Velike priče was a special project for us, because there was no existing website to redesign or upgrade.
It all started as a pilot idea for a digital platform that brings together leading authors from Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia and Montenegro and publishes high-quality premium content.
We developed the platform together with the client from the very beginning, starting with the initial MVP and a basic publishing system. The system then grew along with the audience, the business model and the needs of the editorial team.
Today, Velike priče has tens of thousands of registered users, thousands of articles, a subscription system and access to content via the web and a mobile app.
The initial goal was to build a new digital media platform for publishing premium content.
From day one, it was important that the system would not be limited to a classic news portal and that it could grow along with the project.
As the platform developed, new goals followed: building a base of registered users, introducing premium content, monetizing through subscriptions and developing different subscription models.
Next came connecting the web platform with mobile apps, work on stronger reader engagement and the development of additional digital products and features. Each of these steps relied on the technical foundation set in the first version.
There was no ready-made model that simply needed to be implemented.
The platform had to be architected so that a pilot project could later grow into a serious digital product, without having to rebuild the entire system from scratch.
During development, the project scope, the number of users, the way content was consumed and the business model all changed. That is why the system had to evolve continuously, with constant attention to scalability, performance, a large volume of content and a growing number of users.
Equally important were access control for premium content, a stable subscription system, integrations with other services and compatibility between the web and mobile platforms.
In short, the technology had to grow as fast as the project itself.
1. Subscriptions and membership
The subscription and membership system is one of the central parts of the platform. Users can choose between monthly, annual and multi-year subscriptions.
There are also promotional and gift subscriptions, coupon campaigns and special access models for specific user groups.
After subscribing, users get access to premium content and the complete archive, with automatic renewal and account management.
2. Paywall and premium content
The editorial team decides which content is available to all users and which is reserved for active subscribers.
Access to articles is determined automatically based on the status of the user and their subscription.
3. Web and mobile app
The same user account and subscription status apply on the web and in the mobile app, including access to premium articles.
This required developing services and API communication between different parts of the system.
4. Online payments
The platform has a complete subscription billing system, with multiple payment methods and recurring payments.
We paid special attention to the checkout process, coupons, promotions, subscription renewals and communication with users throughout the entire subscription lifecycle.
5. Scalability and performance
Today, the system simultaneously supports a large number of articles and authors, a large archive, tens of thousands of registered users and a high number of concurrent visits.
On top of that, it checks user permissions and subscriptions, displays personalized content and communicates with the mobile apps. That is why the architecture is continuously adapted to the platform’s growth.
The best indicator of this project’s success is the path it has taken.
Velike priče started as a pilot built from scratch and has grown over time into a serious regional premium media platform.
For us, this was long-term digital product development: from the first version and a basic CMS, through registration and premium content, to subscriptions, apps, API services and a system that now serves tens of thousands of users.
The technology evolved together with the business model, the audience and the project’s ambitions.
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