Racing Ahead: Unifying digital platforms and growing subscriptions
The Race Media
The Race started in February 2020 as a digital-only motorsport channel. With the aim is to create the best motorsport coverage that appeals to die-hard fans as well as those who are new to the sport.
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The partnership
We built the website, integrated multiple subscription and registration flows and moved on to The Race mobile app to deliver a consistent user journey across web & mobile. But most importantly we have become an extension of their team, acting as an integrated partner to deliver a platform that actually grows their subscriptions across web, mobile, and content channels without any compromise.
The challenges
Website and technology frustration
he Race operated multiple websites across different platforms, resulting in inconsistency, which caused site crashes during peak event traffic, such as during the F1 races, this made it difficult to manage and scale their digital presence.
Technical strategy
Without a internal tech team, their digital assets were built and maintained in an ad hoc fashion, limiting their ability to scale and grow. The Race built a strong digital presence, but they felt the need to grab experts to help grow the platform further.
Disconnected payment and subscription systems
Managing users and subscriptions was challenging for The Race because payment platforms like Ghost Paywall and Patreon weren’t integrated. This lack of connection made it difficult to unify user identities and provide subscribers with a consistent experience. Bringing these systems together was essential for growing subscriptions and delivering a consistent journey for members.
Improve user experience
The Race’s members/subscribers faced varied and disconnected experiences across web and mobile, and they struggled to interact with the content in the same way on any device.
Business growth opportunities
The team knew there were opportunities to grow the business, they just needed their tech stack to align with business goals.
The results
Growth & impact
- Audience expansion
- Increased revenue
- Unified tech stack
- Multi-platform subscription platform
- Team talent and expertise
The Race's subscription business has grown, attracting more paying members and supporting audience expansion, while a shift towards premium, targeted advertising and a reduction in disruptive ad formats has improved the content experience. Their app has been upgraded so that it is scalable and ensures a consistent, high-quality experience for users. Throughout, we have acted as a close extension of The Race, providing full integration and support rather than simply being a 'build' partner.
Product Development
- Fabulous mobile app
- Improved user experience for subscribers
- Digital subscription growth
- Combined user identity experiences
The team at The Race felt their existing app wasn't delivering the outcomes they wanted, so we reinvented the mobile app. They wanted something that could provide a consistent user experience across web and app while helping to deliver more personalised, targeted premium content — which is exactly what we did. The platform allows users to subscribe and access premium content across multiple channels, and we helped them grow subscriptions and revenue across their digital products, which are now all connected, giving The Race a unified identity and users a consistent experience.
Tech deliverables
- Fabulous Ghost CMS behind the website
- Subscription & payment system integration and benefit sharing
- Magical mobile app!
We migrated the primary site to Ghost CMS, focusing on performance, scalability, and an enhanced end-user experience. Alongside this, we integrated multiple payment systems - Patreon, paywall, and newsletter subscriptions - and transitioned to an ecosystem built around a single user identity spanning web, Patreon, and mobile.
Services of the project
- Website migration
- Integrated payment systems
- Mobile app development
- Integration of marketing tools
- Unified identity system
- Unified tech stack