membership site wordpress Archives - WordPress Membership Plugin - Membership Sites https://wishlistmember.com Quickly Protect Your Content With WishList Member Thu, 02 Nov 2023 11:36:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.2 https://wishlistmember.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/cropped-WishList-Member-logomark-32x32.png membership site wordpress Archives - WordPress Membership Plugin - Membership Sites https://wishlistmember.com 32 32 How To Boost WordPress Website Speed: Tips and Tools for Lightning Load Times https://wishlistmember.com/how-to-boost-wordpress-website-speed/ https://wishlistmember.com/how-to-boost-wordpress-website-speed/#comments Thu, 02 Nov 2023 14:00:00 +0000 https://wishlistmember.com/?p=21684 Pedal to the floor! Get the best tools, tips, and best practices to boost your WordPress website speed in a flash. Level up user experience, improve conversion rates, and add gas to your website’s search engine rankings. 

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Pedal to the floor! Get the best tools, tips, and best practices to boost your WordPress website speed in a flash. Level up user experience, improve conversion rates, and add gas to your website’s search engine rankings. 

It's no secret that speed is a major demand for online consumers. In the age of TikTok and Amazon Prime, a fast website is non-negotiable. 

For better or worse, the simple fact is our patience died with dialup and Limewire. Now if your site takes more than a couple of seconds to load, you’re in trouble. 

No one likes waiting around. Not your visitors, not search engines, and definitely not you. 

So, we’ve loaded this blog with tips and tools on how to boost your WordPress website's speed.  

We'll walk you through why WishList Member is your go-to for a speed-optimized site and pair it with some killer tools to send your site supersonic! 

Let’s go go go!

Kid dressed as Evel Knievel speeding off on his scooter

Why Site Speed is Important

Hey, welcome to the fast lane! Let's cut the chase – speed is a make-or-break factor for your website for two main reasons:

1. Fast Loading is Critical For User Engagement

You know that frustration that sets in when you click on a site and – ugh – it's taking its sweet time? You're not alone. 

53% of mobile users will abandon a site if it takes longer than 3 seconds to load. That's over half your audience saying “thanks, but no thanks.”

Still not convinced? How about this: a one-second delay in page load time can lead to a 7% loss in conversions. Ouch! Long story short: if your website is dragging its feet, you're watching money walk out the door.

2. Speed's Impact on SEO

But it's not just your human visitors you need to worry about – search engines are picky too. Google has been using site speed as a ranking factor since 2010. If you’re late to the party, you’ll be at the end of a long line of search results. 

Think about it: faster sites create happy users, and Google is all about user experience. So, if you're wondering why your site is stuck on page 10 of search results, maybe it's time to look under the hood and get things running smoothly.

Speedometer

How to Measure Your WordPress Website's Speed: Know Where You Stand

Before you get to work on amping up your website's speed, you've got to know where you're starting from. It's like timing your first 5k run – you need a baseline to measure your progress.

Remember, 3 seconds is the tipping point when mobile users will abandon your site. But Google sets the number a little lower, at 2.5 seconds. 

Whatever your current speed, there’s always room for improvement. For every 100 milliseconds cut off a site’s loading time, bounce rates drop and conversion rates rise. 

So where does your site currently stand?

Here are a couple of free, go-to tools to help you figure out if your site is a hare or a tortoise:

Google PageSpeed Insights

Straight from the horse's mouth. Google's tool gives you a detailed analysis of your site's speed on both desktop and mobile. It even offers suggestions for improvement.

Google PageSpeed Insights Screenshot

GTmetrix

 This is another excellent tool that goes beyond just loading time. It gives you a complete performance report and tips on things like optimizing images and leveraging browser caching.

GTmetrix screenshot

Run these tests to get an idea of what's slowing you down. Armed with this knowledge, you can target your speed-boosting efforts where they'll have the most impact.

Basic Tips for Speeding Up WordPress – No Rocket Science Required

Before we dig deeper into how WishList Member can rev up your website, let's cover some foundational speed-boosting hacks. Consider these the low-hanging fruit – easy to implement but with an undeniable impact on your website's speed.

1. Image Optimization

Let's start simple: those pretty pictures? They're heavy. 

Use tools like ShortPixel or Smush to compress and optimize your images without sacrificing quality. 

You could cut your image size in half, making them load faster and keeping your visitors happy.

ShortPixel image optimization homepage screenshot

2. Caching

Browser caching stores static files locally, so returning visitors don’t have to reload the entire page. Plugins like WP Super Cache can automate this for you. 

WP Super Cache WordPress Download

3. Minification

Ever look at a website's code? It’s like a foreign language with extra spaces and characters. Minification strips out all the unnecessary stuff, making your site lighter and faster. 

There are several great free plugins can do this for you, so no excuses! Autoptimize is a popular option.

Autoptimize WordPress

4. Reduce Server Requests – Choose a Sleek Theme

The more elements on a page – like scripts, images, and CSS files – the more server requests are needed to load it. 

One immediate action you can take? Choose a sleek and streamlined theme for your website. 

Many themes come packed with widgets, sliders, and flashy elements that are server request hogs. 

Opt for a theme that gives you just what you need, and nothing more. This will not only improve your site speed but also make for a cleaner, more user-friendly design. After all, when speed is the goal, less really is more.

5. Leverage Content Delivery Networks (CDNs)

Want to go global? Use a CDN like Cloudflare to distribute your content around the world. This way, a user in Australia isn’t waiting for your server in the U.S. to wake up.

CloudFlare CDN

6. Opt for Optimized Hosting

Think of hosting as the home of your website. Would you rather live in a sluggish, crowded apartment or a zippy, well-maintained mansion? Services like WP Engine offer specialized hosting that’s tailored for WordPress speed.

And there you have it! These are some straightforward steps you can take today to see an immediate improvement in your WordPress site's speed. 

Why WishList Member is a Speed-Savvy Choice for Membership Sites

So you've tuned up your website with some basic speed fixes. You’ve trimmed it of the unnecessary bloat. 

But running a membership site or an online course often means grappling with plugins that can put a drag on your site speed. 

Not so with WishList Member. 

WishList Member Homepage

For those who want to keep things zippy, WishList Member is the MVP of plugins. Let's get into it.

Regular Updates for Speed Optimization

In the dynamic world of WordPress and website performance, standing still is falling behind. That’s why WishList Member is frequently updated. 

This helps ensure that your membership site remains optimized for speed and security.

Compatibility With Speed-Optimizing Plugins

Have a favorite speed-boosting plugin or two? No problem. WishList Member gets along with your existing speed-optimizing plugins.

Whether you’re using caching solutions or image optimization tools, WishList Member aims to slide right into your existing ecosystem without throwing a wrench in the works.

