Several magazine publishers have turned the Web into a sophisticated tool for signing up new subscribers to their print publications. Hearst Magazines, for instance, has focused heavily on
online subs and last year one-fourth (2.2 million) of new customers came in that way. Fully 95% of those online subscribers were new to Hearst titles, says Chuck Cordray, Hearst executive.
Condé Nast is rolling out an ambitious effort to generate more subscription revenue from the Web, stating with its magazines Golf Digest and Wired. Insiders said the
ramped-up sub service would use customers' subscription history and behavioral targeting to customize offers. "The info they have on subscribers is truly amazing," says one Condé Nast
publisher.
Rodale is poised to get more than 18% of its net paid subs via the Web and email offers this year using a new system, which combines Rodale's offline and online databases
of 60 million-plus names. "It allows us to segment our customers based on their demographics, how often they've opened a newsletter from us," and whether or not they've ordered a Rodale diet book,
according to execs.
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