Winds of change at Gentologie from spring 2024
Firstly, thank you for reading Gentologie. While we had planned to implement a paywall on all our articles in the autumn, this project will instead see the light of day this spring. But wait before you go, this winds of change at Gentologie is for your benefit . . . and ours too. Since we are not an NPO like Québec-based media such as La Presse and Le Devoir, we cannot collect donations, so that’s the reason for this change.
Winds of change at Gentologie from spring 2024
Why a paywall?
Although you see a fair number of articles on the site, the various contributors and I do not get paid for most of them (not for lack of wanting to, but for lack of income). Gentologie’s income is not very high, even though we are in the high-end market. You may not be aware that the various PR agencies do not pay the media to place their clients content on our platforms, whereas our clients pay them, that’s their business model after all and that is ok like this. That is why we are going to move away from this model, since it is not profitable for Gentologie, and move towards a more journalistic model by raising the quality of content and speakers on Gentologie.
Yes, we have been lucky enough to have a few articles from generous clients that are the result of brand collaborations, but that is far from the majority. I can count on one hand the branded content articles, aka sponsored content, since 2019. Yes, we have had some great trips and great products, but again, that is not a salary, you do not pay your rent and groceries with bottles of wine, a trip or whisky. And there are certain expenses that we have to pay out of our own pockets, whether for travel or photography, not to mention the freelancers (proofreaders, translators, graphic designers, printers, etc.) who work for us. Please note that some articles, chosen by the editorial team, will still be available for free reading, as will sponsored articles.
Less advertising on the website!
And yes, by adding a paywall, we will reduce the various adverts you see on the site. Being a niche site, with an average of around 10,000 page views per month, monthly advertising revenue is not huge. The RPM (average revenue per thousand page views) is $0.98, which gives us a hefty $70 in revenue since October 2022, which is not huge. So it will not be a huge loss for Gentologie to stop using Google’s advertising network.
We will always have in-house advertisements announcing our publications, events, guides and so on. You may see occasional ads from our partners, but these will be carefully selected. We will also be using affiliate links, which will not interfere with your reading in any way, to earn revenue from the products we recommend. In short, you will be able to read more freely.
More time for exclusive articles
This new income will enable the various contributors (to be announced at a later date) to devote more time to their articles, better editing, research and fact-checking—in short, the kind of journalistic work you would expect from a medium for which you pay.
New regular contributors coming soon
With this paywall, Gentologie will be able to hire more contributors who will offer you content exclusive to our platform, because between you and me, there is nothing flatter than reading a press release from a PR agency on a website. And we will be able to pay these new contributors as well as the existing ones. And I, for one, hope to be able to get you even better content and experience with this new plan. Do you like Gentologie and want to be part of its growth? Then write to me.
Winds of change at Gentologie bring renewal to Le Club by Gentologie
Le Club by Gentologie will be adjusted and will offer an enhanced subscription from May 1st.
- In addition to the printed magazine (twice a year), this Club upgrade will include a new, shorter digital newspaper format every month, to be launched in late spring. The new price, $199 CA per year from May 1 (about 15$ per month) , will also give you access to our digital guides and all the articles on the website, as well as a discount on future events and a dedicated Gentologie newsletter for Club members once a week. You will also receive early access to future Gentologie physical products. As an added bonus, if you sign up for our annual membership right away, you will save almost $160 ! Subscribe to the Club today!
- We are also adding a “Gentologie Business” plan, available on request from May 1st, for organizations wishing to offer Gentologie to several of their employees.
- As mentioned above, certain articles, chosen by the editorial team, will be available for free reading, as will sponsored articles.
- As for the magazine, it will no longer be available for sale as a piece on the website, but will be reserved for subscribers. Only bulk orders will be possible, and certain sales outlets and partners will have it.
Accessible to everyone, wherever you are on the planet
Even if you are in Montréal, Paris or New York, you will be able to access Gentologie in your local currency. The magazine may not be included in some destinations, but our goal is to ship it anywhere in the world.
And the print magazine in all that?
Obviously, we want to continue with the printed magazine. But to do that, we need your help. We need your subscriptions and advertisers to make the magazine profitable, as it costs us nearly $20,000 for each edition of 1 000 copies. Thank you to our paper supplier, Sustana (formerly Rolland and located in St-Jérôme), for believing in our project.
We know it is a risk to move in this direction, but Gentologie’s survival depends on it.
Thank you for supporting our growth!