Tailored Caching for Your Membership Site

WishList Member doesn't just lean on WordPress’s built-in caching; it takes it up a notch. With compatibility for persistent caching plugins like WP Super Cache, it adds another layer of speed to your site.

But while caching is great news for loading speeds, it can be a double-edged sword for membership platforms.

WishList Member has a smart solution. Caching for logged-in users can serve stale or incorrect content, disrupt personalized experiences, and even pose security risks. WishList Member has a Cookie Prefix setting which you can use to bypass caching for logged-in members.

This ensures your members get real-time, personalized content without compromising on speed or security.

Streamlining Content Creation and Membership Management

Running a membership site involves a lot of moving parts, and each additional task – whether it's content creation or member management – can potentially slow down your website. 

That’s why you need a plugin that streamlines these tasks without compromising on speed. Enter WishList Member.

WishList Member's intuitive dashboard doesn't just simplify content creation; it also minimizes the clicks and time needed for administrative tasks, contributing to a more efficient – and therefore faster – website. 

When you spend less time toggling between settings and screens, you reduce server load and increase your site’s responsiveness.

On the management side, the speed and ease of use continue to shine. Whether you're looking to add new member levels or shift existing members from one level to another, WishList Member makes it a breeze. 

The user interface is snappy, ensuring that you don't have to wait around while making these critical changes. 

Plus, the capability to perform multiple membership functions en masse means you’re not bogged down with one-by-one adjustments.

This reduces the time and server resources spent on admin tasks, indirectly contributing to a faster, more efficient website.

In Conclusion: 

So now you’re up to speed on all you need to know! From grasping the essential role of a speed-optimized site in both user engagement and SEO, to implementing basic yet impactful fixes, we've covered it all. 

And for those running membership sites or online courses, WishList Member stands out as an invaluable ally for maintaining a brisk and seamless user experience.

Speed isn't just a nice-to-have; it's a must-have. A faster website doesn't just please your visitors; it also offers you a competitive edge in search engine rankings. 

Every second counts, and now you're armed with the knowledge and tools to make each one work in your favor.

Ready to shift into high gear? Get WishList Member today and supercharge your WordPress membership site's speed and performance!

Apply these tips and tricks, invest in WishList Member, and watch your site transition from laggy to lightning-fast. Happy speeding! 

Got any tips to share with the WishList Member community? Let us know in the comments section below.

Found this blog useful? Follow us on TwitterFacebookYouTube, and LinkedIn for more tips and best practices to make the most of your membership site.


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Best WordPress Membership Plugins: Find The Right Fit For You https://wishlistmember.com/best-wordpress-membership-plugins/ https://wishlistmember.com/best-wordpress-membership-plugins/#respond Thu, 17 Aug 2023 09:00:00 +0000 https://wishlistmember.com/?p=13551 The difference between creating an engaging membership experience and getting tangled in a web of technical woes boils down to one key decision: choosing the right plugin. Let's demystify the world of WordPress membership plugins and guide you to your perfect match. Choose the right WordPress membership plugin for you, and creating a membership site […]

The post Best WordPress Membership Plugins: Find The Right Fit For You appeared first on WordPress Membership Plugin - Membership Sites.]]>
The difference between creating an engaging membership experience and getting tangled in a web of technical woes boils down to one key decision: choosing the right plugin. Let's demystify the world of WordPress membership plugins and guide you to your perfect match.

Choose the right WordPress membership plugin for you, and creating a membership site with all the functionalities you need is a breeze. That said, some membership plugins don’t seem to make things all that simple and easy on you, with steep learning curves and involved setup processes.

We’re here to change that as we share some tips to find how you can find the best WordPress membership plugin.

Below are some of the things we’ll cover in today’s article:

Deciding which direction to go in

Why It's Important To Research Your Membership Plugin

Choosing the best WordPress membership plugin for your site might seem daunting. After all, your chosen plugin will power your membership site for years to come.

Not to mention that switching from one plugin to another can lead to a bigger headache and can consume a lot of resources. So making the right choice when starting out can save you both time and effort.

In our interview with Shelly Agam from RevitPros, she explained how difficult it was for her to switch from one WordPress plugin to another. She ultimately decided to use WishList Member for its robust functionality and easy customization.

By the end of this blog, you should feel much more confident about the decision-making process. We'll cover everything you need to consider before selecting your membership plugin.

Can You Create a Membership Site on Wix?

Wix Membership Site

Before we delve into choosing the right plugin for your WordPress site, you might be wondering, can't I just use Wix to build my membership site?

This is one of the most-asked and searched questions online these days, and understandably so, as not everyone uses WordPress and some might actually prefer Wix.

The short answer is yes, you can create a membership site on Wix.

However, while Wix is a popular platform, it may not offer the same level of functionality, flexibility, and integration capabilities as WordPress.

We go more in-depth through the pros and cons of using Wix compared to using WordPress in this post.

With that in mind, let's explore how to optimize your WordPress site with the best membership plugins available.

Best WordPress Membership Plugins: Find The Right Fit For You

Here is a checklist of things to consider while researching your options.

Define What You Want Your Membership Site to Do

Find the Best Membership Plugin for Your Needs

There are many reasons why you might want to use a membership plugin on your WordPress site. Here are just a few:

  • Run Online Courses: Design, manage, and monetize e-learning platforms.

  • Create an Employee Hub: Create a centralized space for company resources, updates, and internal communications.

  • Build an Online Community: Foster a dedicated space for like-minded individuals to discuss, share, and collaborate.

  • Offer Subscription Content: Offer exclusive articles, videos, or podcasts to paying subscribers.

  • Sell Digital Products: Sell e-books, software, or other digital downloads to registered members.

  • Manage Events: Organize, promote, and manage events, workshops, or webinars.

  • Create Networking Platforms: Allow professionals to connect, share portfolios, and collaborate on projects.

  • Offer Private Forums: Offer a space for members to ask questions, share experiences, and provide support.

Of course, your website can incorporate more than one of these functionalities. For example, you might want to release exclusive content and have a forum for your users to discuss it.

You might also research similar sites that you admire to inspire you.

Have a clear understanding of what you want to be able to do with your website and it'll make the next step (deciding what features you need) a lot easier.

With the right plugin, you can get all the functionality you need to help build your ideal WordPress membership site.

Write a Checklist of Features and Functionalities

Checklist

Most membership plugins have the following features as standard

  • Membership Tiers: Offering different levels of membership, each with its own set of benefits and pricing.

  • Content Protection: Safeguarding premium content, ensuring it's accessible only to authorized members.

But depending on what you want your membership site to do, you might also want more specific or advanced features like:

  • An Easy-To-Use Course Builder: This feature allows you to design and structure your online courses with ease, incorporating multimedia elements, quizzes, and assignments without needing advanced technical knowledge.

