How News Images Affect Clicking on Subscription Appeals

Dados Bibliográficos

ID12909155
AutoresJessica R Collier (0000-0001-6711-7922, Mood Media (United States), autor correspondente), Yujin Kim (0000-0001-7744-1515, Austin College), Natalie Jomini Stroud (0000-0003-3528-9986, Austin College)
Ano2020
Volume15
Fascículo4
Páginas489-507
Data de publicação2020-03-10
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessNão
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoJournalism Practice (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1751-2786 • E-ISSN: 1751-2794
EditoraTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/17512786.2020.1738262
OpenAlexW3011467900
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas2
Referências citadas50

The newspaper industry’s business model increasingly relies on subscriptions as a means of revenue. Little scholarly research has examined what characteristics of subscription appeals make them more or less successful, although prior research on news attention proposes that negative images may be more successful whereas digital advertising research suggests the benefits of positive images. In 10 tests with three newsroom partners, we experimentally manipulate the type of image used in the subscription appeal. Across the tests, we varied the type of subscription (paid or free newsletter), the medium used (Facebook Sponsored Posts or direct email), and the targeting method (Facebook custom audiences or email lists from the newsroom). Results show that images of journalists doing their work or images of natural disasters covered by the news organization are consistently more effective than logos at generating subscriptions. Implications of this study exist for our understanding of the effects of visuals, for news organizations attempting to garner subscribers, and for researchers interested in conducting real-world experiments via Facebook or email

Advertising · Affect (linguistics · Appeal · Business · Internet privacy · Newspaper · Political science · Public relations · Revenue · Sociology · Computer Science · Digital Marketing and Social Media · Media Studies and Communication · Social Media and Politics