Jellyfish Connect ran extensive digital marketing campaigns for National Geographic and generated 57,284 new UK and international subscriptions for the magazine in one year.

We ran targeted campaigns, delivering high volumes of qualified paid-for traffic to eight specifically designed National Geographic subscription campaign sites (all built, optimised and managed in-house by Jellyfish Connect) as part of an inclusive fixed fee CPA commercial model.

Eight bespoke subscription campaign sites
The eight sites were designed for the UK, Republic of Ireland, Europe, South Africa, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and other International markets, each featured relevant content and subscription offers. The European and International sites also hosted separate landing pages for key target countries which showed relevant pricing/currencies for Norway, Denmark, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Malaysia and Hong Kong. Local language as well as English landing pages were also hosted where appropriate.

Landing pages contained subscription sales driven copy, prominent and strategically placed call-to-actions, and the sites had a slick and user-friendly sign-up and payment funnel, taking payment in the customer’s own local currency.

A variety of content was included on the landing pages, illustrating the breadth of the editorial and pictorial. This also allowed for broad PPC Search bidding, outside key brand terms, which in turn delivered relevant people who might not have otherwise been looking to take up a National Geographic magazine subscription.

Extensive range of digital marketing channels used
PPC Search (using both Google and Bing! networks), display advertising (including the Google Display Network, Taboola, ContentClick, Yahoo Gemini and Gmail Sponsored Promotions), remarketing (search, display, social and email), social advertising (including YouTube, Twitter and Facebook) and email were all used to drive high quality traffic to the sites and successfully converted visitors into subscribers.

Regular testing and continual optimisation
Different subscription prices and offers were tested regularly including annual, student, 6-month and 2 year offers, as well as gift subscriptions particularly around Christmas, Father’s Day and Mother’s Day.

Constant testing allowed for optimisation of ad copies, and site and payment funnel conversion rates. And the site was mobile friendly in order to maximise the potential subscription volumes from visitors increasingly using mobile devices.

The results
We saw consistent year-on-year growth in subscription volumes:
  • Between 2016 and 2017 subs grew 10% (from 51,975 to 57,284)
  • In the previous 2 years, subscriptions grew by 23% (from 46,390 to 57,284)
  • In the previous 5 years, subscriptions grew by 64% (from 34,934 to 57,284)