, and how donating subscriptions has generated tremendous PR. Plus, learn how separate landing pages for gift subscriptions can help your conversions. Plenty of great creative samples, too! . . . click here

CASE STUDY: Education Week Generates $13M With Strong Online + Offline Business Model

Education Week has had a thriving print magazine since 1981, and established an ad-supported online model in 1996. In 2005, the site transitioned to a hybrid revenue model, combining subscriptions, advertising, one-off sales, and offline events, helping them rake in $13M in revenues a year. Michele Givens and Stefanie Hemmingson spoke to the Insider about how they managed all this. Keep readings for lots of great tips, including testing results and some unique strategies for group sales and meeting the never-ending demand for more online content. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: SportsBettingProfessor.com Wins With Affiliate Marketing and Low-Ball Pricing

While there's a clear niche for information on sports gambling, most PPC advertisers won't open campaigns for them. Yet SportsBettingProfessor.com has been able to thrive, mainly through the use of affiliate marketing and low-ball pricing. Co-owner Mike Zenga spoke to us about how he pays his affiliates, the results of his pricing tests, his use of welcome videos and overlays, and why being different was more successful than copying other sites. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: IdentityForce Sells 1 Million Subscriptions across B2C and 4 Different B2B Niches

When providing data monitoring and concierge services online, it's easy to stick to one niche market. But IdentityForce has been able to sell one million subscriptions to both B2C and B2B audiences, with 40 groups accounting for half of their subscribers. CEO Steve Bearak spoke to us about how the company generates and closes group sales, as well as how it optimized its conversion pages for trial offers. Plenty of actual data in this case study, including affiliate commission fees and conversion percentages when partnering with other sites. Also, great Web design tips to optimize your conversion pages! . . . click here

CASE STUDY: Top 10 Lessons From Foreign Affairs' Highly Successful Online Subscription Marketing

Through data-driven marketing, Foreign Affairs is selling millions of dollars of subscriptions a year, the vast majority of which contain online content. Deputy Publisher & Director of Digital Strategy Lynda Hammes gave us an exclusive peek as to how a print journal founded in 1922 has successfully marketed online subscriptions. Includes useful tips on getting Facebook likes, optimizing PPC landing pages, and converting more free traffic into paying subscribers. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: AgencyFinder Turns the B2B Industry Directory Model Into A Highly Profitable Subscription Business

Matchmaking sites for consumers are a growing multi-billion dollar industry -- but B2B trade directories have had a much harder time profiting online, particularly because they must compete with Google for ad budgets. But AgencyFinder, a matchmaking site for ad agencies and their would-be clients, has a clever, profitable business model that beats the odds. Find out the details in our exclusive Case Study. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: Exclusive with Consumer Reports Online - 18 Effective Tactics for Subscription Marketers

While most print magazines have been struggling to find a way to stay viable, Consumer Reports has been able to grow its subscriptions to Consumer Reports Online (CRO) to account for almost half of its subscription revenues. Chief Marketing Officer Jamie Darnow and ConsumerReports.org Editor-in-Chief Rachel Hagar gave us an exclusive look at how they do it, sharing 18 lessons for publishers to learn from and imitate, from creative marketing campaigns to their use of account updater software to increase retention rates and revenues. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: RFID Journal Makes 7 Figures By Mixing Paid Subscriptions, Live Events and Advertising

In this case study, Founder and Editor of RFID Journal, Mark Roberti, discusses how he played to his strength by creating a cornucopia of content around radio frequency identification (RFID) and then made more money by hosting industry-specific events. This is a great read for anyone interested in hybrid business models and managing multiple revenue streams. Of particular note is the journal's ability to convince 25% of its paying members to commit to a three-year subscription through the strength of its content, as well as the different options they offer advertisers. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: ShirleyMacLaine.com Creates a Powerful Community Around a Celebrity Thought-Leader

Authors and thought-leaders are well-suited for creating niche communities around their area of interest. In this Case Study, learn how ShirleyMacLaine.com has maintained an active community interested in New Age topics for more than 12 years through paid memberships. Please note, this is not a celebrity fan site, but a membership community centered around a thought-leader and best-selling author's ideas and interests. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: How TaxHotline.net Uses B2B Marketing & Sales to Sell a B2C Coaching & Advisory Service