  • Gamification Elements: These are interactive components, such as badges, points, and leaderboards, that motivate and engage users by turning learning or participation into a game-like experience.

  • Drip and Schedule Content: This functionality lets you release content to your members over time, rather than all at once. It's especially useful for online courses where you want students to progress at a certain pace.

  • CRM Integrations: With this feature, you can seamlessly connect your membership site to Customer Relationship Management tools. This helps in tracking member interactions, segmenting users for targeted communications, and automating certain tasks like email notifications.

  • Email Integrations: With email integrations, you can automatically add new members to mailing lists, segment users based on their membership levels or activity, and automate communication processes like welcome emails, reminders, and newsletters.It simplifies the task of managing member communications and ensures that you can deliver personalized content directly to their inboxes.

  • Unlimited Membership Levels: This feature allows you to create as many membership tiers as you need, catering to different user needs and price points.Whether you want to offer basic, premium, or VIP memberships, or even more nuanced levels, you have the flexibility to customize your offerings without any restrictions.

Shop Around and Compare Plugins

Shop Around and Compare Plugins

So you've got your list of desired features and functionalities, it's time to research your options!

If you're struggling to find a list of features for a plugin, head to the pricing page of their website. There you'll find a bulleted list of key features for each of their pricing plans.

When looking at this list, remember that more isn't necessarily better. Why pay a premium for a site with lots of features that you'll never touch? However, it's also important to consider your future.

If your business rapidly scales, you need to make sure you chose a plugin with unlimited memberships and the right functionalities to support your growth.

Of course, features aren't the only things to consider. Here are a few other points to keep in mind when browsing around for a WordPress membership plugin:

  • Ease of Use: Can you easily get done what you need to do?

  • Integrations With Your Other Tools and Software: We've mentioned integrations as a feature, but does the memership plugin integrate with tools you already use? That's the cherry on the top!

  • Pricing That Fits Your Budget: Do you get value for the price you are paying?

  • Great User Experience on the Back-End and Front-End: Is it a positive experience for you and your members?

  • Customizability: Are you able to make changes and tailor it to fit your needs?

  • Security Features for You and Your Members: Is your information and your member information safe and secure?

  • Support Docs: Does the plugin have extensive and easy-to-follow step-by-step support documents?

Naturally, your priorities for each of these points will differ based on what you need for your membership site and your level of experience. But it’s important to have a general idea of what you should look for before making a purchase. 

Many options offer a money-back guarantee, and it is highly recommended to try the plugin first to see if you like the experience.

That will give you a general overview of what the plugin looks like from the backend, and if it’s easy enough to use. You will also find out pretty quickly if it provides all the features you need.

Make Sure the Support Team Has Your Back

Make Sure the Support Team Has Your Back

No matter how great a membership plugin is, a time will likely come when you need help. That's why when shopping around for your WordPress membership plugin, it's just as important to check into the available support options as it is to look into their features.

Some plugins offer email support, chat support, and phone support options. Others even go that extra mile to provide additional support through online Q and A sessions. An online knowledge base is also a popular method to provide support. 

Try contacting the support team and asking some questions. This allows you to get more information about the plugin and also experience how their support team provides assistance.

Ideally, you will want to choose a membership plugin with a great customer support team that truly cares for you and your site. The key is having a team that shows they are willing to assist you and support you.

Take a Look at the Integrations

Take a Look at the Integrations

A membership plugin isn’t always the only thing you’ll need to create a successful membership site when using WordPress. You might also need different tools, apps, plugins, and software to complement your membership plugin.

This is part of what makes WordPress such an effective starting point when building a membership site. It has been developed to work with a wide variety of other systems.

These include email providers, payment providers, CRMs, and more. So you will want a membership plugin that seamlessly and almost effortlessly connects to whatever other tools you’re using. Quick and easy integrations save you so much time and effort when setting everything up.

When shopping around for the best WordPress membership plugin, make sure to look at all the integrations they offer. Make a list of the tools you need and check if your chosen membership plugin can integrate with them. 

Make Sure Your Chosen Plugin Works Best for Your Skills

Make Sure Your Chosen Plugin Works Best for Your Skills

Every membership plugin advertises itself as the “best,” the “easiest,” and the “most powerful” solution. But the reality is that no matter what they’re advertising, if it’s not the right fit for your skills, it's not a good match.

That is another reason why refund periods are important, as they allow you to use the plugin firsthand. If the membership plugin you’re interested in doesn’t offer a grace period, you can look at their tutorial videos and their knowledge base articles to get a feel for how it works.

Sure, there are plugins out there made for beginners, but do they provide all the advanced features and functionality you need? Or you may find one that seems like the best plugin for you with all the options you’re looking for, but is cumbersome and difficult to set up and manage. 

It’s all about finding the right fit for you. Or, if you’re hiring a web developer to help manage or run your site, make sure the plugin you choose lines up with their skill set.

Find the Right Plugin with the Best User Experience

Your needs aside for a moment, you also want to consider which membership plugin will provide your members with the best experience.

Granted, part of their user experience and how your website will look on the front end will depend on your WordPress theme and how you design the site. But your chosen plugin should still make it easy for you to handle the membership aspects of your site.

This includes how simple it should be for members to log in and access protected content. You want a membership site that provides a smooth experience for members at all times.

Login screen example

This includes a quick registration process and a well laid-out members area. Members want to feel comfortable when they visit your site. That feeling can also contribute to encouraging members to return. Comfortable members tend to come back. 

How Do I Set up a Membership Site on WordPress?

Once you have chosen and installed your ideal plugin, it is time to begin configuring your WordPress site and putting the appropriate content in place. 

Create Paid and Non-Paid Content

Use WordPress to generate your content, and then define which portions of the site and content should be protected using your membership plugin.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that your protected content is more important and requires more time and investment than your public-facing content.

The main area of your website and the member section will each play an important part in your overall success:

  • The area that is visible to the public must be intriguing and interesting enough to pique people's curiosity and encourage them to sign up.
  • The members-only, restricted content must provide enough value to warrant the membership fee if it’s a paid membership.

These two areas work hand in hand to both generate interest in what you’re offering and then deliver on that offer once members decide to join.

Choose a WordPress Theme

The WordPress theme you choose is also an important decision. There are plenty of choices out there, so you’ll have your pick from the wide selection available.

It's important to choose a design that is clean and clear, especially on the sales page. A simple theme helps members navigate the site, a major factor in the overall user experience. You might want to consider a WordPress theme that is tailored specifically for membership sites. 

If you use a theme that offers different templates or designs, it can be useful to use different templates that complement one another. You can use one template for your public content, and another template for members-only content. This helps create a visual separation between protected and public content.

If you want complete design control, Divi by Elegant Themes is a theme that functions as a page builder.

