Due to historical technical limitations, Schwartz Media have been unable to implement an effective registration/authentication state for readers.

Alongside this, the existing paywall had limited data collection tools. These technical limitations substantially restricted Schwartz Media’s ability to target audience segments and drive targeted conversions.

A multi-step checkout process also led to high drop-off rates on checkout.

In partnership with Google, Schwartz Media aimed to streamline and strengthen paywall flow and integrate a registration state for readers of its title The Saturday Paper.

The project was broken up into three key milestones:

Paywall strategy: conduct stakeholder workshops and audience research to clearly define project goals, develop paywall strategy aligned with reader needs, and design a prototype and proof of concept for a registration wall and registered reader state

Release of MVP: testing and optimisation of the registration wall

Test, learn and iterate: test multiple iterations of the registration wall, soft and hard paywall messaging, design, strategy and placement

With a sophisticated registration wall operating, Schwartz Media have been able to refine testing through propensity models, identifying high, medium and low likelihood to subscribe segments, and refine messaging, offers and design for each segment. This has led to improved understanding of readers and an increase in new subscriptions to The Saturday Paper.

Through testing of the registration wall, Schwartz Media were also able to redefine their newsletter sign-up strategy. Previously, all new sign-ups to the registration wall were subscribed to The Saturday Paper’s flagship newsletter. Through better understanding of reader behaviours and interests, new readers are now registered to newsletters aligned with content of interest. This change in strategy has proven to be a success at keeping newsletter lists growing, and the alignment in reader relevancy has led to higher open rates and higher click rates across all newsletter titles – a key tool for retention.

Schwartz Media have also had success with a new, single step checkout experience, and have set up mitigation tactics to capture those who may still abandon the checkout. The targeted banners on site to this audience segment have the highest conversion rate, proving the benefits of ongoing testing and learning among various audience segments.

Finally, the registration wall prioritises registration through social channels for reader ease. Google has consistently been the preferred method for social login-in among new and returning readers, accounting for 67% of all logins between July and August 2025.