Mainebiz publisher Donna Brassard
April 17, 2019
A note from Mainebiz’s publisher about our new website
By Donna Brassard
The media business has undergone significant changes over the past 25 years since Mainebiz was first published — innovations in graphic design and greater access to high quality color printing have changed how we are produced. And of course the internet has had the biggest impact on how readers get their information and news.
I find many people have the misconception that newspapers, and thus Mainebiz by association, don’t deliver business news and information to as many people as we did five or 10 years ago. In fact, the opposite is true, as the number of Mainebiz readers has never been greater. Between our highly targeted business journal that reaches 37,000 readers every two weeks, the more than 70,000 unique monthly viewers of the Mainebiz website, four email newsletters with approximately 10,000 subscribers each, and a number of events that generate an annual attendance of over 2,000 — Mainebiz has never had more readership and engagement.
With a lot of data at our fingertips, we have been paying close attention to how our readers access Mainebiz content. The most dramatic increase in the last few years has been in mobile traffic. Our mobile readership via smart phones has grown to account for nearly 40% of our online visitors. With that increase, we realized that we needed to invest in technology that would allow us to deliver a mobile experience that matches what readers have in print or on their desktops. We needed a website with responsive design — a site that would deliver all of our content in a user-friendly way no matter what device is being used.
Putting a value on content
We recognize that the value of Mainebiz begins and ends with the quality of our editorial content. Our readers turn to Mainebiz for news they won’t find in other media. But Mainebiz is about more than being in the know. Readers also rely on our coverage to inform business strategy and to identify and evaluate opportunities — for their businesses and organizations, and for themselves. In today’s media landscape there is an increasing demand for professional, unbiased, insightful business coverage. Mainebiz has responded to that call by investing in more editorial resources, and now with a newly designed website.
This is the fifth new website launch for Mainebiz in our 25 years of publishing — the first one back in 2000 was essentially an online brochure with a few pages of “about us.” Today’s new site has taken many months of planning and deliberation — and it’s a major investment for us. We are striving for a good user experience, with more options for interaction and engagement with us and Maine’s business community. And you can access our content across multiple devices. If you have access to the internet, Mainebiz should be right there in your pocket with your phone. And it will be. No app required.
An easy-to-use metered paywall
With the new website we will be introducing an easy-to-use metered paywall. You probably know how this works; many other newspapers and magazines are using this model. The idea is to deliver Mainebiz to you seamlessly on every platform, and for us to charge a fair price. One month’s access to all of the Mainebiz content will cost $5.
Under the metered paywall model, everyone will have access to six articles on Mainebiz.biz over a 30-day period. You may access up to 12 news articles in 30 days by registering or, to get unlimited access, you will need to purchase a membership.
Classic Members will have full access to the website, including daily news stories, the current issue and all articles in the archives (the site’s internal search has been improved). Classic members also get all print and digital issues, early access to content, and exclusive content.
We are also offering a Premium Membership, which has all the benefits of a Classic Membership but also includes access to all the industry lists from our annual Book of Lists as well as discounts to attend Mainebiz events.
How it works
If we already have your email and mailing address in our system, you will receive an email with a personalized link to create your online registration. If you don’t receive a link, you can create a new registration on Mainebiz.biz yourself (it’s easy). When you register, you’ll be asked to confirm your email newsletter selections. Please make sure you do this step otherwise you may be unsubscribed to the email newsletters of your choice. If you’re a print subscriber, you’ll be asked to link your print subscription to your online account. Under the new model, current paid print subscribers will become Classic Members to Mainebiz once they register.
As with anything new, there will probably be a few bumps along the way as we all get used to using the new site. Mainebiz staff is on standby, ready to help if you have questions. We really value your feedback, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have a comment or suggestion.
Our goal is a win-win relationship with our readers — Mainebiz will continue to provide good value with local reporting and data you can’t find anywhere else.
I’m especially grateful during this, our 25th year, for your continued support and consideration. And we will continue to earn your trust with every issue, every story, every day.
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