There are a few media companies who have been able to break out of the meter-trap. These businesses have built what can be considered as truly “dynamic” paywalls. To be dynamic, these systems must make real-time decisions about every interaction. The decision for one pageview is not driven by the segment the visitor was put in last night, nor the meter they consumed 5 days ago. Live consumption information, user state, context, content metadata, and machine learning results are assessed each and every time. Using machine learning in these kinds of decisions means a paywall can be both dynamic and intelligent, and this is likely the future of effective subscriber journeys.
Ultimately, all these advancements boil down to one key takeaway: Build a system that is optimised for customers and their value-perception – not optimised for a meter or model. Taking an audience-first approach is what will continue to drive innovation in the industry.