Divi Homepage

Alternatively you can install the Elementor plugin to customize any WordPress theme. But be advised, Elementor takes a little time to learn and get used to, so only use it if design control is important to you.

Elementor homepage

Learn how you can make a WordPress page visible only to paying users here.

So, Which Membership Plugin is the Best for You?

There are plenty of different options to choose from when it comes to finding the best WordPress membership plugins. So, which one is right for you?

The answer will ultimately come down to what you need, what your budget is, and what you want to achieve. Your membership plugin is out there and ready for you. 

Consider the tips we mentioned above to make an informed buying decision and you will find your ideal membership plugin. One that fits your needs and provides the best user experience for you and your members.

Good luck on finding your perfect match, and we hope this helps!

If you have questions, reach out to our support team here.

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How to Create a Website With Member Login https://wishlistmember.com/create-website-with-membership-login/ https://wishlistmember.com/create-website-with-membership-login/#comments Thu, 03 Aug 2023 09:00:00 +0000 https://wishlistmember.com/?p=19367 Want to provide an exclusive experience for members of your WordPress website? The key (quite literally) is a user login feature. No membership or subscription site is possible without one.  We’ll show you the easiest way to create a website with membership login. Building a website with a member login feature can seem daunting, especially […]

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Want to provide an exclusive experience for members of your WordPress website? The key (quite literally) is a user login feature. No membership or subscription site is possible without one. 

We’ll show you the easiest way to create a website with membership login.

Building a website with a member login feature can seem daunting, especially if you're not well-versed in coding.

But thanks to the versatility of WordPress and the availability of powerful plugins like WishList Member, it’s more accessible than ever.

Whether you’re looking to create a sense of community, protect premium content, or monetize your platform, this step-by-step guide will empower you to create a fully functional membership site tailored to your needs.

No passwords or secret codes needed to create a sleek, branded login page like the one below. Just read on!

Member Login Options - WishList Member

Why Having a Login Page is Useful

Creating a website with a membership login isn’t just a neat feature—it offers a wealth of benefits that can transform your online business. Let’s delve into why it’s so beneficial:

1. Access Control: A login page helps control access to your website’s content. Only registered members can log in and view exclusive content, ensuring your premium content is protected.

2. Personalization: Membership logins allow you to offer personalized user experiences. Knowing who your users are enables you to tailor content, recommendations, and interfaces to individual users, enhancing their experience on your site.

3. Community Building: A login page can create a sense of community. Users feel more connected when they are part of a membership group, which can increase user engagement and loyalty.

4. User Data Collection: Having a login page gives you access to valuable user data. You can track user behavior, preferences, and interactions, which can inform your marketing strategies and content creation.

5. Monetization Opportunities: If you’re running a subscription-based business, a membership login is a must. It allows you to set up tiered membership levels, offer exclusive content or benefits, and generate recurring revenue.

Incorporating a login page on your website offers a strategic advantage, whether your aim is to create an engaged community, offer personalized experiences, or protect and monetize your valuable content.

How Login Pages Work in WordPress

Before we delve into the process of creating a login page, it’s helpful to understand how they operate within the WordPress ecosystem.

1. Default Login Page: WordPress comes with a default login page, typically accessed by appending ‘/wp-admin’ or ‘/wp-login.php’ to your site’s URL. This page provides access to the backend of your WordPress site for all users with the appropriate credentials, whether they’re administrators, editors, or subscribers.

2. User Roles and Capabilities: When a user logs in through the WordPress login page, they’re granted access based on their role. WordPress includes several predefined roles (such as Administrator, Editor, Author, Contributor, and Subscriber), each with its set of capabilities.

3. Custom Login Pages: While the default login page is functional, it’s often desirable to create a custom login page to provide a more seamless, branded experience for your users. 

With a custom login page, you can control the design and functionality and integrate it into your site’s theme.

4. Membership Plugins: To transform your WordPress site into a membership or subscription site with tiered access levels, you’ll need a WordPress membership plugin

These plugins work alongside the WordPress login system, restricting content access based on the user’s membership level and offering features such as payment handling, subscription management, and more.

How to Create a Site With Member Login

The easiest way to create a login page for paying subscribers on your WordPress website is with a membership site plugin.

Best of all, you don’t need to know any code to create a beautiful, branded login page for your members.

We’ll show you how it’s done with WishList Member.

WishList Member Homepage

WishList Member is a powerful membership plugin for WordPress, allowing you to create a membership site with ease. 

With its user-friendly interface, you can set up various membership levels, protect content, and provide exclusive access, all without any coding knowledge. 

WishList Member also Seamlessly integrates with popular payment gateways. It’s an ideal solution for those looking to build a professional membership site quickly and effortlessly.

Step 1: Install WishList Member 

Purchase and Download

Visit the official WishList Member website, choose your desired plan, and purchase it. Once completed, download the plugin's zip file.

Upload the Plugin to WordPress

 Navigate to your WordPress dashboard, then go to Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin. Select the downloaded zip file and click Install Now.

Activate the Plugin

After installation, click the Activate Plugin button to make WishList Member functional on your site.

Step 2: Follow the Setup Wizard

Getting Started Wizard

Go to WishList Member > Setup > Getting Started. From there you’ll be guided through a simple setup process that will walk you through the key configurations of your new membership site including:

The process is designed to be as quick and easy as possible, setting you up with a configured membership site in minutes.

Step 3: Create Your Login Page

Now you have everything you need to create a login page for your members!

Option 1: Classic WordPress Login

At this stage, the default login page for your membership site is a simple, functional, WordPress branded form. Like this:

Member Login Options - WishList Member

You can view the WordPress login form for your site by adding /wp-admin or /wp-login.php to the end of your site's URL.

But if you want a sleek, branded login page that’s in keeping with the rest of your site you’ll want to punt for option 2. 

Option 2: Customize Your Login Page

With WishList Member, creating a beautiful, branded login for your site is a cin

From your WordPress dashboard, go to WishList Member > Advanced Options > Logins and click the Styling tab.

Click the WordPress Login Page Styling slider to enable customization.

WordPress login page styling - WishList Member

Below, you'll find various templates that make tailoring the WordPress login form swift and effortless. Choose a template that best matches your brand to get started.

Login templates

Keep in mind, if you make modifications in this area, the system will also update the WordPress “Lost your Password” page to ensure a consistent look and feel.

Then click the Login Form tab. There you can …

  • Upload your logo
  • Change the alignment, width, background color of the box on your login form
  • Adjust the text color, size and border thickness of the fields in your login form
  • Change the color and dimensions of the login button.

If you don't have a logo yet, give Fiverr's try-before-you-buy logo generator a shot. In just a few clicks, you can get a professional looking logo that communicates your brand message.

