2. 2001-6 2007 2008/9
• Flat paywall: Some content • revised the model to ‘metered • FT begins to learn to be a
free, some premium. Didn’t model’ where people can retailer. Gradually ratchet the
work very well. Price of a sub sample up to 30 articles /mo wall down to 8 a month
ca $99
2012 2011 2010
• Pushing the prices constantly • Global print circulation around • Mobile powers up
to $350+ using careful price 350,000. We will surpass this subscriptions with launch of
testing. Almost charging the in digital subscriptions later iPad.
same online as we are in print this year
3.
4. Transforming the business model
Revenue Split by Type : 2007 - 2014
100%
7% 9% 9% 10% 11% 11% 12% 13%
Shift in revenue base: 90% 7% 8%
4% 10%
• In 2012: majority of revenue from 4% 15%
80% 5% 18%
content and events. Advertising 23%
20% 4% 28%
below 50% of revenue. 70% 22% 5% 34%
• By 2014, advertising will drop to less 28% 5%
than 40% of revenue. 35% of our 60% 25%
24% 5%
revenue will be digital, with the seeds
sown to achieving close to 50% 50% 25% 5%
digital revenues by 2014. 23%
40%
• Our target is 313,000 paid for digital 21%
subscribers by the end of 2012; this 30% 62%
57%
will exceed print circulation. 48% 46%
20% 43%
36%
31%
26%
10%
0%
Current audience figures: 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Average Daily Global Audience: 2.2m Print Advertising Revenue Print Content Revenue Events Revenue
Total paid-for circulation: 604,856 Online Content Revenue Online Advertising Revenue
Digital subscribers: 285,475
Web app users: 2m
5.
6. Our mobile product strategy?
The pleasure of leisurely newspaper
browsing combined with the immediacy and
interactivity of a website.
Quick access plus a pleasurable
browse, especially at the weekend.
An experience which feels tailored, no
matter how you access FT.com.
7. Our mobile business strategy
Anonymous users can see
homepage, all section
pages, video, markets data
for free
Registered users read up to 8
articles free over 30 days
Subscribers get
unlimited access
to articles
8. A unified business:
one customer, one access
Web app m.ft.com www.ft.com
Front end
Adserver
Analytics
Personalisation layer
Content management
Login/subscription
9. 2009-2010
• 1st
proper, dynamic
media iPad app
• Won Apple
Design Award
• Huge contribution
to overall FT.com
subs and ad
revenues
10. 2011…web app
• Available from
the browser just
visit app.ft.com
• Read whole FT
offline, updated
throughout the
day
• Automatic
updates – you’re
always on the
latest version
20. A few things we learnt along the way…
• Things that are difficult:
– Storing large amounts of content offline in a browser, reliably
– Testing web apps is very difficult indeed
– The advertising ecosystem isn’t webapp ready. No clear ad sizes,
putting HTML5 ads into an HTML5 page causes formatting issues, no
partners who do everything we need
– Payments not elegant
– ‘Installation’/bookmarking of app not consistent between platforms
– Managing screen sizes elegantly
In conclusion
• Web apps aren’t necessarily easier to build, but they make future cross-
platform feature development easier. It’s no silver bullet though
Over 1 million unique users since June45% saved shortcut to homescreenBoosting mobile traffic – now 20% of all page viewsBoosting subscriptions – 15% of all new FT.com subs from mobileOver 2 million users have used the web app - more usersthan ever downlaoded the native iPhone and Ipad apps have downloaded the webapp