Free-to-fee site conversions

Are you deciding whether your site should charge readers for access, continue giving them free access, or offering a combination of both? Many sites have gone down this road – most unsuccessfully. I discovered a better path.

This path is a breakthrough idea to improve customer retention for content-based sites. While at Asimba.com, I conceived and helped create Asimba's primary application, the Asimba Pro – maybe the leading personalization engine of its time (2000).

Here’s how it worked: For approx. $10-$15 per month, customers would receive a daily email with specific instructions on what to eat and how much to exercise, based upon their personal goals and preferences. In the background sophisticated algorithms (developed by a team of exercise and diet professionals) reacted to the customers' actual daily actions. For example, if they ate more than recommended, that was communicated back via the same email, and the program would adjust its daily recommendations accordingly.

The daily email allowed quick input, and users would go to the web site to look at graphs of their weekly and monthly accomplishments. For support, we had communities of like-minded people, access to paid experts, and thousands of articles and tips covering all aspects of diet and exercise.

When Asimba shut down, this single application was sold (to Weider.com).

Mark Alexander Posth specializes in creating exceptional content strategies. Email Mark at mark@mposth.com.