Plenty of publishers make money by syndicating content to third-party media. But, Tax Rite, Inc. is one of the very few we know of who syndicate coaching services. Co-owner Jeremy Boston reveals in our exclusive case study how the company's TaxHotline.net personal advisory service now reaches more than one million consumers…99.99% sold through syndication deals with organizations ranging from financial institutions and unions to churches.
Includes tips on how to use a/b tests to close big sales, and a link to one of the best subscription sales videos we've ever seen. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: How Gantthead Sells Memberships in the (Incredibly) Competitive IT Info Niche

The IT-related publishing niche is one of the most intensely competitive B2B niches online. Discover how independent publisher Gantthead.com profits by focusing solely on a micro-niche, "lonely project managers." Founder and owner David Garrett reveals how he mixes paid memberships and advertising revenue models, and his lessons learned from price testing individual and group subscriptions. Through discussion boards and an active community, Gantthead.com has grown from a fledgling dotcom-era darling to the go-to site for project management questions and answers and 530,000 members. . . . click here

[Case Study] How The Six O'Clock Scramble Thrives Against Free Competitors

Discover how The Six O'Clock Scramble, a $21 per quarter subscription service for busy moms competes, against megalith free sites such as AllRecipes.com. This Case Study includes tips on selling subscriptions through Groupon and LivingSocial, plus how to land outstanding PR mentions in mainstream magazines.

. . . click here

[Case Study] Niche Site Teen Life Ministries Attracts More Than 3,000 Paid Subscribers

Niche site Teen Life Ministries has effectively combined PPC (pay per click) advertising, targeted emails and a deep understanding of its audience to grow to 3,000 paid subscribers. The site has achieved this level of success without anyone working on it full-time. . . . click here

[Case Study] EBMedicine Succeeds With Postal Direct Mail, Clever Email Campaign

What do you do if you're selling subscriptions to customers such as physicians who don't actually tend to surf the web much? EBMedicine has come up with creative postal direct mail (relying in part on list partnerships) and super clever email campaigns that get these docs hooked. The best part is almost any subscription site can use the same ideas. . . . click here

[Case Study] The Caretaker Gazette's Ultimate Subscription Model - Paid Advertising as Content

In many ways, The Caretaker Gazette has the ultimate subscription model. Nearly all of the content is paid advertising by property owners looking for caretakers and subscribers (those who want to live rent-free) pay to receive the ads in the form of a print newsletter and email blasts. Owner Gary Dunn has capitalized on recent economic trends and media hunger for recession trend stories to promote his publication. His marketing techniques take advantage of timing and the desire for readers to be "first" to learn of and land new rent-free opportunities. . . . click here

[Case Study] How ContractorSelling.com Uses Live Monthly Virtual Training and Video Testimonials to Convert, Upsell

The key to the success of many membership sites is not only selling on-demand membership content but higher priced virtual and live events. ContractorSelling.com is a booming example with significant virtual coaching and live event revenues. The site uses innovative marketing tactics such as software that turns anonymous website visitors into real leads, well-produced video case studies or spotlights that are really strong member testimonials and a free monthly virtual video training session to attract new members. We talked to co-founder Joe Crisara. . . . click here

[Marketing Case Study] Dow Jones Local Media Group Tests Overlays to Turn Newspaper Visitors into Paying Online Subscribers

Although 99% of online dating sites use overlays to garner more email opt-ins and free registered users, it's not a tactic we see used very often by mainstream subscription publishers. So we were thrilled when Insider Member Kurt Lozier, SVP Dow Jones Local Media, offered to share his early-stage test results for eight local newspaper sites. Yes, includes sample screenshots and lessons learned. . . . click here

[Case Study] How BoomerTennis.net Monetizes Advisory Boards and Partners with Corporate Brands to Underwrite Memberships

Bigger and older sites could take a few lessons from new niche site BoomerTennis.net in bringing key influencers into active advisory board roles and partnering with big brand names to sponsor memberships. We spoke to BoomerTennis.net co-founder Robert Milligan for this Exclusive Case Study. . . . click here

