Promotions are a great way to bring in new fans and win back ones who've drifted, and picking the right type can make a real difference in how long those fans stick around afterward. Here's what tends to work best, so you can choose with confidence.
The tools you already have
Promotional offers: a free trial or a discounted first-month subscription, targetable to All fans, New fans, Expired fans, or Followers.
Subscription bundles: up to 50% off for a 3, 6, or 12-month subscription, paid upfront (see example below).
Free trial links: unique shareable links for specific campaigns or funnels.
What actually happens after fans take a promo
Looking at subscription tenure across the platform, how a fan joins makes a big difference in how long they stick around.
Subscription Bundles perform best ⭐: only 1 in 8 churn in the first month, and 4 in 10 are still subscribed after 90+ days. They also spend about 3.5x more after their first month than fans who join for free.
Free trials and free trial links land in the middle: about 1 in 4 stick around past 90 days. They are typically lower-value fans that spend around 5x less over their lifetime than paying subscribers. Good for bringing in traffic, not for retention.
Time-limited discount promotions: churn fastest: about 7 in 10 leave within the first month, and only 1 in 5 stay past 90 days. Still worth using, just expect to work harder to keep these fans engaged.
A bundle locks in months of commitment upfront, so fans have already made a real commitment before they even start
A short-term discount only has to win someone's attention for a single moment.
What this means for choosing a promo
Default to bundles when you want to discount. The healthiest way to offer a lower price!
Use time-limited discount promotions sparingly and with a target. Aim them at a specific segment and moment: Expired Subscribers as a win-back, a launch, a seasonal push, rather than leaving one running constantly (see below picture).
Expect free trials to convert a minority long-term, and plan around that rather than being surprised by it.
Don't undercut your own price
Constant discounting signals your regular price isn't the "real" price, fans learn to wait for the next deal instead of subscribing now.
Target offers narrowly (Expired fans, Followers who haven't converted) instead of running the same promo to everyone, all the time.
Pair a promotion with a mass message when you launch it (see the Mass Messaging guide) so it reads as a specific moment worth acting on.
Get the word out beyond Fanvue! 📢
Getting fans to your page in the first place is important! See the Getting Fans to Your Fanvue guide for ideas. Once they're here, everything above is how you turn that traffic into a promo that sticks.