Vox.com Turns to Readers For Support During COVID-19
Vox.com is directly asking readers for contributions. Although the site has experimented with reader support in the past (e.g., The Vox Video Lab), this request stands out because it’s a direct response to COVID-19 and Vox’s coverage of the pandemic.
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In making its case for reader support, Vox overtly touts page views as a proxy for value and impact. However, page views aren’t normally a reader-facing metric, and when it comes to digital engagement, they don’t mean much if you’re not an ad trafficker or media pundit.
Vox’s approach to inviting readers to pay for coverage that’s normally free raises questions about how readers and publishers assign value to content. In the coming months, the audience response to the campaign should provide some interesting answers.
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As publishers across the country announce furloughs, layoffs, and cratering advertising revenue, audiences—and their wallets—will play a major part in determining which publishers still exist a year from now.
Words by
CREATIVE STRATEGY DIRECTOR
Michael Shane