This article complements Promotion and helps you fine-tune your discount percentage. It's based on an analysis of 961 campaigns launched between June 19 and July 30, 2026, comparing results before and after launch.
Why isn't the general percentage always enough?
Your discount percentage depends on how established your messaging and private media activity is, as explained in the Promotion article. But two other factors also make a big difference to the outcome: your current subscriber count, and whether or not you sell pay-per-view content (paid messages, unlockable media) on top of your subscription. The table below details the recommended setting for each case.
What exact setting should I use for my situation?
| Your situation | Recommended discount | Example for a €10 subscription | Duration | What it delivers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| You sell pay-per-view content | ||||
|
Fewer than 70 subscribers / fortnight the most common case |
−30% to −50% on your subscription price |
€5 to €7 | Ongoing | +€83 to +€122 median gain over 14 days, and 84% of creators come out ahead. The best-performing setting in the whole panel. |
|
More than 70 subscribers / fortnight you have a base to protect |
−50% maximum on your subscription price |
€5 | 7 to 14-day campaign | +28% in volume but −22% in subscription revenue: your fans would have paid full price anyway. Pay-per-view content makes up for it, earning 2.3× the discounted subscription. |
| You don't sell pay-per-view content | ||||
|
Whatever your volume the only setting that works |
−30% maximum on your subscription price |
€7 | Ongoing | +34% in subscription revenue and 89% of creators come out ahead: the highest success rate in the study. |
|
You discount by more than 30% avoid |
beyond −30% | €3 to €5 | — | +45% in volume, but a median gain of only +€2, and one creator in two loses out. You work harder for the same revenue. |
|
You offer the first month free avoid entirely |
−100% | €0 | — | +171% in volume and −31% in revenue. Median gain −€10: only 18% of creators come out ahead. |
| You're just starting out, or coming back after a break | ||||
|
You have no active subscribers nothing to protect |
free, up to −100% | no revenue to defend | €0 to €7 | Ongoing — the offer builds an audience where there wasn't one: 2 new fans per creator in 14 days, starting from zero. Move up a row once you have a base. |
👉 Key takeaway: the factor that matters most isn't just how established your messaging is, but also whether you already have pay-per-view content in place when you launch the campaign.
Should I prepare pay-per-view content before launching my campaign?
Yes — this is what makes the biggest difference. Prepare a paid piece of content before launching your campaign and send it within 72 hours of the subscription. Offering a single piece of content at that moment can take your median gain from +€10 to +€83.
👉 Without paid content behind it, your campaign stays a simple discount rather than a real acquisition lever.
How long should I let my campaign run?
21 days minimum, without touching it. Many creators stop too soon: the median is 7.5 active days out of 28, and one creator in three cuts their campaign after just three days.
When can I evaluate whether my campaign worked?
It's the second month that counts, not the first! It's only once your fans go back to your normal price that you can measure how many of them stay subscribed. Creators who launched their campaign as early as June saw their non-promotional subscriptions grow by 31% a month later.
👉 Note these fans' renewal dates and offer them new content just before, to maximize your chances of retention.
Data based on 961 creators who launched a trial offer between June 19 and July 30, 2026, each compared to themselves 14 days before / 14 days after, with seasonality correction. These figures describe a six-week cohort trend and do not guarantee an individual result.