Here is an example of a customized WordPress login page, complete with logo.

WordPress login page styling - WishList Member

Not happy with any of the backgrounds from the template selection? No problem! Select a color to appear in your background image or upload an entirely new image of your own under the Background tab. 

You can use a site like Unsplash to source high-quality royalty-free images. If you want to get more fancy with your design,

Option 3: Use the WishList Member Login Form Mergecode

Don’t worry! There is no coding necessary with this option. The Wishlist Member login form mergecode can be inserted into any page on your website within a text block. 

Simply copy and paste one of the following options into your text editor and a login form will appear on your page:

  • Standard login form mergecode:
    [wlm_loginform]
  • Login form mergecode with AJAX error message:
    [wlm_loginform ajax_login=1]

No matter which of these options you choose, this is how your login form will appear on your page:

Member Login Options - WishList Member

The standard login form merge code will redirect failed login attempts to the WordPress login page (or your customized login page if you followed option 2)

Error message above login

The login form mergecode with AJAX error message will keep users on the same page if their login attempt fails, and display the error message above the login form:

Member Login Options - WishList Member

Whichever option your choose, using a mergecode to add a login form within pages on your site is a great way to optimize the user experience for your existing members, and make casual visitors aware of your membership program.

Summary

Creating a website with member login functionality opens the door to a ton of benefits such as access control, personalized user experiences, community building, and monetization opportunities. 

In this guide, we walked you through the process of using WordPress and the powerful WishList Member plugin to create your own membership site without coding. 

From understanding how login pages work in WordPress to installing WishList Member and customizing your login page, we covered all you need to get started. 

Ready to provide an exclusive and engaging experience for your community? Sign up for WishList Member today and transform your online presence.

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9 Steps to Build a Membership Site In WordPress https://wishlistmember.com/build-membership-site-wordpress/ https://wishlistmember.com/build-membership-site-wordpress/#respond Wed, 31 Jul 2019 14:19:20 +0000 https://wishlistmember.com/?p=1372 In this post, I'm going to walk you through every step to build your membership site and get it launched. So, if you've been looking for someone to just tell you what to do, this is it. Here are the nine steps we'll be walking through: Set Up a Domain Name and Web Hosting Install WordPress […]

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In this post, I'm going to walk you through every step to build your membership site and get it launched. So, if you've been looking for someone to just tell you what to do, this is it. Here are the nine steps we'll be walking through:

  1. Set Up a Domain Name and Web Hosting
  2. Install WordPress
  3. Configure WordPress
  4. Install Plugins
  5. Install Theme
  6. Install and Configure WishList Member
  7. Create a Dashboard Page
  8. Create a Sales Page
  9. Create Admin Pages

I know that might seem a bit daunting when you first look at it, but most of this goes pretty quick and is a lot easier than it looks. And, I'm going to guide you through every step. So, if you're ready to get your membership site launched and open for business, let's get started.

Step #1: Set Up a Domain Name and Web Hosting

The very first thing you'll need to do is register a domain name and set up your web hosting for your membership site. This is where your site will “live” online. So, we'll start by heading over to Bluehost and registering your account using our 50% discount:

When you get to the Bluehost homepage, click on the “Get Started Now” button:

  • easily build a membership site

Here, you’ll see the various plans Bluehost offers. I recommend the Plus Plan because it’s very affordable and comes with unlimited websites, domains, bandwidth, etc. It's what you'll want to grow your membership site over time. Just hit the “Select” button on the plan you want:

easily build a membership site

Now, here’s where you need to specify if you have a domain already or not. If you don’t, simply enter your desired domain name in the “New Domain” box. If you do have a domain, then simply enter it in the “Transfer Domain” box.

3-Domain Registartion

You’ll also notice the “note” in the “Transfer Domain” box says Bluehost will provide you with instructions on transferring your domain. This is a small extra step you’ll need to take if you already have a domain. But, it’s really simple and Bluehost will walk you through it:

Next, you’ll need to enter your contact information. Pretty standard stuff here:

4-Contact info

Then, you’ll be offered add-ons for your hosting package. Again, pretty standard offerings. SiteLock and Site Backup are two I would consider heavily.

Pricing information for membership site

SiteLock essentially makes sure nobody can steal your domain (I’ve had it happen) and Site Backup helps you backup and restore your site if something breaks.

I strongly recommend a service like this. If not here through Bluehost, then somewhere.

The others aren’t something I’d use… unless you have some reason you need the privacy protection. But, most people don’t and you probably already know if you do.

Also, you'll be asked what plan you'd like. I recommend doing the 36-month plan. It just locks in your domain and hosting for the next three years, so you don't have to think about. Also, it locks in the discounted price you get from us.

Once you’ve selected your plan, enter your billing information and continue on:

At this point, Bluehost has a few additional offers they’ll walk you through. Like additional domain names and such.

Generally, I don’t find that kind of thing necessary but if you wanted to snatch up all the variations of your domain name, you could. I never do. But that’s me.

Once you’re done with the payment process, you’ll see a Welcome screen like this:

7-Welcome

Click on the “Create Your Password” button and you’ll see a page where you can set your password, like this:

8-Set Password

Please, please, please use the Password Generator here and do NOT use a password that you’ve used anywhere else or that’s “easy to remember”. Speaking from experience… if you do you will get hacked at some point.

Once done setting your password, hit “Create” and you’ll be taken to the Bluehost login where you can login with your new credentials:

easily build a membership site

Once logged in, you’ll see a welcome pop-up. Just go ahead and hit the “I Can Do It” button:

10-cPanel 1

And now, you've fully registered your domain, created your hosting account and got everything set up and ready to go. Next, is to install WordPress and get your membership site up and running. We'll do that now.

Step #2: Install WordPress

Now that we've registered our domain name and set up our hosting, we need to install WordPress and get our membership site set up. You should be logged into Bluehost and see your cPanel dashboard which looks like this:

11-cPanel-WP

What you want is the WordPress icon. Click that and we’ll install WordPress for your publishing platform. You’ll now see a page like this:

12-Wordpress

Click the “Start” button so we can start installing WordPress. It’ll first ask you what domain you’d like to install it on:

13-Choose Domain

Of course, you’ll select the domain you created (or transferred) when you created your account. You’ll then see an installing screen. Simply wait for this to finish:

14-Installation

Once finished installing, you’ll be asked to enter some basic info including your desired admin username and password.

