20% Free-to-Paid Conversion with a Registration Funnel
Free registration generated 16x more signups than a standard newsletter form—same site, same month. This episode breaks down the tight funnel strategy behind a 20% free-to-paid conversion rate.
Pete Ericson
Revenue nerd helping publishers flourish in the digital age. From New Hampshire's Upper Valley, Pete has helped over 1,000 publishers grow subscription revenue through Leaky Paywall, Flowletter, UniPress, and AI Local Calendar.
The Truth About Paywall Evasion: AI, Google, and Password Sharing
Yes, people can bypass your paywall. No, it doesn't matter. The priority is growing your email list—your owned audience that converts regardless of who sneaks through.
Website Teardown: Boca Raton Tribune
Four subscription plans, ad blocker popups, and buried navigation—the Boca Raton Tribune has the content but too much friction between reader and subscriber. Here's how to clear the path.
From PayPal Chaos to 104% Revenue Growth: A Local Story
A local news publisher gave away all their web content while gating a PDF flipbook through PayPal. One framework change later: 104% revenue growth and 2,500 newsletter subscribers.
Small Boats Drives Subscriptions with Email & Pinterest
One email a month became two emails a week. The result: 51% open rates, 21 Pinterest-driven subscriptions monthly, and 80-90% renewal rates. Email isn't promotion—it's the product.
Website Teardown: Nonchalant Magazine
Their premium interviews are free on YouTube. Their subscribe page doesn't answer "What's in it for me?"
Modern Drummer: From Print Legacy to Digital Powerhouse
Hard paywall: zero digital subscriptions. Metered paywall: 900 subscriptions in two weeks. Modern Drummer proved that letting readers experience your content sells better than any ad.
How to get 94% Faster Load Times for Logged-In Subscribers
502 errors during traffic spikes. Subscribers seeing the wrong content. Cache hit ratios in freefall. Then First Things switched hosts and cut logged-in load times by 94%.
7 Revenue Killers That Sank a 240-Year-Old Newspaper
"They treated their visitors like enemies." A 240-year-old newspaper demanded payment before value, gated newsletter signups behind logins, and left $14 million on the table.