SANTA

"Magazine publishing house "ŽURNĀLS SANTA" has been part of Latvia’s daily life for more than three decades, the kind of publisher people grow up with, return to, and trust. Their magazines have shaped conversations, inspired readers, and created a feeling of familiarity that only longstanding brands can achieve.
As digital reading habits evolved, "Magazine publishing house "ŽURNĀLS SANTA" invested early in its own online subscription platform. It worked well, supported steady growth, and enabled a smooth shift toward digital content. But with time, expectations changed and the system needed to evolve with them.
That’s where ZenIS joined the journey: not to rebuild from zero, but to elevate a platform with strong foundations and prepare it for long-term digital growth.

The Challenge

By 2020, "Magazine publishing house "ŽURNĀLS SANTA" subscription system had simply grown out of its original purpose. It had served the brand well for many years, but the digital needs of readers and the ambition of the publisher had evolved far beyond what the existing solution was built to support. As user expectations shifted toward speed and flexibility across all devices, new challenges emerged:

• Increasing demand for faster performance and smoother checkouts

• A need for a more intuitive, consistent subscription flow

• Growing importance of personalised offers, gifting options, and campaign agility

• The desire to streamline experiences for both long-time readers and first-time subscribers

The system wasn’t “broken”, it was simply ready for its next chapter. "Magazine publishing house "ŽURNĀLS SANTA" recognised the perfect moment for reinvention: to transition from a traditional setup to a modern, scalable platform capable of supporting new ideas, new audiences, and a digital-first future.

The Solution

"Magazine publishing house "ŽURNĀLS SANTA" partnered with Zen IS to strengthen, optimize, and extend the existing system while preserving previous investments. The objective was clear: improve today’s performance while opening the door to tomorrow’s features. Our approach focused on 4 key areas:

1. Technical Modernisation
   •Full security and performance audits
   •Core system and framework updates
   •Database optimisation to improve read/write efficiency
   •Stability enhancements across browsers and devices

2. User Experience & Conversion Improvements
   •Redesigned subscription and checkout flow
   •Simplified pricing logic and clearer user guidance
   •Reduced friction in subscription management and renewals

3. New Features & Monetisation Tools
   •Gift card system
   •Campaign tools including interactive promotions (e.g., Spin the Wheel)
   •Enhanced email automation and abandoned-cart workflows

4. Operational Efficiency & Monitoring
   •Automated order confirmations and communication flows
   •Continuous system monitoring and analytics
   •Reduced manual workload for support and admin teams

Every improvement followed a single principle: remove friction, increase trust, and enable growth.

Technologies Used

The renewed architecture was built to deliver both speed and scalability:

Drupal | Laravel | Symfony PHP | React | SQL | REST API | GitLab CI/CD | Linux

This modular stack allows for seamless integration of future business models, partner ecosystems, and analytics tools without disruption.

The Results

As the platform evolved, the change became noticeable not only in performance, but in how naturally readers could move through their subscription journey.

• +40 % faster platform performance across all devices and browsers

• 30 % fewer checkout drop-offs after payment flow optimization

• Growth in renewals following improved usability and stability

• Lower operational workload through automation and monitoring

• Zero downtime during high-traffic seasonal campaigns

Today, "Magazine publishing house "ŽURNĀLS SANTA" operates on a system built for both stability and imagination, one that supports the brand’s print legacy while opening space for new digital opportunities. The subscription ecosystem continues to develop in ways that deepen loyalty and welcome new audiences.

As a publisher with deep roots in Latvia’s media landscape, we knew that our subscription platform had served us well but was no longer fully aligned with the expectations of a modern digital audience. Partnering with ZenIS was a strategic decision to strengthen what we had already built, not to discard it. Their team approached our platform with curiosity, respect, and a genuine desire to understand how our business works - and that made all the difference. They combined technical expertise with a collaborative spirit that made the entire process smooth and transparent. The result is a stable, scalable system that significantly improves performance, reduces operational workload, and opens the door to new digital opportunities — a platform that honours our print legacy while giving us the technological confidence to grow in a digital-first future.

Konstantins Kuzikovs, CEO of Ltd ŽURNĀLS SANTA