Building and developing a gift articles subscription feature
Subscriptions Team
Creating a simple but mighty share feature
Gift Article Feature
At Hearst Newspapers, we continuously seek new opportunities to engage readers with our stories and content. We developed a share feature that allows existing readers to share paid articles with friends and family.
Role
Lead Product Designer
Team
Subscriptions Team
Timeline
October 2022-December 2022
Tools
Figma/Visual Studio Code
Project Description
Create the map and design for a new Gift articles feature for existing subscribers. Create the UX Flow and design within the visual language of the existing article template.
Discovery
A gift article share feature is not a novel concept, with other markets, including the New York Times, having implemented similar content-sharing methods. However, unlike other publications, Hearst Newspapers manages over 40 newsrooms and sites, adding complexity to this project's implementation. To ensure a successful rollout, we created three models for the experience. We chose a methodical approach that considers our publications' needs while ensuring the feature remains within the scope of our tech stack.
Design
Our existing design system, rooted in the Hearst Newspapers' core principles, provided the foundation for the article share feature. We utilized these building blocks to create the necessary components seamlessly.
Implementation of Final UX and Design
After finalizing the UX flow, we created a comprehensive user journey along with the final design version. We ensured that all scenarios were covered, taking into account the detailed experiences across our sites. We conducted A/B testing in specific markets to identify markers of success and assess whether this feature affected users' ability to interact with other areas of the article page.
Launch week learning
The "Gift" article feature successfully captivated subscribers, encouraging them to share articles. However, the initial numbers exceeded our expectations. The analytics team provided insights into what was working and what wasn’t during the first week of the launch.
Wins:
1 in 20 visitors were new users
Heat-map showed immediate use case across all sites
1 in 10 new subscribers came from this feature alone
Post Launch Metrics
In 2024, the "Gift" article feature at HNP significantly contributed to our growth, accounting for approximately 10% of all new email subscriptions and 7% of new email leads. This feature was recognized for its impact in 2023, winning 1st Place for “Best Initiative to Grow Subscriptions” at the INMA Global Media Awards.