South African News Outlet Daily Maverick Thrives with Membership Model, Shifting Away From Broken Digital Advertising
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – In a media landscape increasingly challenged by the failings of digital advertising, South Africa’s Daily Maverick has found success by prioritizing a direct relationship with its readers through a robust membership program. Launched in 2009 with a team of five, the publication now employs over 100 people and is demonstrating a viable path forward for independent journalism.
Daily Maverick’s approach, mirroring that of The Guardian, centers on keeping content freely accessible while cultivating a dedicated base of paying members. This strategy was born out of necessity, according to Julia Harris of Daily Maverick, who recently shared insights during a WAN-IFRA webinar. “The digital advertising model was broken, and is still broken,” she stated. After years of relying on limited funding sources, the publication needed a sustainable solution.
The shift to a membership model began in 2019. Rather than erecting a paywall – a move the publication deemed incompatible with its mission to ensure broad access to information, particularly in a country with significant economic disparities – Daily Maverick opted for a system built on engagement and shared values.
“Paywalls restrict access to information, and in a country like South Africa… you are really restricting who can access your content if you have a paywall,” Harris explained. “Our mission is to defend truth, and we can’t fully realise that mission if only a select few people have access to the truth.”
A key component of Daily Maverick’s success lies in its understanding that membership is an emotional connection, not a simple transaction. Building that relationship takes time, the publication found, but yields higher retention rates than traditional subscriptions.
The publication’s commitment to understanding its audience extends to meticulous data tracking. Daily Maverick monitors everything from word count and time of day to sentiment analysis, constantly refining its marketing efforts. This data-driven approach, coupled with a willingness to experiment, has been crucial. They even utilize color psychology in their marketing materials, testing different hues to optimize performance.
Beyond the membership program, Daily Maverick has diversified its revenue streams with a weekly print product, DM168, launched in 2020, and philanthropic support. This multi-faceted approach provides stability, recognizing that membership growth can fluctuate.
The publication also leverages a fleet of 24 newsletters, sending a total of 18 million emails monthly to approximately 650,000 subscribers. Their long-running morning newsletter, First Thing, received a Digital Media Awards Worldwide win in 2022, highlighting the power of direct engagement with readers.
Daily Maverick is also innovating with AI, having developed “ImpactEngine,” a tool that tracks the publication’s influence by monitoring mentions in parliamentary meetings. This allows them to demonstrate the real-world impact of their journalism to both existing members and potential supporters.
The publication’s onboarding process for new members is equally deliberate, featuring a nine-point engagement journey designed to introduce members to the team and key products. A platform called Daily Maverick Connect further fosters interaction between journalists and their audience.
The success of Daily Maverick’s membership program has been recognized by industry peers, earning the publication a WAN-IFRA Digital Media Award for Best Reader Revenue Initiative in 2022. The story serves as a compelling case study for news organizations worldwide seeking sustainable models in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
