Paywalls: Expert tips for technical and editorial SEO

We're sharing some of our favourite learnings from our masterclass with Barry Adams and Harry Clarkson-Bennett

Mar 16, 2026

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Hello, and welcome back. Jessie and Shelby here, back from the INMA Subscriptions Summit in Toronto! Against a backdrop of AI and the changing Google ecosystem, we talked about whether or not SEO is still worth the investment (spoiler: we think it is!).

This week: Paywall SEO! We recently teamed up with Harry Clarkson-Bennett and Barry Adams for a masterclass on paywalls. The session was so insightful and informative that we’re sharing some of our favourite learnings. The full recording, slides and a tipsheet from the masterclass are also available for purchase (use WTF10 at the checkout for a discount).

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THE HOW TO

Editorial strategy for paywalls

Paywalls can have a negative impact on your site because of engagement signals like Navboost (which takes into consideration users interaction data, like bounce rate when someone hits a paywall). Paywalled stories also have a shorter shelf life in Top Stories due to this.

Behaviourally, readers also learn which sites have paywalls and learn not to click. For these reasons, publishers must paywall content effectively and strategically.

Effective editorial SEO with a paywall is all about value: knowing what your readers want to know, but can’t find anywhere else.

Consider access rules that vary by channel. Readers who arrive from a high-intent platform like search should encounter more friction than those who arrive from social. Consider different rules for each section or desk, too (i.e., business and investing readers are more niche than entertainment readers, and may have a higher propensity to pay).

The paywall journey is essential. It’s how readers go from the first entry point of your brand to becoming a paid reader.

This could start with a free, non-gated piece of content, like a live blog or explainer. From that top-of-the-funnel piece, link to locked, high-value content (like The Athletic’s The Beast or The Globe and Mail’s Most Livable Cities projects). Linking from free to premium content drives people to consider value. It shows readers the breadth of your coverage, creates a second click, pushing them closer to converting.

News SEOs need to work with colleagues in product and engineering to ensure the registration CTAs are clear, effective and technically sound.

Testing is crucial. Test, test, test — and adjust your paywall strategy based on your learnings.

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Technical considerations for paywalls

When it comes to technical SEO for paywalls, there are several considerations, including choosing the right way to implement the paywall (client- or serve-side) and having proper structured data.

There are two technical implementations for paywalls. They’re either client-side (in the browser via JavaScript) or server-side (in the server before the page loads for the reader).

Both options have upsides. Client-side rendering is easier to implement, whereas server-side implementation provides a watertight paywall to limit tech-savvy users trying to circumvent the gate.

However, they both have limitations, too. Server-side rendering is more challenging to implement and less flexible, while client-side rendering paywalls often have page speed and CLS issues. Ultimately, knowing what paywall to pick — and ensuring it is technically sound — is a subjective investment for your organization.

The most common issue with publisher paywalls is not having the correct structured data.

Publishers need to correctly use JSON-LD schema and proper CSS to mark paywalled content.

The attribute “isAccessibleForFree” needs to be set to “False”;
Pages must have a specific CSS selector (i.e., a tag like “premium-content”) to signal what sections are paywalled;

The correct implementation of this markup enables Google to properly crawl your content. Without it, the gate is less effective and could cause ranking issues.

Ask your technical SEO questions

The business case for paywalls

There are four primary reasons a publisher would implement a paywall: generate consistent revenue, allow for collection for first-party data, improve advertising value and force effective — sometimes ruthless — prioritization within an organization.

Paywalls are not about growing your readership. They are a value extraction tactic.

A paywall trades for known value. Reach can often be unreliable; some stories or months drive enormous traffic because of the news cycle, then drop off dramatically. The known value of paywall revenue is much more consistent. Trading scale for stability ensures publishers can build sustainable, long-term businesses.

Subscriber revenue is more valuable to publishers than any other stream because it is predictable, sustainable and less prone to platform fluctuations (like those on Google, Facebook, Twitter and countless other referrers).

While reach has long been a key metric for publications, a new, a custom north start metric can replace it and add a unique value for readers. The metric should include key pillars like content and subscription quality, retention and subscription growth, engagement and whether or not readers are developing a habitual relationship to your outlet.

However, this shift requires your outlet to think critically and provide real value in the lives of your readers.

Without that, people will not convert; or if they do convert, they will be more likely to churn.

Trade reach for revenue

The bottom line: How a paywall is implemented will vary among publishers and their business goals. News SEOs must ensure the paywall is technically sound — especially with the right structured data — and is supported by an effective editorial strategy built around the organization’s business goals.

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THE JOBS LIST

Audience or SEO jobs in journalism. Want to include a position for promotion? Email us.

The Associated Press is hiring an Audience Data Strategist (New York, N.Y.).
The Times is hiring an Audience Editor (News and World) (London, U.K.).
The New York Times is hiring an Audience Editor (Washington, D.C.).
The Atlantic is hiring a Senior Associate Editor focused on Community (Washington, D.C.).