Many online publishers are looking for more flexible ways to tailor content packages for their users. One key element of this approach is content metering.

Content metering is when a publisher allows a new visitor to their site to view a specific number of content pieces (articles, videos, or audio files) before being either asked to register or to subscribe to the publication. The "height" of the content meter usually refers to the number of content pieces a user can access before being pushed to a registration or paywall.

Content meters can be applied to new, anonymous users visiting a site or they can be applied to registered users even after registration.

But how high do you set the content meter? Should the same meter apply to all users and across all content types?

Many publishers are unsure and therefore require to adjust their content meter "on-the-fly" so they can test different scenarios. This is hard because the tools to even apply static meters are relatively new.

Some new feature enhancements to 10Duke Enterprise now enable publishers to not only easily apply meters to their online content, but also adjust these meters dynamically, in a production environment.

To better understand how this might work, consider the following use case:

Through some work with a publisher here in London, we've learned that users interested in sports content will convert to becoming a subscriber more quickly than a user who prefers arts and culture-related content. If it takes fewer content interactions to convert a user interested in sports content into a subscriber, then the height of the content meter presented to that type of user should be lower than the one presented to a user interested in art and culture related content, since the latter takes more content interactions before they will convert into a subscriber.

With the latest update to 10Duke Enterprise we now have the ability to create and adjust content packages and meters on the fly from a simple web-based user interface. This means that the engine can recognise what type of content a user is browsing and, based on that preference, adjust the height of the meter presented to them before they are pushed to a registration or paywall.

This same capability could be used to recognise what content is trending and move that content behind a paywall.

Learn more about 10Duke Enterprise.