Getting Content for Your Membership

Content is the lifeblood of a membership site. It’s what members pay for and you want to deliver everything you promise and more, if possible. It doesn’t matter how good your site looks if the content doesn’t provide what members need.

Creating your membership content is the most time-consuming part of building your membership site, so make sure you have plenty of time for it.

It’s easy to focus on building your site and underestimate how much time you’ll need to create the content and end up rushing the last minute to get your content finished in time for your launch.

The best thing is to work out how much time you think you’ll need and then double it. And if you finish earlier, then you have extra time to dedicate to marketing!

In this guide, we’ll look at the different types of content you can include in your membership site, and things to consider when creating your content. Let’s get started!

Types of Membership Content

Downloadable Resources

How many times do you look for templates online when you need to create a new professional form or a workbook? I do this frequently. Downloadable resources don’t always refer to templates and forms, but those are some of the most classic examples.

Do you sell digital downloads? You can convert any of the content, under this umbrella, into downloadable resources for your audience. Ebooks and infographics, also qualify as resources.

Ebooks can be helpful if your demographic skews towards women because about twice as many women read ebooks compared to men.

Creating short ebooks in Google Slides is lucrative. For instance, Becky MollenKamp uses ebooks, workbooks, and other downloadable resources as the basis for her membership program which pulls in $10,000 annually.Likewise, Copyblogger uses ebooks as a cornerstone offering for their membership program.

Guides and worksheets are common flagships for downloadable resources on membership sites. As for what topics to cover on your downloadable resources, look at your audience personas and determine what topics resonate with your audience and what can help them achieve their goals.

You can add checklists or workbooks to help them track their progress.

Do you offer business consultations? Consider creating an editable spreadsheet for members to input their data and run through crucial metrics.

If you sell copywriting courses, offer a related swipe file to your members.Focus on offering your audience added value with easy-to-make extras that enhance the overall product.

Mini-Courses and Tutorials

Speaking of being helpful, is there anything better than a step-by-step guide that backs its advice with data and pushes you in the right direction? Probably, but I’m biased about data; it’s my thing.

For example, Blog Biz School’s Chantel Arnett is a pro at combining this type of content with downloadable resources. This is what she offers:

Luckily, mini-courses and tutorials don’t need a lot of time to create. They can be as simple as screen share videos where you walk members through a specific series of activities such as how to prepare for an interview or exclusive how-to blogs where you explain the processes.

However, for the best results, include video as much as you can. Most people prefer video learning because it allows for on-demand training and it enhances learners’ retention rate. It’s also more mobile-friendly than a wall of text.

This is essential because 67% of learners use their smartphones to access learning materials.

MarketingProfs also uses tutorials and video training as the lifeblood of their membership content. If MarketingProfs, a two-time best-seller, and marketing mastermind is doing it, then you’re on the right track.

You can create your walkthroughs and tutorials with the same resources you use to create other contents. Shooting professional-quality videos on iPhone or Android is much easier than in the past.

You also have the ability to track your tutorials and mini-courses successfully with various data, not just the comments and feedback, but the actual progress of users as they move through the content. Determining what works is easier than ever before.

Interactive Content

The major drawback with downloadable resources and mini-courses is that they’re inherently passive. No matter how charming you are, they still inert material where the user’s interaction is mainly through observation.

It can become dull for members, especially if they’ve signed up for a lifetime membership. In addition, it adds more responsibility to you as a creator to create more in-depth content.

What’s the solution? Liven things up with interactive content like quizzes, surveys, and polls. This is one of the best membership site tips. 88% of marketers say interactive content sets them apart from other businesses.

While other sites offer the standard blog posts and guides, your site will stand out when you provide unique items and options. This is great for boosting membership retention. However, unlike other materials, avoid being too scholastic with interactive content.

Yes, a quiz on concepts, covered in your mini-courses may be helpful. However, your audience chose a self-paced course for a reason. They don’t have the free time to emulate a more traditional classroom, even if they want to. So try to keep your interactive content on the light side, similar to the example below.

