The word freemium is a combination of the words “free” and “premium” and is often used as a marketing strategy by early-stage startups and mature technology companies. Typically, the company offers a feature or seat limited version of a product at no cost to the user while access to advanced features, additional seats and services can be unlocked only by upgrading to the premium and full versions of the product. The objective is to “hook” the user to the free version of the product with the eventual goal of turning them into a paying subscriber.
The model is particularly suited to software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies, web and mobile apps as the cost of distribution can be insignificant as long as the free version of a product does not cannibalize the company’s premium products. The freemium business model is used as a marketing tactic by technology companies to grow the user base, create brand awareness, disrupt the competition, and enter price-sensitive markets.
A freemium offering has several advantages. In the first place, customers can try your product to some extent before they actually decide to buy it. In addition, you can uncover insights such as the product features that your users are mostly excited about. Furthermore, you can identify the market segments and the audiences which are mostly interested in your product. The freemium business model can help a company to scale up, gain traction and grow the user base without relying on a sales team or investing on marketing campaigns that require a substantial advertising investment.
The model is particularly suited to software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies, web and mobile apps as the cost of distribution can be insignificant as long as the free version of a product does not cannibalize the company’s premium products. The freemium business model is used as a marketing tactic by technology companies to grow the user base, create brand awareness, disrupt the competition, and enter price-sensitive markets.
A freemium offering has several advantages. In the first place, customers can try your product to some extent before they actually decide to buy it. In addition, you can uncover insights such as the product features that your users are mostly excited about. Furthermore, you can identify the market segments and the audiences which are mostly interested in your product. The freemium business model can help a company to scale up, gain traction and grow the user base without relying on a sales team or investing on marketing campaigns that require a substantial advertising investment.
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