Topic Hunters are highly interested in one or two certain subjects—such as local politics or local college or high school sports—and this interest was a major motivation for them to subscribe.
They look around for the best news available on these topics. They tend to be well educated (three-quarters have a college degree) and are more digital than average. They are also more likely than others to find content by searching online for news about these topics.
As they become engaged with coverage of a topic, they are more likely to follow individual journalists who cover this topic on social media.
They often convert to subscribing by becoming so engaged that they hit a paywall meter limit, and they are more likely than others to have encountered an article that impresses them so much they decide to subscribe. After subscribing, they are highly likely to share those stories on social media.
When asked to say in their own words why they subscribed, Topic Hunters give reasons such as the “best place for coverage of Nebraska legislature” or “to get the best coverage of the Seahawks.”
Topic Hunters include 23 percent of total respondents.
“I really liked their election coverage,” says a Topic Hunter. “They went the extra mile to interview a very high percentage of the candidates, which greatly helped me to decide who to vote for.”
Publisher strategies for Topic Hunters
There are several ways to engage with these readers based on their intense interest in specific topics, their background factors, and the triggers that lead them to subscribe.
First, Topic Hunters regularly find this content through search and follow the journalists who cover these topics. And since they tend to be more digital than other subscribers and to hit the metered paywall, the best time to convert these readers to paying subscribers is while they are online. This requires publishers to have sufficient analytics to track readers by topic. This can be done by more sophisticated systems such as API’s Metrics for News.
Publishers are seeing a lift in online conversions by focusing their efforts around certain topics of interest such as politics or sports. Online readers who frequently consume a particular topic of content can be shown very specific messaging in the calls-to-action within the article or through ads or emails.
The Dallas Morning News offers one example: Knowing that the engagement on high school sports stories was high, the paper set a four-day meter (as opposed to an article-counting meter) for that content, and the user is stopped after visiting four different days. On a user’s first visit to a high school sports page, they received a message asking them to provide their email address to keep them updated with new content. The News gathered more than 10,000 email addresses in less than a month and then quickly spun up a high school football newsletter called “The Fifth Down.” The newsletter has a 27 percent click-through rate, and high school coverage generated more subscriptions in a three-month period in the fall than the rest of the site combined.
In another example, The Houston Chronicle tried something uniquely local—a “BBQ Nation” newsletter and a podcast called “BBQ State of Mind.”
The New York Times offers newsletters and alerts tailored to subjects such as recipes and running, for example. These newsletters are an effective way to engage readers around their interest areas and can lead to paid subscriptions.
Philadelphia-based digital startup “Billy Penn” lets readers sign up for news around Philly’s soda tax or Philly beer, which may find readers particularly motivated to follow certain news and allow useful data for later subscription or events appeals.
Journalists can also exhibit their subject expertise using social media to engage readers and build a following among those interested in their beats.
And publishers can hold events related to certain topics that potential subscribers engage with. The Business Journals (in cities around the country) sponsor regular “After Hours” events described as a way to meet a particular reporter covering a significant topic in the community. The events are free but usually sponsored by a local business.
Up close: Who are the Topic Hunters?
When asked in their own words what led them to subscribe, Topic Hunters most frequently mention local news and a topical focus.
| Topic Hunters | Other subscribers | |
|---|---|---|
| Local news | 36% | 28% |
| Topical focus | 28% | 7% |
Data Source: Question: Describe in your own words why you decided to subscribe to [SOURCE]?
Media Insight Project
When thinking about what was important to their decision to describe, Topic Hunters most often cite topic/issue coverage (88 percent). They also commonly cite access to local news, seeing a number of useful articles, and supporting local journalism as important to them. Topic Hunters are at least 20 percentage points more likely than other subscribers to say each of these reasons were key factors.
| Topic Hunters | Other subscribers | |
|---|---|---|
| I was looking for a news source that covers a particular topic/issue | 88% | 11% |
| I wanted access to news about my local community | 79% | 55% |
| I noticed a number of especially useful or interesting articles | 67% | 30% |
| I wanted to support local journalism | 53% | 25% |
Data Source: Question: There are a lot of reasons why a person may decide to subscribe to a news source. Here is a list of factors that might have crossed your mind as you considered subscribing to [SOURCE]. How important was each of these factors as you considered subscribing to [SOURCE]?
Media Insight Project
The most popular trigger for Topic Hunters to finally subscribe is seeing a discount or promotional offer, though less than other subscribers. They are particularly likely compared to other subscribers to cite hitting an article limit and having just read an interesting and useful article.
| Topic Hunter | Other Subscribers | |
|---|---|---|
| I saw a discount, free trial, or promotional offer and it led me to sign up. | 37% | 47% |
| I kept hitting my limit on the number of articles I could read. | 25% | 13% |
| I had just read an article in [SOURCE] that I really liked and decided to subscribe right then. | 13% | 4% |
Data Source: Question: While people may be thinking about subscribing to a news source for a while, there can be a specific moment or reason that serves as a tipping point when someone makes the decision to subscribe. Which, if any, of the following triggered your final decision to subscribe to [SOURCE]?
Media Insight Project
Topic Hunters are not very different from other subscribers in what topics they follow, but they distinguish themselves in how interested and engaged they are with content. Topic Hunters also largely follow hard news topics, but some are sports fans, seeking out coverage on collegiate and high school sports.
