With so much content given away for free these days, would U.S. consumers still be willing to pay a nominal amount for each content view (“a micropayment”) if they valued the content enough? And what amount would they be willing to pay?

1. HOW THE U.S. POPULACE FEELS
ABOUT MICROPAYMENTS
Research conducted by Hollis Thomases, 11/2014

2. HYPOTHESIS
 With so much content given away for free these
days, U.S. consumers might still be likely to pay
a nominal amount for each content view (“a
micropayment”) if they valued it
 In addition to putting this hypothesis to the test,
I also wanted to determine what would be the
maximum amount they would be willing to pay

3. THE SURVEY QUESTION
 Consider a situation in which you find a small
piece of online information valuable enough to
pay for - what is the MAXIMUM regular amount
you'd be likely to pay?
 a) $0.00 - I'd never pay for information
 b) $0.10 per time
 c) $0.25 per time
 d) $0.50 per time
 e) $1.00 per time
 f) $2.50 per time
 g) more than $2.50

4. THE FINDINGS
Disappointingly, the overwhelming majority of U.S. consumers surveyed
said they would never pay for information, even if they found it
valuable:
N = 1,309 respondents

5. AND YET, THERE’S HOPE…
Younger respondents, who are already
more used to micropayments (buying
digital music by the song, apps, or
games) have the least objection.

6. INCOME LEVEL HAD AN IMPACT
Results for people
earning $75-99K
Results for people
earning $100-149K
Greater
willingness to
pay occurs
above $100K

7. GEOGRAPHY PLAYS A FACTOR
 Rural consumers more
likely to pay and pay
more (perhaps they’re used
to paying more for things
when it’s harder to get them?)

8. AND SOME RED FLAGS
 At all payment levels, women are less likely to be
willing to pay then men
 Parental status (parent vs. non-parent) had
inconsistent bearing on the response

9. CONCLUSIONS
 U.S. consumers are not yet ready for a
micropayment-for-content economy
 Content, even valuable content, has become
commoditized
 Unless and until consumers become more willing
to pay for content (or are forced to because they
cannot find content they value offered for free in
any place), content producers and publishers
should not expect micropayments to save their
businesses

10. HOLLIS THOMASES, DIGITAL ADVOCATE
In 1998, multi-time award-winning
entrepreneur Hollis Thomases founded
Maryland-based Web Ad.vantage, providing
strategic digital marketing and advertising
solutions. In 2013, Hollis became a sole
practitioner focused on marketing advocacy –
ensuring clients were educated and aware of
the pitfalls and missed opportunities that the
digital marketplace can provide.
In January 2010, Hollis authored the book,
“Twitter Marketing: An Hour a Day,” by John
Wiley & Sons, and has been a columnist with
Inc.com, Social Media Marketing Magazine,
and ClickZ. Hollis also frequently speaks at
industry conferences and association events.
Hollis Thomases graduated from Cornell
University with a BA in Social Relations. You
can find her in the Twittersphere
@hollisthomases, on LinkedIn, by email or
by old-fashioned phone: +011-484-679-6364. 10