VRM vs. CRM: Which is Right for Publishers?

Rashmita Behera Rashmita Behera | November 19, 2024 | VRM articles

Modern publishers are no longer just ad-driven. Many now view their content as a product, generating revenue through subscriptions, donations, and one-time purchases – along with ads.

To support this shift, publishers are building teams and adopting tools to enhance their approach. A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system is often used when content is treated like a product, but is CRM the best option, or should publishers consider Visitor Relationship Management (VRM) instead

In this article, we’ll explore the differences between VRM and CRM for publishers.

 

What is CRM (Customer Relationship Management)?

CRM systems help businesses manage customer interactions, track leads, and streamline sales processes. They store customer data, manage marketing efforts, and improve customer service.

Remember, CRM is only effective once a visitor becomes a customer – not before.

How CRMs Help Publishers:

For publishers, CRMs offer tools to manage subscriber relationships and marketing campaigns. For instance, a CRM can track interactions, manage email campaigns, and analyze customer data for personalized content – ideal for those with newsletters or paid subscriptions.

However, for digital publishers that rely heavily on ad revenue and high traffic, CRMs have significant limitations.

What is VRM (Visitor Relationship Management)?

VRM is a newer concept designed for digital publishers and businesses that handle large volumes of anonymous web traffic. It focuses on visitor engagement, privacy, consent, and ad performance management.

How VRMs Help Publishers:

VRM tools allow publishers to manage visitor consent for data collection, personalize content, and track ad performance, all while prioritizing privacy. Unlike CRM, VRM applies to all website visitors—not just paying customers, but also casual and anonymous users.

A Spotlight on Admiral’s VRM

Let’s shift the focus to Admiral’s Visitor Relationship Management, which revolves around the “journey system.” This sophisticated tool enables publishers to create intelligent, personalized visitor journeys. It optimizes interactions in real-time based on visitor behavior, ensuring that each engagement is meaningful and aligned with the visitor’s context.

 

Why CRM is Not the Right Choice for Publishers

While CRMs are great for sales and marketing, they fall short in meeting the unique needs of publishers. This is where VRM systems provide a better alternative.

No Ad Performance Visibility

CRMs manage customer data well but don’t integrate smoothly with a publisher's ad business. Since publishers rely heavily on ad revenue, the lack of tools to measure and optimize ad performance limits the effectiveness of CRMs in fully leveraging audience data.

No Cookie-less Future Adaptability

As third-party cookies become obsolete, managing traffic without them is crucial for publishers. CRMs aren’t built for this shift and either struggle to collect meaningful data or require costly workarounds, making them unsuitable for modern adtech needs.

 

How VRM Solves These Challenges for Publishers:

Direct Communication with Visitors

VRM platforms facilitate direct communication between publishers and all visitors, not just paying customers. This allows publishers to gather data, manage consent, and personalize the user experience – through tailored content, emails, or ads – focusing on boosting visitor loyalty

Subscriptions and Ad Performance Management in One Dashboard

With VRM, publishers can manage both subscription models and ad performance from a single platform. This holistic approach simplifies revenue optimization, enhances user experience, and enables targeted advertising campaigns – all within one system.

Privacy and User Consent at the Core

Unlike traditional CRMs, VRM systems prioritize privacy. They help publishers comply with regulations like GDPR and CCPA by obtaining user consent upfront, managing privacy settings, and ensuring transparent data handling. This builds trust and prepares publishers for a future without third-party cookies.

Handles Large Website Traffic Efficiently

VRM systems are designed to scale and manage high volumes of website traffic without significantly increasing costs. Publishers with millions of visitors can utilize VRM platforms to handle consent, data, and ad performance effectively, avoiding the high costs associated with CRMs that are not optimized for large-scale operations.

 

Why VRM is a Better Choice for Publishers than CRM

For digital publishers, VRM offers a solution tailored to their unique needs, while CRM systems are primarily designed for businesses focused on sales pipelines and customer retention. VRM enables publishers to:

  • Manage both visitors and ads in one integrated system.
  • Stay compliant with privacy regulations and adapt to a cookie-less web.
  • Scale operations efficiently to handle high volumes of traffic at a lower cost.

In contrast, CRMs lack integration with the advertising side of the business, struggle to adapt to privacy changes, and often incur high costs for publishers managing large visitor numbers.

For these reasons, VRM is the superior choice for publishers looking to future-proof their operations and foster meaningful relationships with their audience.

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