ESPN.com staffer and freelance blogger Reemer is looking for some comments from readers of that site regarding their Insider product. Says Reemer:
- If you are not an Insider, why not? Do we need to do a better job of showing you what Insider offers? Or, is there not enough that has compelled you to buy? What content or tools would be worth it to become an Insider?
- If you are an Insider, what do you like about it? What would you like to see more of?
I’ve toyed with the product before, and have seen what’s “behind the curtain” a bit through friends - there’s some good stuff back there, indeed. But the product itself isn’t made clear in the upfront. Take the ESPN.com homepage, for instance. I can understand while “realtime” stats/scores would be considered a premium product, but when it comes to news/content, it becomes a little tougher. The right side of the page has the “ESPNews Headlines,” which are bulleted out and are open to the public - then there are one or two items that have the ‘in’ logo signifying that only Insiders can view the content.
Why are those articles given a pricetag while others aren’t? Are they “better” articles? Is it merely that the content will be paid for a day or two, and then go above the firewall later in the week?
Promote the 30 day trial more. Let word of mouth settle in.
Many readers of the ESPN.com site are probably, or at least were at one time, Sports Illustrated subscribers. The SI site has access for print subscribers, offering either the same content as can be accessed via snailmail plus some more. Promote this in the same way to the casual ESPN reader - “If you like what you see in ESPN Magazine, then Insider is for you.” But don’t pitch current customers, pitch the same target market that you would for the potential print customers. Many more people are getting their content online - the cost isn’t prohibitive if you consider what people pay per month on a sports weekly - so make it worth their while.
PUSH the wireless alerts and things, but not stuff that people can already get for free. I can get the Yankees scores for free delivered to my phone through my wireless provider - trades and other “breaking” news are the key.
PUSH the webcasts.
PUSH access to ESPN.com (or even ESPN TV) personalities and writers.
Take out a BlogAd. I’m *sure* Henry Copeland will be more than happy to help you put together a proposal. Realizing that people on the ‘net are slick (I know you do, Reemer) is the best thing you can do. If people feel that your paid content is inferior, they will just sit it out and wait until someone gives it to them for free. Create demand. Heck, get the Sports Guy to do an online radio show or something.
I’m sure there’s more, but this is what I can think of right now.
[via Off Wing Opinion]
