How Future Science Group used CONNECT Identity Provider as an SSO solution across their two sites and tripled user registrations
Background
Future Science Group is an independent publisher of medical, biotechnological and scientific research. In addition to their digital hubs, FSG has two Atypon Experience Platform websites, Future Science and Future Medicine. In December 2020 CONNECT Identity Provider was successfully rolled out to both sites.
Challenge
In 2020, FSG was looking for an easy and cost-effective Single Sign-On solution between their two sites, Future Science and Future Medicine – with the aim to allow seamless access for their readers to resources across the two sites. Thus, eliminating the need for users to register and sign in separately on each site.
Solution
CONNECT Identity Provider ticked all the boxes for the SSO requirements. The ability for improved access to institution subscribed content, with readers connecting affiliations to their account was a bonus. As was the added benefit of also being able to take advantage of participation in an interconnected ecosystem, with users from other Atypon Experience Platform sites with CONNECT Identity Provider being able to register on the FSG sites with one click.
Transitioning to CONNECT Identity Provider
‘Overall, the transition to CONNECT Identity Provider was very smooth,’ says Phil Garner, CEO of Future Science Group. ‘There wasn’t that much for us to do, and we didn’t encounter any technical issues on rollout.’
As CONNECT Identity Provider involves a new interface and user journey, FSG created a static page of instructions on both of their sites a month ahead of the migration. This alerted their users to the upcoming changes and provided some practical guidance.
FSG also emailed their institutional administrators directly, to reassure them that all was in hand. In the meantime, they tested the SSO across their staging sites, using all the supported logins (Apple, Google, Microsoft, OrcID and Twitter).
In December 2020, in coordination with FSG, Atypon successfully rolled out CONNECT Identity Provider to both Future Science and Future Medicine.
Following the launch
The benefits of CONNECT Identity Provider were immediately visible following the launch.
In January 2021, the first full month after launch, the number of new user registrations on Future Science doubled those of the same month in the previous year.
On Future Medicine, the number had tripled.
‘This has happened with no additional email or marketing promotion,’ confirms Peter Lynch, IT Specialist at Future Science Group.
The following year also saw nearly double the number of sessions with authenticated person users, and the trend has not slowed — well into 2022, the numbers continue to climb.
‘There wasn’t a significant increase in support calls either. Definitely less than we had expected.’
‘No news is good news,’ agrees Peter Olima, Head of IT and Operations. ‘If end users aren’t contacting us about CONNECT Identity Provider, that means they’re happy with the change.’
Results
Overall, FSG’s move to CONNECT Identity Provider has been a success. Registration numbers and authenticated users on the site continue to grow.
The passive benefit of new users is not lost. Thanks to CONNECT Identity Provider, FSG now has a lot more user details available in Atypon Experience Platform, who can be contacted directly with sales and marketing information. ‘As long as they’ve checked the marketing consent box, of course,’ adds Peter Olima.
The ability for end users to link their personal CONNECT Identity Provider profiles to their institution has made managing institutional access even easier for readers.
Has CONNECT Identity Provider helped Future Science Group to achieve their objectives? ‘Yes, definitely!’ says Phil Garner. The intended SSO solution has been achieved, and FSG now has more registered users. And on top of that, CONNECT Identity Provider users visiting from other publisher sites can register on Future Science and Future Medicine with a click. ‘There’s a whole world,’ he adds, ‘a whole community with CONNECT Identity Provider access who can easily sign up to our sites!’
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