[Case Study] What Happened When ExpertClick.com Moved From a Paid to Free Model

Mitchell Davis of ExpertClick.com is an incredibly successful subscription marketer. In this exclusive Case Study, he reveals simple but powerful ways to improve your subscription sales no matter which niche you are in. Davis also tells us about a nine-month test where he tried to go from paid to free. It didn't work. Paid is more successful. Find out why. . . . click here

[Case Study] MapMyFitness: How to get 180,000 Paid Buyers & 30,000 Tell-a-Friend Referrals Per Day for User-Generated Content

Is your company wed to a particular publishing platform or revenue model because "we've always done it this way"? Be inspired by our exclusive Case Study of MapMyFitness, profiting from being truly agnostic. They are agnostic toward platform -- publishing mobile apps, websites and printed materials. They're agnostic toward revenue models, selling ads, app downloads, and recurring site memberships not to mention non-content ecommerce products. And their sales are doing just fine, thank you very much. Plus, you've got to love their social marketing focus -- they get 30,000-40,000 'tell-a-friend' referrals per day! . . . click here

[Case Study] Food and Health Communications Has Winning Combo with Member Library and One-Off Products

Many online publishers think they need to be great either at running a membership site or creating one-off information products. Food and Health Communications proves that it is possible to do both well. The company recently recast their paid print newsletter into an online-only member library, allowing them to charge more while cutting costs. Plus it has a winning formula for monetizing news with quick, innovative product creation and savvy marketing. . . . click here

[Case Study] eSewingWorkshop.com - A Video Lesson Site Finds Success Through Simple and Explicit Instruction

How did a popular sewing teacher turn her offline popularity into online profit? With eSewingWorkshop.com an online membership site devoted exclusively to Houshan's video sewing lessons. The founder and her team faced a special challenge in that many sewing enthusiasts aren't necessarily web savvy. They have grown the site to over 16,000 free and paid members by both finding those sewers who are web savvy and following a number of best practices in making their site (and conversion process) easier for even the most basic user. . . . click here

[Case Study] 2,500 paid members in 100 days: Solo Blogger and Ebook Publisher Uses Marketing Best Practices to Launch Subscription Site

When Chris Guillebeau's ebook on discount airfares received overwhelming reader feedback and pleas for more tips, Guillebeau conceived of a subscription site to help average travelers accumulate mileage rewards and travel more affordable. While this niche is already saturated with free online information, in just 100 days since its launch, Travel Hacking Cartel has gone from zero to 2,500 paying members using marketing best practices that every subscription site can learn from. . . . click here

[Case Study] How a Former Newspaper Editor Makes a High Five-Figure Income by Publishing an Online Community for Freelancers

In 2000, after two decades with Gannett plus a few years of freelancing, Jennie Phipps decided to acquire a paid subscription publication she herself subscribed to -- Freelance Success. In our exclusive Case Study, Phipps reveals her lessons learned from her decade as an online publisher, including:
* Why you should consider offering a cruise instead of a conference
* What makes people renew
* How in-person appearances beat online marketing
* Privacy concerns you need to consider for member profiles
If you're in a paid content niche related to consultants or solo entrepreneurs, or you are selling subscriptions to a private online community, you'll probably find some useful nuggets in this Case Study. Also includes a sample of Freelance Success' email newsletter, which has a copy-worthy format . . . click here

[Case Study] Secrets of a B2B Email Newsletter Publisher: Profiting from Subscription Content, Conferences & Niche Launches

Beer Business Daily created an alternative to free industry trade pubs with a paid subscription email newsletter that's bought by a whopping 70% of the market -- including executives at the three biggest breweries and 10 largest national distributors.
Founder Harry Schuhmacher tells Insider how his editorial team generates must-buy content and how they time their email sends to maximize its impact. On the marketing side, hear how his team converted free email opt-ins to paying subscribers. Lastly, discover how he's increased profits by launching new pubs for related niches, without cannibalizing existing subscribers. . . . click here

[Case Study] How a Nanny Matching Membership Site Beats Increased Competition With A/B Tests, Price Changes & Better Search Marketing

See how a membership site that matches families with nannies has thrived for a decade, even as more competitors came on the scene.

In our exclusive Case Study, Steve Lampert, Founder & President of eNannySource, reveals how he's beat competitors, tested price changes, added more revenue streams to his mix, and improved SEO and PPC campaigns.

