Subscription Websites: A Rose by Any Other Name…
The Holy Grail of Revenue Generation for many successful online content marketers, producers and publishers.
How many types of websites are there on the world wide web of sites?
I care about the answer to this question, deeply. Like an anthropologist searching for the missing link, I believe that I can only truly understand the evolution of modern websites if I can understand how they are evolving. And as Darwin saw the earth, I see the web as an ecosystem where the strongest website archetypes will thrive and the weak will wither and die.
12 Master Website Archetypes
While the mechanics of a subscription website are most often associated with the Membership Website Archetype, all 12 Master Website Archetypes can be structured as subscriptions websites. Any of the 12 can be a subscription websites if the site requires the user to join or subscribe to gain access to the site’s primary user benefit or benefits (PUB).
For the record, we currently study the following 12 master websites archetypes: periodical websites, reference websites, magazine websites, newsletter websites, application websites, membership websites, retail websites, classified websites, directory websites, social network websites, lead generation websites and search engines.
The Seven Most Successful Subscription Website Archetypes
This is not to say that there are only seven subscription website archetypes. I suspect there are hundreds of subscription website types, if you count all the hybrid variations created by combining the 12 basic archetypes that offer one primary type of content or functionality. Like a gardener creating a new variety of orchid, subscription website publishers are constantly creating new types of Hybrid subscription websites.
Their Minimum Information Unit (MIU) defines all 12 master website archetypes. Of the seven archetypes that follow, the membership website and social network website are subscription websites by default as registration is required to create the membership community from which all value is created. The others can operate successfully without requiring user registration when sponsors underwrite the financial costs of running the site. All the examples we’ve included are for subscription websites, but not all require the user to pay.
Periodical Website: The MIU is a news post and the website content is organized by date and keyword topic (also called category). Adding photos, audio, video or other documents, may enrich the post. These sites are also called news sites, online newspapers, online magazines, online newsletters, online journals and blogs. The Wall Street Journal Online, Daily Word and The Economist are benchmark sites for the Subscription Periodical Website Archetype. All three require registration and payment for full access.
Reference Websites: The MIU may be an article, book, report, document, lesson or episode. While simple sites may rely solely on HTML and PDF files, many more robust sites also incorporate still photos, audio and video in the MIU. For some sites, an audio or video lesson or episode may be the primary MIU. Consumer Reports, Lynda and Mequoda Pro are all benchmark sites for the Subscription Reference Website Archetype. All three require registration and payment for full access.
Newsletter Websites: The MIU is a single issue of a newsletter usually stored as a PDF or some other easily downloadable format. The Motley Fool Stock Advisor, Golf Odyssey, and First Class Flyer are benchmark sites for the Subscription Newsletter Website Archetype. All three require registration and payment for full access.
Social Network Websites: The MIU is a person or member and all the information that member shares via their member profile, forum posts, file uploads, link and other data. Registration is typically required, but most social networks do not require payment.
Magazine Websites: The MIU is a single magazine issue, which may be stored as a PDF or in a CDF (Closed Document Format) such as Texterity Cover Leaf. LEDs Magazine and Make Magazine are benchmark sites for the Subscription Magazine Website Archetype. While both require registration for full access, LEDs Magazine (PDF edition) is free to qualified subscribers.
Application Websites: The MIU is a software application that often requires access to information in a proprietary database. Morningstar, Hoovers and the BLR Job Description Manager are benchmark sites for the Subscription Application Website Archetype. All three require registration and payment for full access.
Membership Websites: The MIU, similar to the Social Network, is a person or member and all the information that member shares via their member profile, forum posts, file uploads, links and other data. This archetype is also called an Association Website or Member Website. The Ladders, Match.com and SSWUG.org are benchmark sites for the Membership Website Archetype. All three require registration and payment for full access.
As I mentioned above, most real world subscription websites combine two or more of the above to create hybrid subscription websites, which when donned well, leverage the mix of functionality to create user benefits that are more than the sum of the parts. In 2010, we expect to see many new simple subscription new newsletter and magazine websites launch to take advantage of the rapid increase in the number of PDF compatible eReaders in the marketplace. We expect existing book, magazine, newspaper and newsletter publishers to drive reader demand for these new devices.
For an in-depth discussion of the six subscription website archetypes, check out my new webinar, Developing Successful Subscription Websites on January 26th at 12:30 pm Eastern. And for a heads up on new media trends in the eReader market, check out our Kindle for Publisher program. And if you’ve got a successful subscription website that you don’t think I’ve covered, add a comment to this post and tell me what you got. Please tell me a little about the site and include a link so I can check it out.
Related Posts:
Permalink: http://www.mequoda.com/articles/subscription_websites/subscription-websites-a-rose-by-any-other-name%e2%80%a6/
What Next?
- Read more Subscription Websites articles.
- Get a FREE White Paper and receive updates from us by email.
- Contact us to come in and host a workshop for your online publishing team.
- Republish our Subscription Websites articles. All of our articles are available for republishing as long as you provide a link back to the original article in the first third of the republished article, and as long as the author name and link to bio remains intact.
Would you like us to inform you when new articles are posted?
March 11th, 2010 at 7:36 am
Take a lot of lesson