WSJ: Free or Paid? Yes.

Early 2006, I gave some unsolicited advice to the WSJ about their blogging efforts (WSJ Joins the Blogging Crowd). That was well received, and eventually, I did some (unpaid) consulting for WSJ.com about blogging, as well as other mainstream financial publications. Good will and all that.

Often, the advice I give is initially ignored, and then, slowly and reluctantly, adopted.

Since then, Rupert Murdoch took over Dow Jones, and there have been further discussions about whether or not WSJ.com should be subscription only or free.

Let me repeat the suggestion I made so long ago: Move the WSJ/Dow Jones archives out from behind the subscription-only firewall. Keep the most recent WSJ subscription only -- perhaps 30 days, but certainly no more than 90 days maximum.

I cannot see why WSJ.com would want to give up ~$65 million dollars per year in annual revenue. But we know that freeing the archives means that the Google bots will be spidering this content, and eventually identifying WSJ pages as search results. Dow Jones advertisers will be seeing their ads served more often, and the additional click thrus and page views will only accrue more revenue to DJ.

To overcome corporate resistance, start at 90 days, then go to 60, 30, with my ideal goal would be to get the Journal's sub-only content to 30 days, and eventually, just 7 days. The MBAs may choke over this, but by doing it gradually, it will allow the traffic, advertising and subscription data to be reviewed. (it also has the added benefit of allowing their little MBA pea brains to adapt to the concept slowly).

The freshest content goes to the users willing to pay for it -- highest value consumers -- while the rest of the content generates advertising revenues.

That solution can be easily implemented by the technology folks at the Journal, increasing revenue for Dow Jones, yet maintain that fat subscription revenue.

Simple.

You read it here first.

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Sources:

WSJ Joins the Blogging Crowd     http://bigpicture.typepad.com/comments/2006/03/dow_jones_blogg.html

Murdoch's Choice: Paid or Free for WSJ.com?
SARAH ELLISON
WSJ, September 19, 2007; Page B1
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119015797997631717.html

MSM Blogging Review: NYT Starts Blogging too  http://bigpicture.typepad.com/comments/2006/03/blogging_review.html