Also, if you're considering outsourcing any of your content creation, review the lessons Lampert's learned first!

. . . click here

[Case Study] How Christianity Today Targets Specific Church Roles Through a Network of 8 Paid Content Sites

Christianity Today launched its first subscription site in 1999. Today, the nonprofit publisher operates eight paid content sites that account for roughly 40% of the organization's total revenues. Insider spoke with Cory Whitehead, Director of Brand and Digital Marketing, to learn how they identify opportunities for new subscription sites, and why they also offer pay-per-download content in addition to subscriptions for all their sites.

In this Case Study you will also learn:

- Why they spend about 50% of their marketing budget on PPC search ads

- How a simple change to a site's Facebook page generated 5% of monthly revenue in January

- How they're generating 20% of free trial signups through an overlay screen for first-time visitors

. . . click here

[Case Study] Down-and-Dirty Paid Newsletter/Membership Site Launch: 6 Days from Concept to Creation

See how a business coach launched a premium blogging-tips email newsletter and membership website in just six days and for less than $1,000. Insider's exclusive interview with Need a Topic founder Justin Lukasavige reveals how he was able to go from concept to live service so quickly.

In this Case Study you'll discover practical advice for:

- Creating email newsletters with actionable information that subscribers will pay for

- Ideas for low-cost and no-cost marketing tactics, such as blogger outreach and working LinkedIn connections

- Six technology platforms that enabled a quick launch -- including an all-important plugin to help an email database communicate with a membership platform and a payment processor . . . click here

[Case Study] Mobile Publisher Uses Browser-Based Tech, Not Apps, to Create Premium Magazines for Any Device

Mark Edmiston, former CEO of Newsweek and founder of M&A firm The Jordan, Edmiston Group, describes his new mobile publishing venture. See why the company chose browser-based technology, not apps, to deliver content, and why they've set aside 35% of subscription revenues to pay content contributors. Also includes a Facebook sweepstakes campaign that generated up to 1,000 free-trials a day . . . click here

[Case Study] How a Pioneering Industry Newsletter Expanded Into a Suite of Online Subscription Products and Contract Writing Work

Insider's exclusive interview with Nadav Malin, President, BuildingGreen.com, reveals how the 20-year-old newsletter publisher used its reputation as an unbiased source of sustainable-building news and analysis to create a suite of online subscription products. Plus, he explains how they use that in-house expertise to attract custom writing and website development work from government, non-profit and publishing-industry clients. He also explains how strong relationships with long-time subscribers help them find a "champion" within the largest architecture firms to promote site-license sales, which account for 30% of subscription revenues . . . click here

[Case Study] B2B Publisher Triples Revenue by Expanding Target Audience and Diversifying Content through Licensing and Repurposing

David Foster, CEO of Business Valuation Resources, tells Insider how he's tripled revenues by diversifying the site's target audiences and content mix. See how they use content licensing and widespread repurposing of their own resources to create more than 250 products with a range of subscription plans or one-time usage fees. Plus, he explains why one-off content purchases, like an ebook, have become the primary source of new customers who are converted through direct marketing and a sales team to a subscription plan . . . click here

[Case Study] Blogger Outreach, Media Relations and Gift Subscriptions Drive Growth for Book Rental Subscription Site

See how a book-rental subscription site billing itself as the "Netflix for books" overcame catalog, inventory and shipping challenges by targeting a specific niche of the book-reading public. Plus, see how their media- and blogger-relations strategy is driving subscription growth, and how they use gift subscriptions for social buying promotions on services like Groupon. . . . click here

[Case Study] How a Paid Content Site Launched a Lower-Cost Subscription Brand to Target a New Audience

See how the stock-photo subscription site Fotolia, which is aimed a design professionals and corporate users, launched a whole new subscription brand to target a new audience of small businesses and nonprofits. Business Development Manager Leo Tran tells Insider how they simplified pricing and licensing for small business, and how they're upselling large prospects to the parent-site's branded service . . . click here

[Case Study] How Golf Odyssey's Onboarding and Renewal Campaigns Lift Conversions and Reduce Chargebacks & Declines

Publisher David Baum shares the secrets of success in Golf Odyssey's 20-year run as a subscription newsletter for golf-related travel tips. See how they use a search-optimized free content site to drive traffic to their subscription site and newsletter offer, and how emails, print renewal notices, and payment-recycling tactics are improving conversions while reducing card declines and chargebacks. . . . click here

