Building an Engagement Journey for New Readers
Building an Engagement Journey for New Readers
At The Philadelphia Inquirer, I partnered with Acquisition Marketing and Copywriting to design a registration journey for new readers who had not yet become paid subscribers. I owned the visual experience across a series of emails designed to introduce readers to the breadth of The Inquirer’s content—from sports and food to healthcare, special coverage, and events.
Using our newly established brand identity, I developed a flexible visual system built around collaged imagery that carried consistently across the series. The goal was to keep potential subscribers engaged while telling a broader story about the value and variety of The Inquirer’s content.
At The Philadelphia Inquirer, I partnered with Acquisition Marketing and Copywriting to design a registration journey for new readers who had not yet become paid subscribers. I owned the visual experience across a series of emails designed to introduce readers to the breadth of The Inquirer’s content—from sports and food to healthcare, special coverage, and events.
Using our newly established brand identity, I developed a flexible visual system built around collaged imagery that carried consistently across the series. The goal was to keep potential subscribers engaged while telling a broader story about the value and variety of The Inquirer’s content.
Client
The Philadelphia Inquirer
Services
Visual Design
UI Design
Branding
Industries
Local Journalism
Date
October 2018 - 2021
The Challenge
The Challenge
Registration was an important entry point for readers who hadn't yet become paid subscribers. The challenge was to create an experience that kept these readers engaged after signing up while introducing them to the breadth of content and experiences available through The Inquirer.
Registration was an important entry point for readers who hadn't yet become paid subscribers. The challenge was to create an experience that kept these readers engaged after signing up while introducing them to the breadth of content and experiences available through The Inquirer.
Using the newly established Inquirer brand identity as a foundation, I developed a collage-inspired visual system that could flex across different content categories while maintaining a consistent experience throughout the series.
Using the newly established Inquirer brand identity as a foundation, I developed a collage-inspired visual system that could flex across different content categories while maintaining a consistent experience throughout the series.
Sports Content
Sports Content
Special Stories
Healthcare
Healthcare
Politics
Politics
Welcome Email
Welcome Email
"Thanks for joining us."
"Thanks for joining us."
The first email welcomed readers after signing up for The Inquirer's free monthly newsletter and introduced them to the breadth of content available.
The first email welcomed readers after signing up for The Inquirer's free monthly newsletter and introduced them to the breadth of content available.
Discover
Discover
"Know Philly Better."
"Know Philly Better."
The next email expanded on the content experience, highlighting free newsletters and different areas of The Inquirer's coverage.
The next email expanded on the content experience, highlighting free newsletters and different areas of The Inquirer's coverage.
Engage
Engage
Live Events & Conversations
Live Events & Conversations
This email shifted from content discovery to participation, highlighting virtual live events and past conversations with notable guests.
This email shifted from content discovery to participation, highlighting virtual live events and past conversations with notable guests.
Consider
Consider
Introducing the Offer
Introducing the Offer
The fourth email became more promotional, bringing the subscription offer into focus while continuing to reinforce the value of the content readers had already been introduced to.
The fourth email became more promotional, bringing the subscription offer into focus while continuing to reinforce the value of the content readers had already been introduced to.
Convert
Convert
The Subscription Offer
The Subscription Offer
The final email honed in on the promotional offer and created a stronger call to action toward subscribing.
The final email honed in on the promotional offer and created a stronger call to action toward subscribing.
The sequence intentionally progressed from relationship-building to conversion. Rather than leading with a sales message, the journey first introduced readers to the breadth of The Inquirer's content and experiences, gradually building familiarity and value before presenting the subscription offer more directly.
The sequence intentionally progressed from relationship-building to conversion. Rather than leading with a sales message, the journey first introduced readers to the breadth of The Inquirer's content and experiences, gradually building familiarity and value before presenting the subscription offer more directly.