For example, if your membership program is for beginner marketers, you can create the following quizzes:

What does your favorite burger toppings say about your best marketing channel?
Pick three colors, and I’ll tell you which marketing channel is great for you.
Are you a Walt Disney or Don Draper? Find out in five seconds.

Tongue-in-cheek content may not resonate with your audience, but therein lays the rub. Since the content is interactive, your audience will let you know what they think and you can change direction, if you need to.

Live webinars are another form of interactive content you can create for your membership. This consists of material you’ll share and explain in real-time, but you can prepare it days or weeks before the webinar date.

Because live webinars are so time-sensitive, they’re ideal for someone who wants to dig deep into interactive material without overburdening their workload.

On the other hand, quizzes and polls, are more forgiving and you can publish them any time. For example, publish them once a week for a solid starting point.

If your member engagement rate decreases substantially, consider spacing the quizzes further apart. If the frequency was originally once a week, try once every two weeks.

Audio Files and Podcasts

Podcasts can have an interactive element as well as download elements. The primary benefit is that a podcast is monetization-ready content that is easy to create because all you need is a microphone and a plan, while having the highest engagement factors.

In fact, 80% of people who listen to a podcast listen all the way through. This is far better than blog posts that average a 37-second read time, no matter their length.

Audio files, such as pre-recorded voice-overs and weekly podcasts, can be uploaded as recordings. You can opt to monetize them for other site owners. These were the key growth factor behind Jackson’s success; they have been so instrumental that he’s now helping other creators venture into offering podcasts.

To make the best use of audio files and podcasts, keep members entertained by inviting experts and industry speakers, discuss relevant topics and latest trends in your niche, and offer actionable advice for listeners.

Arranging interviews with industry leaders or experts in your niche will offer value to your members and it’s a great way to set your membership apart from the competition.

Particularly if those interviews are in-depth and cover specific insights, techniques, and strategies, instead of mere fluff pieces or promotional opportunities.

You can leverage interviews for both your member content and your public content marketing too. And you take a portion of the interview and publish it on your blog or podcast; reserving the full version as members-only exclusive.

Audio files and podcasts are profitable pieces of content that you can create for your membership site in advance and regularly. Because of their popularity with most audiences, they’re worth adding to your membership.

Video Content

Creating video content gives you the ability to use YouTube to drive traffic to your membership site. Plus, you can use video content to boost the appeal of your membership area and persuade website visitors to become paying members.

Remember, your video content can take many forms. From screencasts straight to camera head videos to simple slideshows and advanced documentaries, no matter your video production skills, access to equipment, and time constraints. You should be able to use video content to improve your membership site.

Spreadsheeto, an online training membership is an example of a membership site that uses free video content to let prospects experience the quality of their content before signing up. If you want to take your membership site to the next level, consider making videos.

Some great ideas for a membership site include creating an introductory video or a pricing/features tour video.

It’s no secret that video content is the most popular and shareable content. In addition, creating a video is not as expensive as you may think. You can opt to film the whole thing on your laptop or smartphone and edit it in in Final Cut Pro or iMovie, instead of hiring a camera crew and editors.

Look at your budget. Come up with a concept and shop around to find the right people to create what you envisioned.

Email Newsletters

Running a newsletter alongside your membership site can have many benefits. It can help you get in touch with visitors who haven’t become members yet and it can help you keep in touch with existing members. So it’s good to create email campaigns for your membership program.

You can add any form of content in your email newsletters. For instance, you can send out short emails each time you add new content to your membership site. You may also consider delivering more in-depth email newsletters too.

Email newsletters can help you keep members informed and updated. Email reminders can also encourage members to renew their subscription, attend a members only event, complete a VIP survey, etc.

Courses

Online courses are among the most popular forms of content in membership sites. If you’re teaching members about a particular topic, with specific learning objectives, begin/end points, and well-defined outcomes, you can offer this as a course.

You can create short courses or long courses. However, offering a selection of online courses helps your audience achieve their goals will attract new members and boost your profit.

