Remember the dotcom bubble and how everyone wanted to be part of the web 2.0 revolution? Well, WordPress membership sites are the next big thing when it comes to creating a profitable online presence.
The Creator Economy has more than doubled its value in less than three years, from 2019 to 2022. Valued at $104.2 million in June 2022, this market is predicted that continue to grow at an even faster pace.
If you have a WordPress membership site (or plan to get one soon), you have the opportunity to tap into a huge potential customer base. But, like any business venture, there are certain things you should – and shouldn’t – do to make sure your membership site successful.
Want to know about each of these things?
Read on and find out more.
Contents
WordPress Membership Site DO’s
Here are some essential tips to keep in mind if you want to create a WordPress membership site that attracts (and retains) members:
Get a Membership Plugin
Plugins (like Ultimate Membership Pro, for example) are the easiest way to create a great member experience, so make sure you get one that is suitable for your needs and will help enhance your content strategy. These WordPress membership site plugins are easy to install and they will provide you with a range of features, such as:
- Payment gateway integration
- Content restrictions
- Subscription management
- Relevant user roles
Plus, WordPress membership site plugins are also very affordable — so you can virtually start your business with very low investment.
Make Sure Your Site Is Mobile-Friendly
Be mindful of the fact that a lot of your members might want to access your content from mobile devices — so your WordPress membership site must be optimized for mobile. Make sure your site looks great and works seamlessly on all kinds of displays – desktop, laptop, tablet and phone.
Create Valuable Content
There’s no way around this: if you want people to pay to be part of your community, you need to provide them with good content. Think about creating content that will truly add value to your members — things they cannot find when they run a quick Google Search, but teach them something new, entertain them, and help them network with each other.
Measure Engagement Metrics
You can’t know how well you’re doing if you don’t measure your engagement metrics. Make sure you are tracking key indicators such as page views, time spent on a page, click-through rate and more to understand which content is the most popular and engaging. This will help you figure out how to make your WordPress membership site even better.
Offer Incentives
Incentives are a great way to get more members and encourage existing ones to stay involved in your WordPress membership site. Some ideas include:
- Discounts
- Free videos or ebooks
- Early access to content
- Reward points
- Access to elite networking groups
Make It Easy for Members to Buy from You
Adding payment processors for easy checkout is a must for any WordPress membership site. Stripe and PayPal are the most popular payment processors – but you can also check out other services such as Amazon Payments, Apple Pay, Google Checkout and more to make sure your members have zero hassle when buying from you.
Use Email Marketing
Keep up with your audience by sending them regular newsletters and announcements. You can also use “drip campaigns” to send personalized messages for milestones, special offers or upcoming events.
WordPress Membership Site DON’Ts
Alright, now that you know what you should do, let’s take a look at what you shouldn’t do when building (and running) a WordPress membership site:
Bad, Low(No)-Value Content
Low-quality content, such as stock images and generic articles, won’t convince anyone to become a paying member of your site. Always over-deliver in terms of quality content — it’s the only legit way to ensure people stick around longer.
No Focus on Customer Experience
You must build a seamless experience for your members, from discovery to checkout. Make sure all the elements of the WordPress membership site are easy to navigate and understand.
For example, you should always ensure clear membership level descriptions, comprehensive FAQs, and an easy checkout processes. Moreover, you should make sure to implement an easy cancellation process as well.
Spamming Your Members
Nobody wants to pay for a thousand mails and messages a week.
If you want to keep your members engaged, you should make sure you keep your communications targeted and relevant.
Only Prioritizing New Members
Once someone is subscribed, that doesn’t mean you should forget about them. You need to keep existing members motivated and engaged — reward them for their loyalty and make sure they have the best experience possible when using your site.
Too Many Changes, Too Often
Don’t make too many changes at once, as this could overwhelm your members. Instead, keep the updates gradual and meaningful to make sure people are still having a positive experience when using your WordPress membership site.
Ignoring Automations
Automations are your friends — they make your life easier by removing all the manual grunt work and giving you more time to focus on other important aspects of running a WordPress membership site.
Not Providing Any Customer Support
Customer support is absolutely crucial in any membership site. People will inevitably have questions, and you need to be there for them with quick and helpful answers.
Make sure you provide a good customer support system for your members, whether it’s an email address, live chat or phone number. This will make sure they feel valued as customers and that their problems are being addressed in a timely way. Consequently, you will build trust, retain them longer, and they’ll be more likely to recommend your community or course to their peers.
Conclusion
Despite popular belief, learning how to build a membership site on WordPress is the easiest part of running a community.
Challenges occur in making sure you create a seamless experience for each person who chooses to join your site. From the moment they learn about you to the moment they check out, make sure you cover all the bases and provide an outstanding experience.
You May Also Like
Digital Membership Cards: To Do or Not to Do? And How?
Top 5 WordPress Community Plugins for Membership Sites
Community Membership Sites Are Thriving. Here’s How to Build Yours