Do NOT make your admin username “admin”. Usually your first and last name are fine or your email address. Also, again (broken record) use a unique password that is not easy to remember. Then, hit “Install Now”:

15-WP Login

Once installed, you’ll see a completion screen like this:

16-Install Complete

Now, check your email because you’ll receive a welcome email with all your relevant WordPress login info including where you need to login at. Click the URL in the email and bookmark it. You’ll be going here a lot:

17-Mojo Email

That URL will take you to the WordPress login screen where you can login in with your WordPress credentials (in the email):

18-WordPress Login

Once logged in, you’ll be taken to the WordPress dashboard page which is now your home for creating our membership site content!

membership site dashboard in WordPress

Give yourself a pat on the back, because you now have your membership site live on the internet! This is a big first step to get out of the way. Of course, we're going to keep going. I'll show you my standard WordPress setup, which plugins I recommend you install, what theme you should use, installing your membership software, accepting payments and more.

Step #3: Configure WordPress on Your Membership Website

Here’s a very quick run-down of the things you need to know about WordPress:

  • Posts. Posts are exactly what the name implies. These are your blog posts that contain your content. These are the main thing you’ll be posting. With WordPress, you simply create a new post for each piece of content and it handles all the display stuff for you.
  • Categories. Again, self-explanatory. You can create categories to help organize your content. For example, on our blog we have a “Cost” category and any posts we create related to membership site costs we put in that category and WordPress displays them accordingly.
  • Pages. Pages sometimes confuse people because they look an awful lot like posts. The main difference is that pages will NOT show up in your regular post listings. So, for example your homepage that lists all your posts will NOT show pages. Pages also don’t get categorized. Pages are meant for “administration” type stuff like your “Contact” page or a “Support” page.
  • Themes. Themes control the look and feel of your site. They are what control how your content is displayed. Different themes will have different colors, layouts, options and so on. It’s worth taking some time and browsing the free themes available and finding one you like.

WordPress Membership Plugin Settings

Plugins add functionality to your site. For example, a plugin like Contact Form 7 will let you add contact forms to your site. Or a plugin like WishList Member will help turn your blog into a membership site. Just don’t overdo it. Generally speaking, more plugins means more overhead. You want to keep your site lean and fast.

On a side note, if you want to dive all the way into learning WordPress, I recommend this WordPress course from Shawn Hesketh. It's the gold standard for WordPress courses.

Configure WordPress Settings

So, with that basic understanding let’s run through setting up WordPress so you can start blogging. Let’s start with the general settings. On the left side of the WordPress Dashboard, click on the “Settings” tab. This will take you to the General Settings page:

wp-settings-general

Set your site title, site tagline, timezone, date format and time format. These are used in various places on both the front and back end of WordPress.

Next, click on the Settings > Permalinks tab:

wp-settings-permalink

99.9999999999% of the time you’ll select the “Post Name” option. The only time you won’t is if you know something I don’t and one of the other options is somehow better. But, you’ll already know that and you’re smarter than me so have at it.

Create Your WordPress Menu

Next up is your menus. This is the menu bar that displays across the top of your site. You can specify what links appear there.

To do this, we’ll need to create a couple pages to display in our menu. So, go to Pages > Add New:

wp-pages-add-new

For now, we’ll create two pages: About and Contact. You can simply just enter the title for each page and save them. You can come back and edit them later. We just need them created so we can add them to your menu.

Once those two pages are created, head over to Appearance > Menus:

Here, there’s a few things to look at. First, you have Menus and you have Theme Locations. On this page, you’re essentially accomplishing two things:

  1. Creating menus with your desired menu items
  2. Associating menus to display locations

So, each theme will have different “locations” where you can add menus. Most will have a menu bar at the top which is usually the Primary Navigation Menu. But, there could be many others.

You can create multiple menus and associate different menus with different locations. So for example, you could have one menu with one set of items at the top of your blog and another menu with a different set of items in your footer.

This screen does all that.

For now, we’re worried about the Primary theme location.

Create a new menu and name it Header Menu (or whatever name your prefer).

Then, on the left side under “Pages” check the boxes next to “Home”, “About” and “Contact” (the two pages we just created) and select “Add to Menu”.

Then, at the bottom select the “Main” checkbox (for different themes, this name can be different. “Primary” for example) under the “Theme Locations” section.

Then, hit “Save Menu”. This will add those items to your menu and associate that menu with the primary theme location. If you go to the front end of your site, you should now see those menu items at the top of your blog.

Configure Your Widgets

Now, we can move onto widgets. Go to Appearance > Widgets. This is where you can add items to the sidebar of your blog.

wp-appearance-widgets

Again, different themes will have different Sidebars where you can add widgets. However, most will have a Primary or Default sidebar.

For now, simply drag the Recent Posts and the Categories widget from the left side of the screen over to the Primary Sidebar and drop them there.

This will add these widgets to your sidebar.

Finally, click the home icon on the top left of WordPress. This will take you to the front end of your site so you can see how it looks. You should now have a site with your menu, widgets, logo and all the basic stuff set up:

To get back to the “back end” of WordPress you can click the “Dashboard” link in the top menu bar:

Ok, so now we have WordPress configured. There are a lot more options, but these are the standard ones we set on every site. With that done, it's time to talk plugins.

Step #4: Install Plugins

Now, it's time for everyone's favorite part: installing plugins. I'm going to show you the default plugins I install on every membership site we build. But, before I do… a quick word of warning. WordPress plugins tend to be like phone apps for most people.

They're exciting.

And, it's easy to fall into a “more is better” mentality.

We, on the other hand, try to install as few plugins as possible. Because every plugin you install adds complexity to your site. It's more “stuff” for you to manage. More possibility for conflicts and errors. And, decreased site speed.

So, try to be thoughtful about what plugins you install.

I know, party-pooper.

But, it is the right call.

That said, here's our default list of plugins:

Most of these are going to have free and premium versions. That's become the standard business model in WordPress. The free versions are still very useful. They do most of the basic stuff you need done.

And, the premium options just add even more features.

So, up to you, how to handle that.

Personally, we have premium versions of Yoast SEO, Custom CSS and JS and Elementor. Ok, so let's talk about how to install plugins.

The first option is the…

Install Plugins From the WordPress Repository

Head over to Plugins > Add New:

On the right side, type in the name of the plugin you want install into the search bar:

And, click the “Install” button on the plugin you want to install. Once installed, the button text will change to “Activate”. Click the button again and the plugin will be fully activated and running on your site.

That's it.

You'll be able to find and install most plugins this way.

Some, however, are not in the WordPress repository and will needed to be installed manually. But, don't worry, it's still pretty simple. Here's what to do:

Install Plugins Manually

With these plugins, whenever you download them… what you get is a “zip” file. So, it might look like this in your browser:

Once the file is downloaded like this, we'll again go to Plugins > Add New, but this time we'll click on the “Upload Plugin” button:

Here's what you'll see:

Click the “Choose File” button and find the .zip file you just downloaded on your computer. Then, click the “Install Now” button. This will upload and install the plugin on your site. Once it's done, you'll see a page like this:

Click the “Activate Plugin” button and it'll be activated and running on your site.