[Case Study] Lessons from a Subscription Site Launch: Audience & Content Surprises, Plus a PayPal Nightmare

Michael McCurdy, formerly of TheLadders.com, shares his biggest lessons learned from the launch of his own subscription site. Includes great tips for SEO and for boosting conversions with a site-overview video. Plus, he explains why you shouldn't launch with PayPal for payment processing. . . . click here

[Case Study] Print Newsletter Grows Subscription Base by Launching Membership Site: Lessons Learned

Insider spoke with Children's Book Insider co-founder Jon Bard to learn how he transitioned his print newsletter to a membership site. Includes lessons on content, communicating the change to members, and dealing with a WordPress-based membership site . . . click here

CASE STUDY: How SmartCredit Uses Partnerships, Savvy Direct Marketing and Unique Services to Stand Out from Competitors

Ethan Taub, CMO of SmartCredit, describes how his site is thriving in the competitive consumer credit reporting/monitoring market thanks to co-branded partnerships and better direct marketing. Includes must-copy tactics for B2C subscription sites, such as thank-you page offers. . . . click here

[Case Study] How a B2B Info Services Provider Turns $300 Online Subscribers to $60,000 Corporate Accounts

See how RISI grew from B2B trade publishing roots into the leading information services company for the pulp and paper industry. Insider spoke with Matt Graves, SVP Pulp & Paper Division, and Thom Smith, Director of Marketing, to learn how the company combines direct marketing with a corporate sales force to step up customers from $300-$400 online news subscriptions to $50,000+ corporate site licenses for a portfolio of services . . . click here

[Case Study] B2C Boating Enthusiast Site Combines Magazine-Style Articles with Multimedia Content to Attract Subs and Ad Revenues

Publisher Glen Justice describes how Mad Mariner created a successful consumer boating enthusiast site with a hybrid business model. Discover how their experiments with social media and audience surveys are driving lots of traffic -- and see our five suggestions for how they could improve lead gen, conversions, site design, and ad sales.

. . . click here

[Case Study] How Compete.com Uses Search Marketing to Attract 3x More Traffic Than Competitors & Turns Those Visitors Into Paid Subscribers

Insider's interview with Sr. Internet Marketing Manager Drew Fortin reveals how Compete.com uses SEO to get double and triple the amount of traffic as its more-established competitors. Also discover how a homepage design borrowed from B2C subscription database services is one of the site's most effective subscription marketing tactics -- and something every business information database should try. . . . click here

[Case Study] How a Blogger's Public Radio-Style 'Pledge Drives' Convince Subscribers to Pay $49-$75,000 to Support the Site

This exclusive interview with FutureOfCapitalism.com founder Ira Stoll proves that some readers are happy to pay a lot to support the content they're passionate about. See how the site uses quarterly campaigns that ask readers to support the free blog by paying up to five and six figures for an annual subscription. . . . click here

[Case Study] Professional Training Site Attracts Members with the Strength of its Expert Instructors and Certification Program

There's no shortage of free online resources to learn about Internet marketing. So how does this subscription-based education site get individuals and companies to pay for its video courses? World-famous instructors and "certification" in the chosen discipline are two keys to their success. Read on for more... . . . click here

[Case Study] How Fastcase Beats Huge Competitors with an iPhone App & Nimbler Search

If you love a David vs Goliath business story, Fastcase will win your heart. With just 20 staffers, the site serves a total of half a million paid subscribers, and its free iPhone/iPad app is one of the most popular in the legal niche. How can an Internet start-up take on an established $6.5 billion dollar information industry niche, stealing accounts away from the big boys? Keep reading… . . . click here

[Case Study] Journalist Creates Niche B2B News Site to Capitalize on Emerging Industry Trend

Launched in 2006, Sustainable Food News jumped on an emerging food-industry trend to create a premium daily news service that covers sustainable, organic, natural, and fair-trade products. See how the team compiles up to 15 stories a day, and why Publisher Dan McGovern's heavy trade-show travel schedule has been crucial for site growth. . . . click here

