News Media Segmentation
Objective
A prominent news organization found themselves in an increasingly competitive marketplace where many content providers were moving to subscription models. They needed to understand which consumers represented the greatest opportunity for conversion to online subscribers.
Research Design
Russell Research designed and implemented a large-scale, national quantitative segmentation among news readers which understood news needs, attitudes, and behavior in depth. Following the segmentation, the client wished to develop a deeper understanding of three target segments that had been prioritized from the market segmentation work. Qualitative follow-up one-on-one interviews focused on bringing to life the segments’ current interests, subscription drivers, news consumption and habits, and familiarity with the brand.
Outcome
The initial quantitative results identified two segments of news readers who presented immediate opportunity for the organization, as well as a third that also held potential for conversion. Key differentiators were uncovered in the interests, drivers, and habits of the segments. Russell identified rich insights related to what subscribers needed and wanted from a paid news source and delivered potential opportunities for the news source to fulfill those needs and wants. The follow-up qualitative research humanized the three target segments, allowing the organization to better communicate and message to the audience.
