Turning Challenges into Growth: A Media Publisher’s Subscription Success Story

In 2021, an anonymous, fast-growing political news site partnered with Admiral to manage its subscription program through a third-party intermediary. The publisher had built an initial subscription base offering premium ad-free options, which generated an estimated $80,000 in annual revenue. However, challenges emerged in March 2023 when the publisher transitioned to a direct relationship with Admiral and paused subscription engagements. This decision caused a noticeable decline in active subscribers, sparking the need for a refreshed strategy.

Challenges and the Need for Change

By March 2023, the publisher faced significant hurdles. With no active subscription engagement strategy in place, subscriber growth stagnated, and active subscribers began to decline. Key decision-makers expressed concerns about audience alienation, citing fears that subscription messages could "turn off" loyal readers. These challenges underscored the importance of finding a balanced approach to re-engaging visitors without compromising user experience.

Solution: Admiral Transact for a Strategic Reboot

To address these challenges, the publisher leveraged Admiral’s Transact module, a fully configurable Visitor Relationship Management (VRM) platform designed to optimize the value of each visitor and visit. Transact empowers publishers to grow visitor relationships by offering choices such as ad-free access through paid subscriptions, whitelisting, or other value exchanges. Admiral’s team worked closely with the publisher to tailor this tool to their needs.

In February 2024, Admiral initiated discussions with the publisher’s development contractor to address both subscription and adblock recovery (ABR) engagements. By April 2024, Admiral secured an introduction to new decision-makers, including the organization’s owner. These conversations paved the way for an in-depth strategy session in May, which included a business review, objection handling, and a commitment to relaunch subscription engagements through Transact.

Admiral’s team addressed the publisher’s primary objection: "We don’t want to show too many subscription messages and turn off our audience." Leveraging data-driven insights and best practices, Admiral recommended a balanced engagement strategy. Transact’s flexibility allowed the publisher to customize engagement frequency and design, ensuring optimal effectiveness without alienating users.

Implementation and Results

In May 2024, the publisher relaunched their subscription engagement program using Admiral Transact. The results were immediate and striking. Subscriber acquisition, which had languished at fewer than 100 new signups per month, surged to 295 new subscribers in May and jumped another 28% in June. New subscriptions remained robust through July, demonstrating the power of targeted engagement.

Monthly Subscriber Growth

Publisher Perspective

"We were hesitant to reintroduce subscription messages, worried it might disrupt our audience. Admiral’s Transact module made all the difference—not only did we avoid alienating readers, but our subscriber numbers have never been stronger."

—Publisher Founder

Key Takeaways

1. Re-engaging subscribers takes the right strategy, not just volume.
   The publisher didn’t flood users with messages—they experimented thoughtfully, using flexible controls to find a cadence and tone that fit their audience.
2. Testing and timing matter.
   By relaunching during a high-interest political season, the team capitalized on natural spikes in reader attention, making subscription prompts more relevant and effective.
3. Sometimes a fresh start is the best move.
   Rather than doubling down on a paused approach, the publisher embraced a strategic reboot—open to rethinking what engagement could look like with new tools and new voices in the room.
4. Buy-in starts with belief in the value.
   Internal alignment, from developers to leadership, was crucial. The team made space for collaboration, questions, and data-led decisions—and the results speak for themselves.