Paid content in Germany - statistics & facts
Paid content is defined as online or digital content which is not accessible for free. It is consumed by paying users and includes all types of content distributed by digital means, foremost online or via mobile services after payment. The contrast to paid content is free content financed by adware.
The most common examples for paid content are online newspapers or other information websites, and streaming platforms for audio and video content. Located behind a so-called paywall, users gain access only after prior payment. In some cases, users may pay to buy individual content items, though most often they will be required to purchase a subscription, typically either for a monthly fee until canceled, or with a set payment for a certain period of time. In some cases, content may also be downloaded to save and consume offline on a personal end device.
With online content consumption, whether reading, listening or watching, increasingly becoming the norm across countries and age groups, various access and payment models have developed in a competitive market. The competition is especially rife among paid content sources for private consumers, considering that not everyone is willing to pay for what they find online.
Paid content may most often be associated with video or audio and music streaming platforms, but has also become strongly connected to the print media industry. In order to financially compensate for falling print newspaper circulation numbers, either e-papers are being sold online, or full access to material published on the newspaper's website only becomes available after registering on said website for a fee. Paid content can have lucrative potential for businesses and media that started out non-digital alike. In the B2C context, success is closely tied to consumer behavior and decisions.
The most common examples for paid content are online newspapers or other information websites, and streaming platforms for audio and video content. Located behind a so-called paywall, users gain access only after prior payment. In some cases, users may pay to buy individual content items, though most often they will be required to purchase a subscription, typically either for a monthly fee until canceled, or with a set payment for a certain period of time. In some cases, content may also be downloaded to save and consume offline on a personal end device.
With online content consumption, whether reading, listening or watching, increasingly becoming the norm across countries and age groups, various access and payment models have developed in a competitive market. The competition is especially rife among paid content sources for private consumers, considering that not everyone is willing to pay for what they find online.
Paid content may most often be associated with video or audio and music streaming platforms, but has also become strongly connected to the print media industry. In order to financially compensate for falling print newspaper circulation numbers, either e-papers are being sold online, or full access to material published on the newspaper's website only becomes available after registering on said website for a fee. Paid content can have lucrative potential for businesses and media that started out non-digital alike. In the B2C context, success is closely tied to consumer behavior and decisions.
