Google has removed its ‘first click free’ rules, shaking up online media subscriptions and paywalls.

How ‘first click free’ hurt

For years, Google favoured news sites that gave readers access to a few free articles before putting up a paywall. They called it their ‘first click free’ rule. Complying outlets got more exposure and a broader audience. Non-compliant outlets paid the price.

The Wall Street Journal pulled out of the program in early 2017. Lara O’Reilly—the Journal’s media writer—reports that ‘traffic to wsj.com from Google fell 38%, while referrals from Google News were down 89%’.

Outlets now free to set limits

Google News VP Richard Gingras blogged about the new order: ‘a Flexible Sampling model where publishers will decide how many, if any, free articles they want to provide to potential subscribers based on their own business strategies’.

Google now offers guidance as to what they think will work best, but each outlet can decide.

Tomorrow’s news

Google also promises better support for subscription services in future. It remains to be seen whether they (or Facebook, their only real online news distribution rival) can really help good news services to help themselves.

Tech giants are unlikely to undermine their own bottom line, but the death of journalism certainly won’t help their news services.

Is this a lifeline for journalism with genuine freedom for news outlets, an unburdening of responsibility for Google, or both? What strategy would you pursue to monetize news in the current environment?

Copy Transmission is a Melbourne-based agency :: Better Brands. Loud & Clear.