And, that's it.

So, that's installing plugins. I'd get started with the ones I recommended:

And then, only add more when you truly need or want it for something.

SIDE NOTE: All these plugins have either 1) a really good setup wizard to get started OR 2) default settings that are generally want you want. For that reason, I'm not going to get you bogged down in going through all that. Install, activate and if they have a wizard, step through that. And, if not, then the default settings will be good for now.

Step #5 Install Theme (OceanWP)

Themes control the final, front-end look of your site. How your visitors are going to see it. So, this is always tricky, because everyone has their own ideas about what looks good and what doesn't. So, I'm going to show you some options for themes.

And then, I'm going to show you what we do.

Let's start with…

Install a theme from the WordPress Theme Repository

To do that, head over to Appearance > Themes and click the “Add New Theme” box:

You'll see a list of all the themes in the WordPress Theme Repository. Thousands of them. And, this is where it can get a bit overwhelming. Which is best? Which one will look the way I want? Which does everything I want to do?

There's no real good answers.

It's a matter of trying them and seeing what you like.

BUT… like I said, I'm going to show you what we do.

That said, to install a theme, simply click the “Install” button:

Just like with plugins, once it's installed, the button text will change to “Activate”:

Just click the button again and that will now be “live” on your site.

And, that's it. Every theme is different with different options and layouts, etc. So, again, you just have to experiment and see what you like.

But, with that said, let me show you…

What We Do

And, that is to actually not rely on the theme for the design of our site, at all. So, one of the great features inside Elementor is its “Theme Builder” options. What it does is let you build your theme pages IN Elementor.

Now, you do need Elementor Pro for this.

But, it's well worth the investment.

We do it this way, because it “decouples” our design from the theme, so we don't have to worry about theme updates and all that. Plus, we can build our theme how we want it to look. And, it's all done through “drag and drop”, so you don't need to be a developer to do it.

If this is the route you want to go, then we still need to install a theme, but we're going to install a very specific one that's designed to work closely with Elementor. And, that is the OceanWP theme.

To install it, just search for it in the Theme Repository. Then, install and activate it just like any of the other themes.

And, that's actually it. We're not going to do much with the theme itself. Instead, we're going to use the Theme Builder in Elementor to build our header, footer, archive pages, blog post pages, home page… all of it.

Step #6: Install and Configure WishList Member

I've put this in its own section, because it's your most important plugin and we're going to go through it in more detail. First, you need to get a copy of WishList Member.

Next, upload and activate it like any other plugin (see step #4).

Activate Your WishList Member License

Click on the WishList Member menu and select Dashboard. At this point, you'll need to enter your license key before you can continue. You should have received this both on the thank you page after your purchase and via email.

Enter it in the box provided:

WordPress Membership Plugin license key

Then, click “Activate License”.

Run the Getting Started Wizard

The Dashboard page will then load. On the bottom right of that screen, click the button to run the Getting Started Wizard:

On the next screen, click the “Add Level” button:

WordPress Membership levels

First, give your WordPress membership level a name. For now, assume this is going to be your main membership. It could be something as simple as “Gold” or something more branded like “Underwater Basket Weaving 101”.

It's up to you, but give it a name.

Next, select the type of membership this will be: Ongoing, Fixed Term or Specific Date. In the majority of cases, you'll select “Ongoing”. Even if, this will be a modular course membership. Fixed Term is used primarily for trial membership levels.

And, Specific Date is a unique kind of setup that is rarely used.

For the final option, you'll most likely leave all these unchecked. This option will automatically give this level access to every page, post, category and comment on the site and will override your individual post settings.

In most cases, you won't want this.

Click the “Next” button.

In most cases, you'll leave all these options unchecked. Although, if you want to have members agree to Terms and Conditions when they join your membership, you can enable that checkbox and enter those terms in the box that will appear.

Once done, click the “Next” button.

On this step, in most cases, you'll check the “Automatically Protect New Pages/Posts” option. This will ensure any new post or page you create is protected by WishList Member. For most standard membership sites, this is what you want.

Next, you'll generally leave the “Only show content for each membership level” option off. This affects posts a member or non-member does NOT have access to. With this off, those posts will still show up on your blog page and in category and tag listings.

But, when the visitor clicks to view them, they'll be taken to an “error” page that tells them they're either not a member OR they don't have access to the proper membership level. Often, these pages will be your sales page and/or membership upgrade page.

Typically, we want visitors clicking on them and being sold on joining or upgrading.

So, we leave this option turned off.

Again, click the “Next” button.

Next is your Email Setup:

This affects the automatic emails WishList Member sends out when a new member registers or resets their password, etc. Enter the “from” information for those emails here. Most of the time, this will already be set to the proper information.

Once you have this set how you want, click “Next”.

Now, it's time to select our integrations:

First, select the Payment Provider you'd like to use to process your payments. If you're brand new and haven't started using one, yet, I recommend you start with PayPal Checkout or Stripe. They're both easy to create accounts, easy to integrate with WishList Member and easy to install the necessary payment buttons and links on your site.

But, feel free to use what you'd like and select it from the dropdown.

Same with the Email Provider. This actually isn't required, however, you'll want to pretty quickly be putting new members onto a mailing list, so you can contact them about new content, new offers, etc.

Aweber and Mailchimp are two of the simpler options.

If you're brand new to this, again, I'd start with one of those.

Once you've selected your options here, click the “Save” button and you're all set. You've configured WishList Member and created your first level. The only thing left to do is…

Configure Your Payment Provider and Email Provider

This, of course, will depend on which providers you've chosen. The setup instructions are a little bit different for each one. However, let me give you some basic instructions to get you going. So, to start, click on the “Integrations” link under the “Setup” menu:

The Payment Provider you selected in the Wizard will be highlighted with a green checkmark. Go ahead and click on it to configure its settings:

As I mentioned, the setup instructions here will be different for each Provider, however, each comes with detailed setup instructions. There will either be a video tutorial or text documentation. You'll see the link for either here:

And, for text documentation it looks like this:

Click that link and walk through the setup to get your provider configured.

And, it's the same for the Email Providers.

But, once you have those configured, you're set up to take payments! We only have a few more steps to go to shore up our membership site. So, let's get into it.

Step #7: Create a Membership Dashboard Page

Your Dashboard page will be the page members get taken to every time they log in. So, the basic idea is to create a page that helps them jump back into your content and your community quickly. And, you have a few options with this.

The simplest approach is to just have this be your “Blog” page.

This is the home page on most blog websites. It lists the latest posts to the site newest to oldest. It will look something like this:

If you're just starting, this is usually the best way to go.

The theme you chose will control this. And, it may have some options to let you edit the layout and look and feel. In our case, using Elementor and OceanWP, we can easily create this page using Elementor's “Posts” widget.

