LAUSR

ABSTRACT 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.