First-party data has become a reliable way for publishers to prove performance and build more resilient revenue. This article breaks down why it matters now, and how leading publishers are turning consented, user-declared signals from polls into segments and results they can actually activate.

Modern publishing is under pressure 

Publishers are under growing pressure to prove performance while operating in a market that is becoming harder to measure, target, and monetize. Attention is fragmenting, privacy expectations are rising, and buyers increasingly want to understand and activate their audiences with confidence.  

The First-Party Data Solution 

In this environment, first party data has become one of the most practical tools available to publishers, especially when it is user-declared and consent-based. It helps strengthen direct advertiser relationships, build privacy-safe segments, and create repeatable value from audience engagement, without relying on external identifiers. 

Turning Polls into User Intent Data

Opinary is already partnering with publishers like Daily Mail Group, Funke Media Group, and Burda Forward to support first party data collection through on-site polls and other audience interaction tools. By engaging audiences with relevant questions, publishers can capture sociodemographic insights alongside intent data and feed those signals into their DMP in real time. This approach turns participation into actionable audience understanding, including user intent data and richer customer intent data, that teams can actually activate across sales, targeting, and content strategies. 

Leading Publishers, Leading First-Party Data Strategies

To illustrate the impact of first- and zero-party data, here are some publishers who have already made significant strides in this area:

• By accelerating its 1st party data strategy with a clear focus on addressability and direct revenue, The New York Post has been building authenticated relationships via newsletters and alternative identifiers, using those signals to build audiences that support more direct deals and higher-value campaign planning.

• Bauer Media Group has scaled a first party data approach across a large portfolio, packaging unique audience insights for advertisers and proving measurable impact. In a case study, Bauer reports a 75% increase in revenue, a 152% increase in advertiser count, and a 31% year-over-year increase in average CPM, supported by audience and campaign insights that help sales teams sell beyond individual brands.

• Bloomberg offers a strong signal of where the market is heading: after shifting away from third-party programmatic approaches, Bloomberg reportedly saw a 20% uplift in advertising CPMs, reinforcing how owned, consented data can directly translate into commercial resilience.

Declared Data from Polls: Best Practice

Additionally, our publisher partners offer concrete examples of how poll-generated first-party signals can translate into measurable commercial results:

Daily Mail Group Ireland (DMG) offers a compelling success story. In an interview, Doug Farrell, DMG’s Head of Digital Media, highlighted how Opinary’s in-article polls help capture audience attention and turn it into actionable signals for targeting and performance. The collaboration resulted in a 60% increase in CTRs, an 80% boost in brand engagement, and a 40% increase in CPMs, demonstrating the value that publisher-owned, declared data can bring to campaign performance and client outcomes.

BCN has focused on creating user habits with regular, editorial-driven questions that consistently add value and prove that quality beats volume. Instead of chasing millions of passive signals, BCN found that around 1,000 high-intent responses are enough to build audience segments that performed strongly. The difference comes down to asking better questions and using the right audience participation tools to make participation feel natural. When a poll feels like a conversation rather than a form, relevance goes up and so do response rates. Operationally, BCN connected the full stack by using Opinary for survey collection and DMP Permutive for activation, enabling a real-time flow from poll response to targeting, including scalable segments built on declared interest and intent signals.

If you are interested to learn more about how DMG and BCN leveraged first-party data, click here: 

The shift from ad-driven clicks to subscription-based loyalty has transformed the publisher-reader dynamic—turning fleeting interactions into meaningful connections. But just like dating, building trust and commitment takes patience, communication, and respect. Discover how publishers can move beyond paywall barriers and foster relationships that last, using lessons from real-world romance to redefine engagement and revenue.

For publishers, loyal readers willing to pay for content are gold. But while Paywalls are critical for publishers, for readers, they often feel like barriers, not bridges. That tension changed the entire dynamic between publishers and audiences, and the way they connect.

Looking at the ad driven era before publishers discovered direct user revenues: you could easily compare their relationship with audiences to one-night stands. Users were incentivized to click, read, and move on. Whereas in today’s subscription era it’s much more about building loyal relationships, trust, and long-term commitment.

After years of analyzing how this dynamic works, we’ve found that the user-publisher relationship funnel is quite similar to the stages of dating. Which is why we are here to share with you some practical relationship advice that will take your user-publisher relationship game to the next level:

1st Advice: Be Patient & Persistent

Loyal and long relationships aren’t built overnight. It takes time, patience and consistency to build a strong level of commitment and earn trust.

