Recent Survey Shows Strong Demand Among Young Adults and New York Times Subscribers for Content Credits Subscription Paywall Alternative

More than 50 percent of the general population are likely to purchase Content Credits, with nearly three out of four The New York Times subscribers likely to purchase

CINCINNATI and COVINGTON, Ky., Jan. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Results from an independent online survey conducted November 25 through December 7, 2024 among a nationwide random sample of 568 consumers ages 18 to 64 show that 52 percent of the general population (GP) are extremely likely or very likely to purchase Content Credits, a micropayment platform that enables consumers to access content on a per-article basis outside of traditional subscription paywalls. An additional sample of 295 The New York Times (NYT) subscribers responded that 72 percent of them are extremely or very likely to pay for the subscription alternative micropayment platform.

Following the launch of Content Credits in June 2024, the company received media coverage in nearly 300 outlets across the U.S., nearly 4,000 views of its launch release and a total potential reach of more than 165 million. The launch also spawned interest among investors and potential media partners (customers). With such interest came questions about Content Credits' ability to scale and to attract users. Those questions prompted the company's founders to commission an independent research effort in the form of a consumer survey. The results of that survey are in, with an executive summary of those responses published on ContentCredits.com.

In addition to consumers' likelihood of purchasing Content Credits, 42% of the GP and 56% of NYT subscribers are extremely or very likely to drop existing subscriptions with the potential use of a micropayments model from Content Credits. That is particularly true for younger consumers (55% of ages 18 to 24 of the GP and 63% of ages 18 to 24 NYT subscribers are extremely or very likely), compared to their oldest counterparts, respectively (28% of ages 55 to 64 of the GP and 54% of ages 55 to 64 of NYT subscribers). Other key findings include:

• Slightly more than half of the GP (53%) and nearly three-fourths (72%) of NYT subscribers are extremely or very likely to bypass a subscription paywall if they only need to pay 25 cents to access a specific article of interest through Content Credits.
• All three features of Content Credits tested in the survey – article access ease, pricing flexibility, and content access breadth – are all viewed as extremely or very important in their purchase consideration process by 61% to 65% of the GP and 72% to 79% of NYT subscribers.

Responses also note a significant fatigue among consumers regarding subscription paywalls when trying to access specific content:

• Having to pay for an online subscription just to read a single article makes me leave the website immediately. (GP: 62%; NYT subscribers: 67%)
• I would rather pay a single price for access to multiple publications than manage separate online subscriptions. (GP: 56%; NYT subscribers: 64%)
• I am more likely to pay for an online subscription if I can access articles of interest before subscribing. (GP: 56%; NYT subscribers: 70%)
• The number of different online subscriptions required to access various news sites is a significant barrier to my willingness to pay. (GP: 56%; NYT subscribers: 65%)
• I prefer paying small amounts (25 cents minimum) for individual articles rather than committing to a full online subscription. (GP: 54%; NYT subscribers: 62%)
• I prefer earning "credits" that I can spend across multiple sites rather than making separate micropayments on each individual site. (GP: 49%; NYT subscribers: 58%)
• Having a preloaded digital account (like a Starbucks card) for small online purchases would make me more likely to buy individual pieces of content. (GP: 48%; NYT subscribers: 60%)
• If I encounter a publisher with an online subscription paywall, I will never return to that site. (GP: 43%; NYT subscribers: 51%)
  • This is more likely for younger research participants (48% of ages 18 to 24 of the GP and 59% of ages 18 to 24 NYT subscribers strongly or mostly agree), compared to their oldest counterparts (32% of ages 55 to 64 of the GP and 47% of ages 55 to 64 of NYT subscribers).
• As many as nearly two-thirds (65%) of the GP typically bypass an online subscription paywall when they encounter one, while 46% of NYT subscribers indicate the same typical action.
• Fully 43% of the GP and 58% of NYT subscribers are extremely or very comfortable in purchasing a group of credits for $5 to $10 at a time for online content.
• More than half (53% of the GP and 60% of NYT subscribers) are extremely or very concerned with the rising costs of accessing premium online content.
• The type of content for which they are most likely to pay is national content (50% of the GP and 57% of NYT subscribers).

As stated in the survey's executive summary, "throughout the research findings, the case for Content Credits is strong. The NYT subscribers, as well as younger consumers, are consistently the strongest supporters for aspects of the Content Credits' value proposition. There exists a significant opportunity for publishers and others to consider adding an offering, such as Content Credits, for its readers as an option to the traditional online subscription paywall, at least on a trial basis."

With Content Credits, users can purchase individual articles or pieces of content at a fraction of the cost of a traditional subscription. As an example, with Content Credits, a consumer interested in reading a specific article published online by a particular media outlet can choose to purchase that article using one or more content credits. Initially, individual credits are expected to be priced at $0.25.

Key Features:

• Seamless Integration: The platform integrates seamlessly with existing paywalls, providing an additional revenue stream for publishers.
• Micropayment Model: Users will bypass traditional subscriptions and pay for individual articles they want to read, making high-quality content more accessible.
• Flexible Pricing: Publishers will set the price per article, allowing for a tailored approach that reflects the value of the content.
• Data Insights: Publishers will gain access to valuable data on reader preferences and behaviors, helping them optimize content and pricing strategies.
• Blockchain Technology: The back end will leverage blockchain technology to manage transactions securely and transparently, ensuring that payments to writers, publishers and the platform are accurate and timely.
• AI-Driven Recommendations: As a future integration, Content Credits plans to incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze data and provide personalized content recommendations to users and actionable insights to writers, helping them create more engaging content based on reader preferences.

Impact on Bounce Rates and SEO: Traditional paywalls often result in high bounce rates, with studies showing that websites can have bounce rates as high as 60% to 90% for landing pages and blogs—some reaching as high as 97%. High bounce rates negatively impact SEO, as they are often correlated with lower search rankings due to reduced user engagement and session duration. By providing a flexible micropayment option, Content Credits will help reduce bounce rates, improve user engagement, and ultimately enhance SEO performance for publishers (Marcel Digital) (MarketSplash).

Ad Revenue Impact: Paywalls can also impact ad revenue by reducing the number of visitors who see ads. Studies show that the number of unique visitors can decrease by up to 16.8% when paywalls are implemented, leading to fewer ad impressions and lower ad revenue (iZooto) (The Good). By offering a micropayment option, Content Credits will ensure more eyeballs on ads, enhancing ad revenue potential for publishers.

Those interested can visit ContentCredits.com to sign up and receive $10 in free credits, putting them first in line to experience the benefits of micropayments firsthand. Once the appropriate number of publishing partners has been added to the platform, those who have signed up will be notified that the platform is ready for use. Interested publishers are invited to reach out to discuss the model, understand its benefits and participate in testing.

Visit ContentCredits.com for more information.

About Content Credits

Founded in 2024, Content Credits is at the forefront of revolutionizing digital content accessibility. By partnering with leading publishers and leveraging innovative blockchain technology, Content Credits offers a micropayment platform that makes premium content affordable and accessible to all. Our mission is to bridge the digital divide and foster a more informed society. By allowing users to earn and spend "Content Credits," this service incentivizes high-quality content creation and consumption on all platforms while avoiding cumbersome and discriminating paywall experiences, fostering a vibrant and rewarding online environment for publishers, businesses and consumers. 

Media Contact
Dan O'Keeffe
513.235.8638
dan@contentcredits.com
ContentCredits.com

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SOURCE Content Credits