[Case Study] How a Guru-Branded Wine Site Built a Successful Subscription Model

Managing director of eRobertParker.com, Mark Braunstein, on topping the $1 million mark in subscriptions, the power of the guru-branded site, and the future of the mobile market. . . . click here

[Case Study] Vertical Search Engine Triples Paying Subscribers and Grows Prospect Database 10x with 'Freemium' Model

IDES is a vertical search engine for the plastics industry that's attracted 310,000 free users and 9,000 paying members with premium features to make engineers, designers and product fabricators' lives easier. Insider spoke with the director of business development and the marketing manager to learn why the site's freemium model was crucial to its growth, and why they've tightened registration requirements to generate more qualified prospects for targeted upselling. . . . click here

[Case Study] How the Christian Science Monitor Killed its Daily Paper and Grew Circulation 60%

Since abandoning its daily print newspaper in 2009 for a free website with a premium weekly print magazine, The Christian Science Monitor has seen circulation rise 60% and web visits soar. Insider spoke with Sr. Director of Marketing Susan Hackney to learn how they developed the content model and got more than 90% of subscribers to accept the new product . . . click here

[Case Study] Online Cooking School Uses High-Quality Videos to Attract Members and Land Partnerships

Online education systems have to offer more than quick-tips. See how subscription-based online cooking school Rouxbe uses trained chefs and film-industry professionals to create top-notch video content, quizzes, and instructor feedback to attract members needing more than just a recipe . . . click here

[Case Study] B2B News Site Takes on Print Incumbents with Nimble, SEO-Savvy Content

Discover how a B2B Web startup can outmaneuver entrenched, decades-old print competitors. Olivier Travers, CEO of Defense Industry Daily, tells Insider how a strategy of aggregation, linking, and analysis has made the site one of the top destinations for defense contractors. Also see how they use free news and updates as the building blocks for premium content. . . . click here

[Case Study] Premium Tourism Newsletter Attracts Subscribers with Unique Ideas for High-end Travelers

For eight years, Dream of Italy has convinced subscribers to pay for their newsletter despite the sea of free alternatives for online travel tips. Insider spoke with publisher Kathy McCabe to learn how her team targets a specific niche (high-end, repeat visitors to Italy) with unique content and personalized services they can't get from guidebooks and free travel sites. . . . click here

[Case Study] Facebook Integration Fuels Growth for Genealogy Research/Social Networking Membership Site

Discover how FamilyLink.com piggybacked on Facebook's popularity to create a social networking site for families that includes a premium genealogy research database. Insider spoke with CEO Paul Allen, an online subscriptions pioneer who previously founded Ancestry.com, to learn how the site attracts a flood of referrals from Facebook, and how it uses email updates to generate leads for its paid memberships. . . . click here

[Case Study] How a B2B Site Generates Monthly Memberships and Group Subscriptions by Providing Templates for Marketers

Jesse Hopps, CEO of Demand Metric, describes how his site attracts individual members and group subscriptions with tools and templates that make marketers' jobs easier. See how adding video overviews of the content doubled the online conversion rate, and how a multi-track email nurturing program helped the inside sales team reduce the number of dials-to-sales by half. . . . click here

[Case Study] Audio Content from 'Real' Professionals Helps Stock Trading Advice Site Stand Out in Crowded Niche

Tim Bourquin, Co-Founder of TraderInterviews.com, tells Insider how his team turns interviews with "real" traders -- not gurus or theorists - into subscription profits. It's a prime example of how advice from successful peers can make compelling B2B content . . . click here

[Case Study] 3D Avatar Chat Game Gets Users Engaged, Generates $40 Million Revenue Run Rate

Founded in 2004, it's taken less than 6 years for IMVU, a 3D avatar chat game and virtual world, to become profitable with a $40 million annual revenue run rate (i.e. estimated annual revenue). The 90-employee company gets a large chunk of that revenue by selling virtual currency to 50 million registered users, including subscribers and non-subscribers. This case study outlines how they do it. . . . click here

[Case Study] How a Niche Business Information Publisher Uses Conversion Optimization Strategies to Maximize Profits

Since launching its web-based business in 1998, BLR-Business & Legal Resources has come a long way in converting visitors into subscribers online. Starting with basic testing in the early 2000s and graduating to more advanced, segment-based testing during the past four years has helped BLR hone offers and page design to get high conversion rates. . . . click here

