Zetland’s Expansion: From Denmark to Germany & Beyond – A Membership Model Case Study
- With more than 40,000 paying members, Zetland, a Danish news publication, has established a significant foothold in its domestic media market since its launch in 2012.
- However, another key aspect of Zetland’s success, often overlooked, is its proficiency in mission-driven campaigning.
- The company recently concluded another launch campaign, this time in Norway, with its second offshoot, Demo, slated to launch later this year.
With more than 40,000 paying members, Zetland, a Danish news publication, has established a significant foothold in its domestic media market since its launch in . The publication’s distinctive approach – delivering a limited number of in-depth, explanatory and character-driven stories daily – has garnered international recognition. A core element of its success lies in its emphasis on audio, with each team including dedicated audio specialists and all articles being recorded by the journalists themselves.
However, another key aspect of Zetland’s success, often overlooked, is its proficiency in mission-driven campaigning. Specifically, its annual “ambassador campaigns,” which recruit existing members to attract new ones, have been instrumental in driving growth. This expertise was successfully transferred to Finland, where Zetland launched the news startup Uusi Juttu a year ago, following a successful crowdfunding initiative. Uusi Juttu has already surpassed 20,000 paying members.
The company recently concluded another launch campaign, this time in Norway, with its second offshoot, Demo, slated to launch later this year. , Jakob Moll, co-founder and international director of Zetland, discussed the expansion strategy, the challenges facing legacy media, and the company’s future plans, including a move to Germany.
The Genesis of Demo and the Norwegian Market
Moll explained that the impetus for Demo stemmed from a meeting with Ingrid Tinmannsvik, a co-founder of Demo, at a conference in . “We talked about possibilities in Norway and realised almost immediately that our thinking and values very much overlapped,” Moll said. The success of Uusi Juttu in Finland further solidified the decision to expand. “It was a sort of a pilot project, and we immediately thought, ‘Okay, if this is possible, then what are the next steps? Where can we take this?’”
Norway was chosen due to its cultural similarities with Finland and Denmark, as well as an existing network of contacts. Moll highlighted Tinmannsvik’s ability as a central figure in the project as a key factor in the decision.
Crowdfunding Challenges in Norway
While the crowdfunding campaign for Demo ultimately reached its goal of 5,000 members, it proved more challenging than the campaign for Uusi Juttu in Finland, reaching its target just before the campaign’s conclusion. Moll attributed this to the more saturated journalism market in Norway. “There’s probably a lot of factors, but one is that the journalism market in Norway is famously saturated, while there was perhaps a lack of competition in Finland.”
Reaching the target demographic also presented difficulties. While Zetland successfully engaged younger audiences through social media, it struggled to connect with older demographics – those in their 40s, 50s, and 60s – who typically have greater disposable income and a longer history of supporting journalism. In Finland, legacy media coverage aided in reaching this group, but in Norway, Zetland relied heavily on social media, eventually launching a significant advertising campaign through Amedia, a local media giant, to broaden its reach.
Defining Success in a Competitive Landscape
Moll outlined two primary goals for each new publisher Zetland helps launch: contributing to the quality of democratic discourse and reimagining news journalism, particularly for younger generations, and building financially sustainable membership businesses. “That’s also the goal in Norway,” he stated. He believes Demo offers something distinct from existing Norwegian publishers, which, while digitally innovative, often remain traditional in their approach and exhibit a tendency towards sensationalism.
Expansion Plans: Germany and Beyond
Zetland’s expansion plans extend beyond Norway. Germany is the next target, with the company already having hired initial staff. Moll also revealed plans to explore further expansion into polarized European countries, prompted by a commitment made to its members during its annual ambassador campaign. “We also hear people saying, ‘Looks like you’re surrounding Sweden…’ and obviously that’s one of the countries we’re also thinking about.”
The timetable for the German launch involves preparing a crowdfunding campaign, with the actual campaign potentially launching later in or early the following year, depending on market response.
Zetland’s Role Post-Launch
Zetland’s relationship with its offshoots is characterized by a shared mission and a common technology platform, but each publisher maintains editorial and strategic independence, despite Zetland holding a majority ownership stake. “People actually sometimes misunderstand this because of how other publishers have tried to create franchises by cloning their existing businesses. We just don’t believe in that model,” Moll explained. “News publishers are cultural products that exist in a society, in a moment of time, and need to truly reflect that context.”
Zetland’s role is to provide initial support and then gradually withdraw, allowing the local teams to shape their publications according to their specific contexts.
The Importance of Individuals and Trust
The launch campaigns for both Uusi Juttu and Demo prominently featured the individuals behind the outlets. Moll emphasized the conscious decision to focus on individuals, arguing that younger audiences are more likely to trust people who can articulate the value of their work than institutions. “We try to focus on a team of people, as opposed to the YouTube model, where you typically have one person with a team behind them. We like the idea that we are community-based, and the co-founders should be a somewhat diverse group of people who share values and a mission.”
This approach is also intended to rebuild trust in journalism by demonstrating transparency and explaining the purpose and value of the work.
Lessons for Legacy Media
Moll believes legacy media could learn from Zetland’s campaigns by clearly articulating the value of journalism and fostering two-way communication with audiences. “I usually say that there is not one single answer to why journalism is valuable, but there needs to be an answer that you can present. ‘Why are we doing this? Why is it valuable? Why do we think you would benefit from it?’” He also criticized the tendency towards publishing excessive content, arguing that quality and relevance are more important than quantity.
He identified a “style crisis” in journalism, suggesting that adopting a more conversational tone could resonate with younger audiences. “They generally don’t understand the idea of membership… But the thing they miss the most is the power of tone of voice.”
Moll acknowledged that cultural differences exist, but believes that younger generations share similar expectations regarding media across national boundaries. “I usually say that when we go into a new market, 60% of what we do in Denmark will translate. We just need to figure out what 60% it is.”