To do that, go to Pages > Add New:

Just give it the name, “Home” and publish it with no content:

Then, click the “Edit With Elementor” button:

On the left-hand side, drag and drop the “Posts” widget into the “widget area”:

You will need Elementor Pro to have access to the “Post” element.

From here, you can configure the look and feel however you'd like. I recommend you spend some time playing around with the settings. You'll find Elementor is a breeze to use and, once you see what you can do, building pages starts to become fun:

Once you have it looking how you'd like, be sure to click the “Update” button:

Next, we need to set this page as our home page AND after login page. To do that, we'll head to Settings > Reading in WordPress:

On this screen, under “Your homepage displays”, select the “A static page” option. Then, select the “Home” page we just created from the dropdown menu and click “Save Changes”:

Next, go to WishList Member > Advanced Options > Global Defaults and select the “Redirects” tab. Then, click the “Configure” button next to “After Login”:

In the pop-up that appears, select the “Page” option and, again, choose our “Home” page from the dropdown menu that appears:

Then, click “Save and Close”.

That's it. Your Dashboard page is now done!

Step #8: Create a Sales Page

Next, you need to create your sales page. This step is a bit tricky, because it's highly dependent on your site and your niche, etc. But, let me give you a guideline we've used for numerous membership sites that works well:

Summarize the Offer Above the Fold

Above the fold refers to what you see when you land on a web page without scrolling. It's the one part of your page you can guarantee a visitor will see. So, you want to summarize your offer and include a “buy now” button.

Here's what that looks like for our very own membership site, WishList Insider:

Membership Features

Next, you'll simply lay out the “features” of your membership site. The actual “stuff” members will get. We typically bucket this into three main categories: Training, Resources and Community. Again, here's an example of our Training section on our sales page:

And, we have similar sections for Resources and Community.

Pricing

Next up is your Pricing section. We always use a pricing table and re-state the entire offer here. It's a pretty straight-forward section. Here's what ours looks like (I shrank the screenshot in order to fit it all in):

Buy Now Button

Next, we'll add in our “Buy Now” button. This is one of the places where we “tie” our membership site together. That's because the button you place here needs to be from the payment provider you integrated your site with AND for the membership level you're selling on this particular sales page.

Fortunately, with WishList Member, it's very simple.

In the WordPress page where you're creating your sales page, start typing (without the quotes) “/classic”. You'll see a dialog appear for the Classic block:

Click on the icon to insert a Classic block into your page. Once the Classic block loads, click on the blue WishList Member icon. Then, select Integrations > Your Integration. For this tutorial, I'll assume you're using PayPal Checkout, but the process is similar no matter what payment provider you're using:

A pop-up will appear. Select the Membership Level, Button Type and Button Size you'd like. You can use the built-in buttons for that particular payment provider, upload your own image or use a plain text button.

Once you've set your options how you'd like, click “Insert Mergecode”:

This will insert the proper mergecode into your post to display your “Buy Now” button. And, you're all set. People can now click that button and purchase your membership!

Here's an example from our sales page from WishList Insider:

Guarantee

Finally, for our sales page, is the Guarantee. The idea here is to reassure a potential member that if they don't like something, they can get their money back. This doesn't need to be anything fancy. Just make sure you honor whatever you say here.

Here's our gurantee:

That's it! Your sales page is now done.

Step #9: Create Admin Pages

Next, we need to create a few admin pages to handle some of the different scenarios our members might encounter when using our site. Depending on your setup, you'll need more or less of these kinds of pages, but these are the must-haves:

  • Non-Members Error Page
  • Membership Cancelled Page
  • After Registration Page

The nice thing here is WishList Member handles most of the work for us. So, head to WishList Member > Advanced Options > Global Defaults and then select the “Error Pages” tab. Here you'll see a list of potential error pages to configure:

You only need to configure the Wrong Membership Level error page if you have more than one membership level. For now, we don't so we'll skip it. Likewise, you only need the “Membership Expired” level if you're running a trial membership with a fixed term.

We don't, so we'll skip it, as well.

But, just remember if you add more levels and/or create a trial membership later on, you'll want to come back and configure these pages. Now, as I mentioned, WishList Member does most of the work on these pages for us.

So, click the “Configure” button next to the Non-Members option.

In the pop-up that appears, you'll see this:

We're going to stick with the “Message” option. With that option, WishList Member will auto-create the page for us and embed the message we specify into it. You can create a separate WordPress page if you'd like and select it under the “Page” option.

But, we'll keep it simple.

So, for this page, edit the message in the editor provided to fit your membership site. Two things to keep in mind here.

First, this is a “Non-Members” error page. So, this is where people will get redirected if they try to access protected content but 1) aren't a member or 2) are a member, but not logged in. So, you want to account for both scenarios here.

The [wlm_loginform] shortcode you see will insert a login form for you. So, that part is mostly taken care of. Maybe, just tweak the text above it to your liking. But, you'll also want to include a section here where you tell people where to go if they're not a member.

And, include a link to your sales page.

We, also, often include a link to support on this page. Just in case someone is having login issues or needs to contact support for some reason. It's right here, easy for them to find. Here's an example from a site we recently helped build:

The final page we need to create is our After Registration page. This is the page new members will see immediately after registering to our membership level. The main thing here is to give them the link to our Dashboard page so they can access our site's content.

But, you can include a welcome video or other “onboarding” materials if you'd like. For our purposes here, we're going to keep this simple. Go to WishList Member > Advanced Options > Global Defaults > Redirects and click on the “Configure” button for After Registration:

We'll stick with the “Message” option and we'll include a simple message with a link to our Dashboard page. So, something like this:

The shortcode [wlm_memberlevel] will insert the name of the membership level they joined. You can leave this as-is or simply remove it and put the name of your membership level in directly — if your level name isn't something that you want to display publicly.

Here's the text of that message if you want to copy it. Just be sure to change the link so it links to your actual Dashboard page and change out [YOUR NAME} with your name.

Hey [wlm_firstname]!

Thanks for joining our [wlm_memberlevel] membership! Your account has been created and you now have access to all the content you signed up for. To get access to that content, visit our Dashboard page here.

Again, welcome aboard and we look forward to hearing from you.

All the best,

[YOUR NAME}

Click “Save and Close” and you're done.

You've created your admin AND your membership site. Yep, that's it. Obviously, there's more you could dive into and you could add more memberships and so forth. But, you can start posting content and selling memberships at this point.

So, huge pat on the back. You did it!

Conclusion

Certainly, there's a few more things to be done like creating your membership content, promoting your membership and so forth, but we'll save those for another post. Getting to this point is a huge step. You're officially open for business. Your membership site is built and that's the biggest hurdle to get across. So, congratulations!

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