Four counterintuitive tactics that convert readers into paying customers

Panos Sarlanis, co-founder of I Am Expat, speaking at The Audiencers festival on 24 June 2025

Credit: The Audiencers / Poool

Last month (24 June), The Audiencers Festival brought together publishers from across Europe to share what they've learned about getting people to subscribe, keeping them happy, and making money in today's tricky digital world. Here's what works when it comes to building lasting relationships with subscribers.

Young people will pay for news - but you'll need to work for it

Belgian media group Mediahuis Belgium reaches 2 million people every day and has 432,000 digital subscribers. But there's a catch: the average subscriber is 64.5 years old. That's prompted some serious soul-searching about how to attract younger readers.

Their first attempt - a 20 per cent student discount - was a flop because it turned out that students were sharing accounts with their parents, according to Katia Bebusschere, manager of acquisition and conversion, Mediahuis Belgium.

So they tried something different. In September 2023, they launched +Plus subscription for 18-26 year olds: three years of access for €1 per week, cancel anytime, full access to five different publications. They focused on providing trustworthy news and fighting fake stories, and made sure people couldn't share accounts.

What worked: They tested two different approaches—one that shouted about the low price, another that focused on "getting the full story" with relevant news. Both worked equally well, though the content-focused campaign took much more effort to pull off.

They're on track to hit their target of young subscribers making up 2 per cent of their total base over three years - already halfway there.

The bottom line? Young people will pay for news, but you need to invest serious money and effort. It means staying relevant through youth events, job fairs, festivals, and (expensive) influencer partnerships.

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When customers trust you, they'll pay more

French sports publication L'Equipe cracked the code on turning trial subscribers into paying customers: 50 per cent growth in full-price subscriptions over two years, plus they doubled the number of people who came back after cancelling, with two thirds choosing annual plans.

Their secret? Four years of testing to find the perfect trial price. They settled on €1.99 in 2023 - what Louis Faure, head of strategic marketing, calls the "sweet spot" where price and sign-ups balanced perfectly.

Right now, 15 per cent of their subscribers start with discounted trials, but the real magic happens next. The publisher gradually increases prices for their most loyal readers when their current deals expire. When they tested a €2 price rise, people didn't cancel, they just paid it.

What worked: The journey from cheap trial to commitment. L'Équipe moves people from low-cost trials to longer discounted plans, with even better deals if you pay through Google Pay.

Make cancelling easy (seriously)

Business Insider, owned by the German news group Axel Springer, stopped the desperate last-minute "please don't go" emails that most publishers use. Instead, they created a smart system that offers different deals based on who you are and how long you've been subscribed - and it's saved 6 per cent of people who were about to cancel.

The surprising bit? "We made it easy to cancel but it gave us more opportunities to save subscribers," says Sabrina Cesar Tolomei, senior product manager at Business Insider.

What worked: Prevention is better than panic. Instead of begging people not to leave at the last minute, focus on helping them from the start: welcome emails, explaining what they get, and gentle reminders about what they're missing.

When your mission is clear, everything else follows

Moving to a new country is overwhelming. Where will I live? Where will my kids go to school? How does healthcare work? These worries create a real business opportunity.

I Am Expat serves international communities in the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland with one clear goal: helping newcomers "lead a better life where they are," says co-founder Panos Sarlanis.

The company makes money from four products: events (30 per cent, including jobs fairs and webinars), classified ads (30 per cent, covering directories, job ads, and housing platforms), online marketing (30 per cent, through banner ads, content marketing, and email marketing), and affiliate revenue (10 per cent).

But this isn't just another directory, it's a lifeline. They offer job boards with filters and alerts, guides for settling in, regular employer fairs with workshops, practical webinars, connections to essential services (therapists, nurseries, training courses), plus a directory for properties.

The numbers show real demand: 10 million page views per year, 4.6 million unique visitors, 68,000 newsletter subscribers, serving people from over 190 countries.

What worked: Everything they do connects to their mission. Every new feature centres on helping users "lead a better life where they are." When your purpose is crystal clear, building products and making money becomes much easier.

I am Expat are now expanding with insurance partnerships, exclusive content memberships, and merchandise—all designed to support expat life.

This article was structured with the help of Claude AI, before it was edited by a human

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