The most frequently followed topics by Topic Hunters are local politics (53 percent), national politics (33 percent), college or high school sports (26 percent), and business and the economy (21 percent).
| Topic Hunters | Other subscribers | |
|---|---|---|
| Local politics or government | 53% | 44% |
| National politics or government | 33% | 35% |
| Collegiate or high school sports | 26% | 20% |
| Professional sports | 23% | 22% |
| Business and the economy | 21% | 23% |
| My neighborhood or suburban town | 19% | 21% |
| Art and culture | 16% | 13% |
| Crime and public safety | 15% | 19% |
| Foreign or international news | 12% | 13% |
| Lifestyle topics such as food, beauty, etc. | 11% | 13% |
| Schools and education | 11% | 8% |
| Weather and natural disasters | 10% | 13% |
| The environment and climate change | 8% | 5% |
| Health care and medical information | 8% | 10% |
| Social issues like abortion, race, and gay rights | 7% | 8% |
| Science and technology | 5% | 6% |
| Entertainment and celebrities | 4% | 5% |
| My hobbies | 2% | 2% |
| Traffic | 0% | 1% |
Data Source: Question: Here are some common news and information topics. Which of these news topics do you follow most often or closely using [SOURCE]?
Media Insight Project
Topic Hunters are engaged with and promote their publication, with a majority saying they share its content (55 percent) and many who save print copies (47 percent) and visit the paper’s website (46 percent). They are more likely than other subscribers to do each of these things.
However, Topic Hunters are focused on the news itself with little use for the extras; they are less likely than other subscribers, for instance, to use coupons (43 percent vs. 55 percent).
| Topic Hunters | Other subscribers | |
|---|---|---|
| Regularly share its content with others | 55% | 40% |
| Save print copies to read later or share with others | 47% | 36% |
| Regularly visit its website | 46% | 29% |
| Use the coupons | 43% | 55% |
| Encounter it in Google and other search engines | 28% | 17% |
| Use its app | 28% | 23% |
| Subscribe to an email newsletter | 23% | 16% |
| Receive text messages or news alerts | 18% | 15% |
| Go to events it organizes | 17% | 12% |
| Follow its journalists or columnists on social media | 16% | 7% |
| Follow the organization’s account on social media | 15% | 9% |
| Post comments | 9% | 5% |
| Listen to podcasts or other audio | 7% | 3% |
Data Source: Question: Now that you subscribe to [SOURCE], in which of the following ways do you interact with [SOURCE]?
Media Insight Project
While Topic Hunters rely on the publication they’ve subscribed to because it is good at covering a topic, they also value that it helps them get reliable/accurate information (93 percent), deals fairly with all sides (84 percent), and helps them stay an informed citizen (84 percent). Topic Hunters also tend to cite more reasons they use their newspaper than other subscribers.
| Topic Hunters | Other subscribers | |
|---|---|---|
| Is very good at covering an issue or topic I care a lot about | 100% | 37% |
| Helps me get reliable and accurate factual information | 93% | 73% |
| It deals fairly with all sides | 84% | 64% |
| Helps me stay informed to be a better citizen | 84% | 56% |
| It is willing to admit its mistakes | 82% | 66% |
| It acts as a check on political leaders and other people in power | 80% | 57% |
| It cares about the people it reports on | 66% | 41% |
| Helps me talk to friends, family, and colleagues about what’s going on in the news | 63% | 34% |
| Is enjoyable or entertaining | 61% | 35% |
| Helps me care for myself or my family | 39% | 19% |
| It helps me do my job | 23% | 8% |
Data Source: Question: People use news for many reasons. When it comes to the biggest reasons you use [SOURCE], how important to you is it that it…?
Media Insight Project
Topic Hunters’ favorite benefits of their subscription are feeling good about supporting the organization, having access to print as well as digital content, and getting news only available to paying customers.
Topic Hunters cite satisfaction from supporting journalism as a perk much more frequently than other subscribers (57 percent vs. 36 percent).
| Topic Hunter | Other subscribers | |
|---|---|---|
| I feel good about supporting the news organization | 57% | 36% |
| I get access to print in addition to digital news | 48% | 46% |
| I get news that is only available to paying customers | 36% | 27% |
| I like getting an unlimited number of digital stories | 30% | 19% |
Data Source: Question: Now that you subscribe to [SOURCE], which of the following do you consider the biggest benefit of your subscription? Please select up to three (3).
Media Insight Project
Share with your network
- Paths to Subscription: Why recent subscribers chose to pay for news
- What makes people ready to subscribe to local news, and what converts them
- After conversion: How to engage and retain new subscribers
- How different types of recent subscribers vary
- Digital subscribers: What motivates them to pay and how they are different from print readers
- Younger subscribers: What the future of paying for local news looks like
- How subscriber motivations vary in big and small markets
- What drives Republicans or Democrats to subscribe to local news
- Paths to subscription: Nine common journeys from reader to subscriber
- Digital Paywall Converters subscribe because they want unlimited articles
- Topic Hunters subscribe for news about a particular topic or issue
- The Locally Engaged subscribe because they care about the community
- Social Media-Mobile Discoverers subscribe after high-quality engagement on digital platforms
- Journalism Advocates subscribe to support a free press
- Life Changers subscribe because they just moved or changed jobs
- Coupon Clippers subscribe to get print coupons and save money
- Print Fans subscribe because they love relaxing with a paper
- ‘Friends and Family’ subscribers need news to support relationships with people
- Methodology
- Appendix 1: Respondents’ demographics and news behaviors
- Appendix 2: Analytical Definitions of Paths
- Paths to subscription: Nine common journeys from reader to subscriber
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Our mingles normally draw anywhere from 20 to 40 people. At a recent one, we had the mayor, a bank vice president, several retirees, a young entrepreneur and the owners of the bowling alley hanging out in our office, all chatting with each other and our newspaper staff.
