Case Study: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) achieves 55% subscription growth and increased reader engagement with Piano

Why AAAS Introduced a Metered Paywall

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), publisher of Science Magazine, wanted to increase the perceived value of its News from Science section, better understand its readers, drive newsletter sign-ups and AAAS memberships, and create a new revenue stream to support journalism that had been free for 20 years.

AAAS introduced registration access in late 2017 and launched a metered paywall in June 2018 (10 pageviews, later reduced to five), offering subscriptions at $1.50/month (free for members). Using Piano Composer, VX and ID for lightweight integration and flexible experiences, the team tested meters and messaging, gathered audience insights, improved brand differentiation, maintained a friction-free UX, and achieved steady subscription growth — an average 55% increase between October 2018 and February 2019 — with conversion rates meeting initial targets.

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)