Content
What belongs behind the paywall, and what stays out front
Paywalled content isn't your best content. It's the content that only has value to someone already convinced.
The classic mistake is to paywall your best work. It feels logical, and it's counterproductive: whatever convinces a stranger has to stay visible, or nobody ever becomes a member.
| Public | Paywalled |
|---|---|
| The finished piece | The steps, the discarded versions |
| The result | The detailed method |
| The excerpt | The full version and the source files |
| The general analysis | The raw data |
| The progress update | A vote on what comes next |
The rule of degree
Public content proves competence. Paywalled content proves generosity. A visitor pays once they've understood that what they can already see for free is good, and that the rest is even better.