Unlocking subscriber value with Gift Article
Unlocking subscriber value with Gift Article
Role: Product designer
In collaboration with: Design, Product, and Engineering
Role: Product designer
In collaboration with: Design, Product, and Engineering
Launched in just four weeks via collaborative design and development, The Washington Post's article gifting feature, designed to boost sharing and conversions, successfully generated 175k gift shares, new subscriptions, and significant reach soon after launch.
Launched in just four weeks via collaborative design and development, The Washington Post's article gifting feature, designed to boost sharing and conversions, successfully generated 175k gift shares, new subscriptions, and significant reach soon after launch.
Washington Post readers share news articles as a way to inform and connect with others. To make sharing easier, we developed a feature that allows subscribers to gift articles to friends who don't subscribe. This is intended to increase reader engagement, expand the Post's readership, and potentially convert those who receive gifted articles into paying subscribers.
We tackled this project on an accelerated four-week schedule, moving rapidly from idea to launch.
Washington Post readers share news articles as a way to inform and connect with others. To make sharing easier, we developed a feature that allows subscribers to gift articles to friends who don't subscribe. This is intended to increase reader engagement, expand the Post's readership, and potentially convert those who receive gifted articles into paying subscribers.
We tackled this project on an accelerated four-week schedule, moving rapidly from idea to launch.
The 4-week sprint
Given the aggressive four-week timeline from idea to launch, this project required a uniquely parallel approach. I collaborated with fellow designers and managers to refine concepts while engaging directly with developers to assess technical feasibility. Design concepting and development happened simultaneously. We would rapidly test the feasibility of ideas using existing components and immediately adjust designs based on technical feedback and user testing.
The 4-week sprint
Given the aggressive four-week timeline from idea to launch, this project required a uniquely parallel approach. I collaborated with fellow designers and managers to refine concepts while engaging directly with developers to assess technical feasibility.
Design concepting and development happened simultaneously. We would rapidly test the feasibility of ideas using existing components and immediately adjust designs based on technical feedback and user testing.
Within approximately 4 months post-launch…
Increased Gifting & Reach: 175,000 articles were successfully gifted by subscribers, generating approximately 735,000 pageviews from recipients.
Trial Conversion: 170 non-subscribers redeemed a free trial offer after receiving a gifted article.
Subscription Growth: Approximately 100 recipients of gifted articles converted to paid subscribers.
Newsroom Enablement: The enhanced sharing capabilities provided journalists and editors with an easier way to share stories directly with their sources, improving workflow efficiency.
Within approximately 4 months post-launch…
Increased Gifting & Reach: 175,000 articles were successfully gifted by subscribers, generating approximately 735,000 pageviews from recipients.
Trial Conversion: 170 non-subscribers redeemed a free trial offer after receiving a gifted article.
Subscription Growth: Approximately 100 recipients of gifted articles converted to paid subscribers.
Newsroom Enablement: The enhanced sharing capabilities provided journalists and editors with an easier way to share stories directly with their sources, improving workflow efficiency.
Want to learn more about the concepts we explored and how user testing influenced it? Reach out for a full case study.
Want to learn more about the concepts we explored and how user testing influenced it? Reach out for a full case study.
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Case studies