Let’s see how real-world dating works. You meet someone, chat a bit, maybe grab a drink. If there’s a spark, you go on a few more dates. By the fourth one, you’re either ghosting, in a full-blown situationship, or finally deciding if this is going somewhere. The same thing happens in the subscription world. The user starts their journey by clicking on an article, then maybe read a few more, come back, subscribe to a newsletter, and at some point decide if they want to subscribe or not.

But here’s the thing, some publishers get so excited about subscriptions that they try to get first-time visitors to subscribe right away. That’s like meeting someone in a bar and immediately asking them “will you marry me?” It’s not impossible… just wildly optimistic.

2nd Advice: Communicate!

To make any relationship work communication is a key. It takes a lot of talking to build trust, engagement that leads to commitment.

Think about the talking stage when you first start dating someone. You text constantly or spend hours talking on the phone and gradually learn more about each other. That’s what builds trust between people.

Here’s the problem: publishers say they want a relationship with readers, but rarely bother to talk to them. Legacy newsrooms often still sit in their ivory towers: no replies, no questions, just one-sided monologues.

Meanwhile, influencers are masters at building loyal communities. Why? Because they don’t just talk to their followers – they have actual conversations with them. That’s why we started Opinary: to help publishers listen. We make it easy for readers to share their views inside articles, and just as easy for publishers to learn from them. The effect: When people are invited to weigh in, they do. And they come back, because engagement builds loyalty. Every relationship starts with a conversation.

3rd Advice: Relationships are always voluntary

It’s never easy to say goodbye, but sometimes it is necessary to let go.

Breakups happen all the time, for all sort of reasons. Maybe the spark faded, or some expectations weren’t met and that’s okay. The same is true for publishers and readers, sometimes people just want to unsubscribe. But here’s the issue, some publishers make it harder for people to leave. And when you do that, you aren’t only using a subscriber but also losing the trust you worked hard on building.

4th Advice: Explore Other Options

Subscriptions are great, it is a powerful revenue stream, with a lot of untapped potential. But not every user is going to become a subscriber, and that’s the reality.

A healthy business requires diversity in revenue streams. But forming a loyal relationship with your users will not only grow your subscriptions, but also will keep them coming back. Publishers need to engage with their readers in a meaningful conversation, and show genuine curiosity in users interests to build a mutual trust. The more you talk with your users and start asking them questions, the more they’re willing to interact and tell you more about themselves. This conversation will provide you with genuine and accurate data, which will allow better targeting.

Having this mix of invaluable data with engaged readership, will make you more attractive from an advertiser’s perspective, which will bring in other revenue streams like ads,  and won’t require you to rely only on subscriptions.

Just like dating, not every random bar conversation will turn to a relationship and not every user is a potential subscriber. Some people might just to become good friends, which is has a great value in its own way. You need to treat your users with respect, don’t force the relationship, and you will create potential for significant connections with them.

Want to see what this looks like in action?

Discover how The FT uses Opinary polls for retention.

The US Election: A Nation Divided

The 2024 US election made headlines not only domestically but also around the world. Donald Trump made history by becoming the first Republican to win the popular vote since 2004 and the second president elected to a non-consecutive term. 

🗳 Was the outcome of the 2024 US election predictable? 

While data, polls, and trends can provide some clarity, the inherent unpredictability of the American voter continually keeps us guessing. In an election cycle defined by polarising political figures, social media influence, and changing voter mobilization, reliable predictions remain elusive.  

A lot of our US-based publishers asked their audiences who’ll win the election. After the first projections came in, we took a look at how the users of our US partners voted in the past months: Kamala Harris or Donald Trump? The chart below shows how opinion shifted: While Harris held a steady lead, Trump saw several significant surges. This serves as a reminder of how sentiment can shift rapidly, even up to the last moments. 

After the election, our partner Yahoo asked how their readers felt about the results. As we can see below, the US is divided. It’ll certainly be interesting to see how opinions change during the second Trump term.  

Inflation: Relief at Last? 

While it finally (!) came under control in 2024, consumers began the year still feeling the effects of the international inflationary period, with the increase in prices of everyday costs like food, clothes, and housing hitting wallets particularly hard. These price hikes have made some readers cautious about the future, like those of Evoke in Ireland. 

#MeToo: A Lasting Impact 

Audiences in 2024 viewed the #MeToo movement mostly as “incredibly good” at exposing crimes against women. This sentiment reflects support for its role in amplifying survivors’ voices and driving accountability for perpetrators, from Hollywood to corporate America. 

