All Membership Tools content

Tools We’re Using For Our Own Membership Website (2023 Update)

We regularly get asked for our recommendations on the top tools for membership website owners.

The truth is that there’s no such thing as the “perfect” membership site setup that will work for everyone – it all depends on what it is you want to achieve with your membership site, what features and functionality you need it to have, which email and payment software you’re using and a whole bunch of other details that determine which membership tools are the best fit for you.

In this episode, we talk about the tools we use for our own membership website – Membership Academy – as well as the reasons why we chose those particular options.

How Much Does it Cost to Start and Run a Membership Website?

A membership website consists of several moving parts; and in addition to increasing the technical considerations of getting everything working, this also means that the costs of starting and running a membership can really add up.

While a well-run membership will quickly recoup those startup expenses and cover the ongoing operating costs; it helps to know what you need to budget for.

In this article, we’re going to cover the one-off and recurring costs involved in starting and running a membership website.

MemberPress Review – Updated for 2023

MemberPress has consistently been one of our favourite membership plugins due to its strong feature set and ease of use. In this review we’ll take a look at both the good and bad aspects of the plugin, including it’s features, cost, member management and user friendliness.

Top Tips for Researching a Membership Plugin or Platform

Are you currently wondering what membership plugin or platform you should use for your site? 

Finding the right software solution to fit in with your vision for your site can be a challenge…

Not only are there are a lot of options on the market when it comes to tech…

But there are also many conflicting recommendations on what you should choose that it can fast become an overwhelming decision to make. 

And while we all want to find the perfect plugin for our site (if there is such a thing), it can be easy to get derailed and make some bad decisions.

Well we’re here to make sure you don’t do that!   

Here are some top tips to keep in mind when researching a membership plugin or platform… 

How to Build a Membership Website in Under a Day

Trying to build a membership website is a sizable undertaking for anyone…

But building one in under a day, that sounds unrealistic, right?

After all, you’ve got to wrestle with technology, create content and focus on building your audience – quite often ahead of your launch – all while generating a buzz to ensure you get that initial influx of members when you open the doors to your membership… 

There are a lot of plates to spin…

Surely it’s not possible to do all of that in under a day?

Well, if you’re able to bring some of those elements to the table from day one…

So if you already have an established audience who are eager to buy from you…

Or a wealth of content curated from past projects, maybe via courses you’ve previously released or workshops you’ve delivered…

Then it’s entirely possible to build a membership website a lot quicker than you may think.

Realistically, if we’re just talking about the website itself, you can have it up and running and ready to take paying members in less than 24 hours.

Sounds awesome doesn’t it?

But this isn’t something we’d recommend for everyone…

The Perils of Building Your Membership on Rented Land

Back in October 2021, all Facebook properties went down for five hours…

That meant no Facebook, no Messenger, Instagram, Workplace or WhatsApp… 

And the whole internet erupted into a panic.

While for most it was a minor inconvenience…

For those businesses relying on Facebook groups, social media marketing, or website access through Facebook logins, it was a stressful time.

Some membership owners had no access to their communities…

Members weren’t able to login into their subscription sites using their social accounts…

Scheduled live training sessions were cancelled…

It was a little bit chaotic to say the least! 

The outage itself may have only lasted a matter of hours…

But what it did for me was serve as a reminder of the risks of relying on a third-party platform for building any element of your business.

Or in other words, building your membership on rented land…

5 Toughest Membership Tech Decisions you Need to Make When Starting Out

Ready to start building your membership website?

That’s great news! 

Now there are some tough membership tech decisions you need to make.

With so many different systems, plugins and tools out there to choose from…

And a lot of questions for you to mull over… 

Wordpress or hosted platform? 

What should your domain name be? 

Should you build your website yourself or hire a developer? 

It can all get a bit overwhelming…

Which is not surprising when there are so many moving parts to manage!

This is why it’s important to do your due diligence to make sure you build a site that’s right for you and your prospective members… 

And we’re here to help you do just that…

So if you’re ready to build your membership website…

Or are currently fleshing out your idea for your membership…

Then this blog is a must read for you.  

Here are some tips on how to tackle five of the toughest tech decisions you need to make when starting out…

Should I Host My Membership on a Separate Domain Name?

Choosing whether or not to host your membership site on a separate domain sounds like a straightforward decision.

But the reality is, it’s not that simple…

Deciding where your membership site will live has implications on every aspect of your business, from tech and member experience to branding.

So it’s no wonder that people struggle with this…

And why it comes up time and time again inside our Facebook group and Membership Academy community…

It’s a big decision!

So where should your membership site live?

Keeping Your WordPress Membership Site Secure

Does your WordPress membership site have sufficient security measures in place?

Many membership site owners live in fear of their website being attacked, and for good reason …

If someone manages to hack into your Wordpress website, install something nasty or delete or steal your data, it could cripple your membership business.

That’s why it’s so important to be extra vigilant and make sure you take adequate steps to keep your site secure…

How to Change Membership Platform After You’ve Launched

Have you launched your membership and then found yourself regretting your choice of technology that runs your website?

Or maybe you haven’t yet launched but you live in fear of that turning out to be your reality.

If you’ve gone through the process of researching membership platforms and plugins, you’ll know how stressful it can be.

Once your membership is already up and running, it can be tricky to switch out to a completely different tech solution.

It’s little wonder that people have a lot of anxiety about deciding on which platform or plugin is right for them.

However if you have found yourself in a position where changing your membership platform is a must – here is everything you need to know to make things go smoothly…