L’Eco di Bergamo, a leading online newspaper with a large readership base, embarked on a strategic partnership with qiota to strengthen audience engagement, increase user registrations, and enhance audience profiling through a more effective registration and login strategy.
To support these objectives, we designed and implemented a tailored audience engagement framework focused on optimizing user journeys, improving conversion opportunities, and expanding the base of identified readers.
Objectives
The project was built around a set of clear and measurable business goals:
- Increase the number of registered and logged-in users.
- Improve paywall click-through rate (CTR).
- Convert a higher share of anonymous visitors into registered users.
- Streamline the registration and login funnel to reduce friction.
- Deliver a more personalized user experience to drive engagement and retention.
Our approach
Working closely with the L’Eco di Bergamo team, we adopted a data-driven methodology combining audience analysis, strategic consulting, and continuous optimization.
- Data collection and audience funnel analysis to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
- Assessment of the initial scenario and current performance in terms of engagement and conversion.
- Organization of training and strategic workshops, including operational support and the sharing of best practices.
Strategies implemented
Our intervention focused on two closely integrated pillars: the implementation of a dynamic paywall and the personalization of user journeys.
1. Dynamic Paywall implementation
We introduced an intelligent and flexible paywall strategy designed to adapt in real time to user behavior, adjusting content access based on a range of variables, including:
- Reader visit frequency (e.g., new users versus returning users).
- Reading depth (number and type of articles viewed).
- Volume of content consumption within a given time frame.
- Traffic source (Google News, social media platforms, etc.).
- Editorial sections (business, interviews, environment and energy, and more).
2. Personalized user journeys
At the same time, we developed differentiated navigation paths designed to provide each reader with an experience aligned with their habits and expectations. This approach relies on behavioral segmentation based on:
- Traffic source (e.g., Google News, social media, and other acquisition channels).
- Access patterns (e.g., occasional visitors versus frequent readers).
Results
This dynamic configuration enabled us to engage users at the most effective moment, displaying messages and interactive elements only when there was a genuine likelihood of conversion. The result was a smoother, more relevant, and less intrusive user experience that increased engagement and facilitated the transition from anonymous visitors to registered users.
The results are illustrated below:
Paywall CTR increased from 1.98% in April 2024 to 2.70% in April 2025, representing an overall growth of 36.4%.
Over the same period, registered users grew from 63,001 to 99,101, marking a 57.3% increase.
Conclusions
This collaboration between L’Eco di Bergamo and qiota highlights how a data-driven and highly personalized approach can deliver measurable improvements in audience engagement, registration growth, and conversion performance.
As competition for audience attention continues to intensify, publishers that invest in intelligent user journeys and adaptive engagement strategies are better positioned to build stronger relationships with their readers and unlock long-term growth opportunities.
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