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It seems the most elegant of solutions: a web site is created, providing all of the necessary headlines. It demands no cost; it requires no fees. All articles are instead offered to readers — able to be browsed with ease.

To counter this convenience, a traditional newspaper boasts a higher price. The intention is to earn public favor with social media, encouraging them to then pay for print. The formula seems without flaw.

Instead, however, it offers no rewards beyond increased online traffic and plummeting sales.

Too often do newspapers — trying to stay relevant — seek to increase their prices after offering free sites. It’s assumed that loyal demographics will be willing to buy articles, trying to compensate for the content they read without charge (a form of marketing guilt).

This doesn’t work, however. Instead readers become frustrated with rising costs, choose instead to obtain all information online — and newspapers find themselves struggling once again to survive.

It’s necessary therefore that all papers learn to balance these notions: traditional print and social media. Web sites are essential for the modern reader; but they should not offer free content. Providing snippets of articles (and then requiring users to pay for the remaining text) is instead recommended. This will — at least — generate virtual sales. And, by allowing print prices to remain steady, readerships can increase: simply because users may think buying papers is less expensive than choosing individual articles.

Trying to manipulate readers into purchasing facts for higher costs is unwise. Newspapers must instead rely on less dramatic tactics.