[Case Study] B2B Executive Coaching Expert Leverages Membership Site to Grow Her Offline Coaching Business

Since its launch in March 2009, Ann Farrell's executive coaching membership site has made money for her, indeed, but she mainly uses it to nurture leads for offline coaching services. Most of her six-digit income comes from offline coaching gigs at corporations. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: Family-owned Investment Newsletter Publisher Moves to 100% Online Marketing With Aggressive Testing

Founded in 1970, Cabot Heritage Corporation proves a family-owned publishing company with fewer than 30 employees doesn't have to be limited by tradition or staff size to keep aggressively evolving. Currently 100% of the company's marketing is online, and they're continually testing tactics such as video, pricing offers, and online quizzes. . . . click here

[Case Study] How One Niche Site is Shifting Gears Mid-Recession to Find New Revenue Streams and Marketing Channels

Since 2001, the Nurse Entrepreneur Network has served a targeted niche--the nurse who is looking to branch out from traditional nursing career options and build an independent business. Subscriptions sales have been hit hard by the recession, so the publisher is fighting back by launching ebooks and marketing through social media. . . . click here

[Case Study] B2B Research Sites: How to Make Great Profits from Group Subscriptions

The recession has impacted Chartwell, a research publisher to the utilities market, perhaps less than other firms, especially when it comes to renewals. They are lucky that their niche has remained strong, but more than that, they have a great pricing model, multiple revenue streams, and solid sales tactics. If you sell group subscriptions, you may find several ideas in this exclusive Case Study that could apply to you. . . . click here

[Case Study] Enthusiast Site Uses Forums (and Some Well-Thought-Out Marketing Tactics) to Keep Subscribers On-Board for a Whopping 30 Months

Artistic Threadworks proves that a mom-and-pop site can beat the big boys. Typical consumer sites get an average subscription lifetime of about six-to-eight months, but clients of Artistic Threadworks keep paying for an average of 30 months! . . . click here

[Case Study] Reason Magazine Sells 'Thousands of Subscriptions' on Kindle (Should You Be Selling via Kindle Too?)

Reason Magazine -- a print magazine -- was one of the very first subscription periodicals to sell itself on Kindle, and it's still one of the top 20 bestsellers in the Kindle Magazine Store. Discover how the process works operationally, and how Amazon Kindle sales stack up against electronic edition sales of the same title. . . . click here

[Case Study] How to Succeed in a Crowded Space? Maintain a Narrow Focus--TheLadders Shines in the Job-Search Niche

TheLadders' Michael McCurdy tells SSI about thriving in a saturated market, predictability models, and why "Bill Me Later" didn't work for them. . . . click here

[Case Study] Advice from Fully Booked Rentals' Co-Founder on Turning a How-To Book into a Successful Subscription Site

Emily Glossbrenner, co-founder of Fully Booked Rentals, discusses how to parlay a book into a successful subscription site and why quality content trumps the quantity of material available. . . . click here

CASE STUDY: How TradeTheMarkets Blends Revenue Streams to Profit as an Investment Advisory Publisher

TradeTheMarkets co-founder John Carter on an honest approach, when and why to add personnel, and multiple revenue streams; his subscribers spend an average of $1,000 within six months of signing up--do yours? . . . click here

[Case Study] Turning a Passion Project into a Thriving Membership Site--AskMrVideo.com's Dos and Don'ts for a Winning Venture

Mr. Video himself, Perry Lawrence, talks to SSI about how often to add content to your subscription site, why continuity is the "golden egg," and adding custom work into the mix to improve both revenue and your mastery of the market. . . . click here

[Case Study] Solo Entrepreneur Launches Video Tutorial Membership Site for Consumers Interested in Alternative Health

Sandra Olson, founder of Budwig Videos, tells SSI about the power of practical information, how to succeed in a very small niche, and lessons learned about video marketing. . . . click here

[Case Study] Inside Angie's List with Co-Founder and CMO Angie Hicks

Founded in 1995, Angie's List built slowly but surely until hitting critical mass as a nationally known brand and landing $60 million in venture funding in 2008. The site has multiple revenue streams (we counted at least eight, the majority from vendors--not consumers), most of them recurring. . . . click here