SUCCESS STORY
How The Economist deepens its relationship with subscribers through reader polling
Launched in October 2025, The Economist Insider newsletter was designed to offer readers unprecedented access to the publication’s top journalists and new ways of engaging with the paper.
Zanny Minton Beddoes, The Economist’s editor-in-chief, writes a weekly newsletter introduction, which is sent to every subscriber. In it, she guides readers through newsroom debates on the world’s biggest issues and gives them a preview of the Insider discussion shows.
Subscribers are invited to shape these conversations by submitting questions and voting in Opinary polls. The Economist’s editors discuss the poll results—and explain how they would have voted—during each week’s show.
SUCCESS STORY
How The Economist deepens its relationship with subscribers through reader polling
Launched in October 2025, The Economist Insider newsletter was designed to offer readers unprecedented access to the publication’s top journalists and new ways of engaging with the paper.
Zanny Minton Beddoes, The Economist’s editor-in-chief, writes a weekly newsletter introduction, which is sent to every subscriber. In it, she guides readers through newsroom debates on the world’s biggest issues and gives them a preview of the Insider discussion shows.
Subscribers are invited to shape these conversations by submitting questions and voting in Opinary polls. The Economist’s editors discuss the poll results—and explain how they would have voted—during each week’s show.
The Challenge
The Economist’s research shows that subscribers who feel a personal connection with the publication are significantly more likely to renew their subscriptions.
The Insider team wanted the project help to deepen this connection and increase loyalty accordingly. Incorporating subscribers’ views into the newsletters and shows was therefore a must, but—with fewer than 24 hours between sending the newsletter and filming the show—the team needed a solution that allowed a snapshot of reader sentiment, rather than, say, a lengthy comment section.
Previous experiments with polling had resulted in poor user journeys and the tools had been difficult for the editorial team to quickly and independently manage.
The Economist’s team needed an easy-to-use, customisable tool that would help them to build relationships with readers that transcended traditional journalism.
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The Challenge
The Economist’s research shows that subscribers who feel a personal connection with the publication are significantly more likely to renew their subscriptions.
The Insider team wanted the project help to deepen this connection and increase loyalty accordingly. Incorporating subscribers’ views into the newsletters and shows was therefore a must, but—with fewer than 24 hours between sending the newsletter and filming the show—the team needed a solution that allowed a snapshot of reader sentiment, rather than, say, a lengthy comment section.
Previous experiments with polling had resulted in poor user journeys and the tools had been difficult for the editorial team to quickly and independently manage.
WANT TO LEARN MORE?
Fill in your details to unlock the full story.