The movement continues to inspire global conversations. However, critics highlight areas needing improvement, including more inclusive representation and sustained efforts to address systemic barriers. 

Overall, #MeToo remained a transformative force in 2024 as well. 

The UK Election: Labour’s Big Comeback 

The 2024 UK general election saw Keir Starmer’s Labour Party secure a landslide victory, ending 14 years of Conservative rule and handing the Conservative Party its worst defeat in history. Starmer, who overcame Rishi Sunak to become the new Prime Minister, promised that “change begins now” and pledged to steer the country towards “calmer waters” (Let’s hope he can swim.) Looking back, we can see what the readers of Yahoo UK thought about now former PM Rishi Sunak: 

The NHS in 2024: Challenges and Change 

In 2024 the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) faced significant challenges while embarking on developments critical to addressing long-standing issues. Struggling with staff shortages, increased waiting times, and record demand, the NHS prioritized workforce expansion and retention. A newly implemented pay agreement aimed to alleviate strikes among nurses and junior doctors, though concerns about its sufficiency persisted.

On the political front, calls for reform intensified, with proposals ranging from expanded public-private partnerships to a comprehensive review of service delivery. Public satisfaction with the NHS remained mixed, reflecting both gratitude for its universal care and frustration over its strained capacity. 

Israeli Invasion of Lebanon: Divided Opinions Before the Conflict 

It was a somber start to the fall this year, with the ground war in the Middle East expanding into Lebanon. Israel invaded Lebanon in the early hours of October first. But even before this event, readers in the UK appeared to advocate a hands-off approach, as seen in this speculative poll from before the invasion:  

Paris Olympics: Breaking Boundaries 

The Paris 2024 Summer Olympics were a show-stopping spectacle, with over 10,500 athletes throwing down in 329 events across 32 sports. This year’s headline? For us it was how breaking (as in dance moves, not bones) grooved its way onto the Olympic stage for the first time! The United States crushed it, topping the medal chart with a whopping 40 gold medals and 126 total medals. France wasn’t too shabby either, snagging its best haul since 1900 with 64 medals, and proudly claiming fifth place. 

But not everything went to plan—cue the infamous swimming debacle! Athletes dove into the Seine for the open-water races, but the water quality? Well, let’s just say bacteria levels were higher than expected, making for a challenge they hadn’t exactly trained for. Still, it didn’t stop anyone from giving it their all! 

And the closing ceremony? Pure magic. The Stade de France lit up as Tom Cruise defied gravity with aerial acrobatics, and Snoop Dogg himself dropped by to wrap up (or rap up?) the games in style. 

UEFA Euros: Spain’s Glory, England’s Heartbreak 

The Olympics weren’t the only big sporting competition this year, the UEFA Euros showcased thrilling matches among the 24 national teams. Spain emerged as the champion, defeating England 2-1 in a dramatic final at Berlin’s Olympiastadion. The tournament featured memorable performances by teenager Lamine Yamal and ended in a bitter second straight Euro–final loss for England and manager Gareth Southgate (so long Gareth!). No wonder the readers of the Times of London were backing England, but it was the RTL readers in Germany who turned out to be right. 

The Questions That Made Us Smile 

Journalists are trained to ask the hard questions, but sometimes it’s the unexpected ones that truly make waves. Case in point: Do you pee in the ocean? (We won’t tell anyone.) Or try this one on for size: Do you think love can work the second time around?

Okay, so two things:

First, regarding tinkling in the ocean: bold move.

Then, the heartstring tugger: Apparently, some people are just as optimistic about love as they are shameless about the sea.

Two questions, one takeaway: honesty is the best policy – whether you’re diving into waves or second chances. 🌊❤️ 

P.S.: As our gift to you, please enjoy our very own Opinary end of year Spotify playlist, made for your ears! 

How Daily Mail Group Ireland Achieved 60% Ad CTR Boost with Opinary Polls

Doug Farrell, DMG Ireland‘s Group Head of Digital Media, explains how polls transformed their advertising strategy by accessing First-Party Data at scale. He shows how polls turn content into conversations that reveal buying intent.

DMG embedded Opinary’s in-article polls, turning readers’ answers into First-Party Data to build targeted audience segments. This resulted in +60% CTRs and +80% Brand Engagement, helping them win more pitches and achieve a +40% increase in CPMs.