Case Study: Forbes achieves a profitable, data-driven subscription business with Piano

How Maximizing User Relationships and Data Collection Built the Foundation for Forbes' Subscription Business

Forbes partnered with Piano to transform its digital strategy in response to the impending end of third‑party cookies and to build a sustainable subscription business. The challenge was to collect first‑party data, unify multiple Forbes properties into a cohesive experience, map user journeys and content engagement, and convert both loyal and casual readers to paid subscribers without hurting site traffic.

They launched a metered paywall in November 2020 using color‑coded countdown ribbons, integrated analytics and segmented rollouts to capture behavior‑based first‑party data, and ran pricing surveys to optimize offers. The program validated a $74.99 annual price (with holiday discounts and a popular two‑year option), produced steady subscriptions with no noticeable traffic loss, clarified which content drives conversions, and created the data foundation for targeted email nurtures and continued growth.

Forbes

Nina La France

SVP Consumer Marketing & Business Development