No, Vimeo, No. This Is Not How You Ask Customers to Upgrade.

Recently I came across this banner for the video streaming site Vimeo. It's reasonably well designed, the text is given enough weightage and there's no gaffe in the grammar.

What concerns me is the messaging. Asking a customer to switch from a free version to a paid version is tricky. It's something advertisers and marketers are still getting a handle on. All this while, they were used to having customers paying upfront for their services. Apps and subscription-based services have changed the game. Now customers try a product before paying. And that's fair. More so ever, it's now the order of the day.

Now if you have ever tried streaming a video on Vimeo, you know it's no YouTube. 4 out of 3 times you won't be able to stream a video. Yet Vimeo comes with its own perks. Password protection, full HD streaming. It's a favourite among creatives, indie film producers and others. But that doesn't mean you are going to dissuade them from using Google Drive or YouTube. They will only pay you when you explain to them what they will gain. We advertisers are here to sell the sizzle not the steak. Remember, it's benefits people like you and me pay for, not for the guarantee that 'There won't be problems'. Oh, and being upfront about the fact that your free subscription is fraught with problems is not cocksure. It's marketing suicide.