Member Calls

A member Q&A call is another form of content that can work extremely well. These calls can be weekly or monthly. They’ll help you get to know your members personally and enable you to come up with better solutions based on their needs.

You can ask questions about their struggles and offer actionable tips to help them overcome their problems. Member calls can help highlight your audience’s success stories. The stories can include their challenges and how the membership site helped them.

This’ll serve as a confidence booster for the rest of the members. Also, you can use the calls as marketing materials to attract new members.

There is a good deal of software you can use to make these calls highly engaging, including Google Hangouts, GoToWebinar, and Blab; all these allow members to speak to you live and even appear on camera.

Content Archives

The downside of live content is that it’s real-time and you have to attend live to get the most from it. To counter this, you should record the live sessions and add them to an “archive” in your membership site. This’ll make sure that those who miss the live session don’t lose out.

Also, as time goes, you’ll be building a valuable back catalog of material which will become accessible to any new member who joins. This’ll increase the value of your membership site.

Articles and Blog Posts

Not every piece of material should be a full-blown course or a live session.

Standalone articles, blog posts, or how-to articles have a ton of value too. Especially for solving specific problems or for a specific topic such as cookery where individual articles make more sense such as recipe articles.

Be as thorough as possible and include diagrams, photos, videos, and other visual aid alongside your written content.

Depending on your audience or niche, a library of standalone articles or blog posts can have significant value to members. Plus, sometimes you can use individual articles to supplement broader courses with more in-depth supporting material.

When created, articles will require little work from you, except for keeping them up to date.

For many membership sites, blog posts make up the central part of their content strategy. This is because blog posts and articles don’t take long to write, members are happy to read and share them, and it’s a quick way to offer value at a relatively low cost.

Blog posts are ideal for building a relationship with your members, and they can help you with audience nurturing. So maintaining a consistent blog with frequent, high-quality posts can help you offer value to your audience, which is key to building a stream of recurring revenue.

Case Studies

One of the most valuable types of content is the case study. Case studies are customer stories that show how your membership program or business has helped a specific client become successful and achieve their goals. You can use case studies to showcase special features or uses for your services or products.

When you create this form of content for your membership site, members will love it because it helps them to understand how your membership program can add value to lives or businesses.

You can opt to offer general benefits of your products or services, but giving a real-life example is more valuable as it helps your membership to build trust with new members.

If you want to use case studies as part of your content, it’s crucial you carefully consider which of your members should serve as the case study example. Choose those members who’ve significantly benefitted from your membership site.

You also want to work with members who will be comfortable being part of the case study. You also want members who have proof and statistics that show how your membership program has helped them succeed.

Combination Content

Where necessary, it’s an incredible idea to offer a variety of content formats to accommodate member’s different learning styles. This can be as simple as offering a transcript alongside a video, for those who prefer text.

An audio version of your video can appeal to members who want to listen on the go. However, your focus should be on creating the main content. You can consider and choose ways to repurpose it later.

The most successful membership sites have a mix of all sort of content we’ve discussed above. However, it’s important to find the right balance. While you want to offer a wide variety of items, you don’t want to overwhelm people with too many options.

When people get overwhelmed or confused, learning and progress usually, slow down. Focus on the problem you’re solving and identifying the best ways to deliver the solution.

Closing Tips:

Don’t implement all of these content formats at once. Test to see what comes easily for you, what fits your brand, and what your members respond best to. And limit yourself to a handful of these to avoid overwhelming your audience.
The ideas for mix-and-match are endless. However, consider each post as an idea first, and then think about the best vehicle for delivering that idea as best as possible to your audience.
After trial and error, pick one type of content and use it consistently. If you can produce a mini-series out of it and deliver on that promise to your members, you’ll build trust and reliability for your business and brand.
Always have a plan in place. Because it takes longer than you think to create content. So make sure you have a plan in place for what you need to create, what you’ll do when, and how you’ll do it. And make sure you have a little leeway before you launch your site.
Finally, don’t be a perfectionist. Yes, you want to create high-quality content, but trying to make it perfect from the get-go is a sure way to end up falling behind and stressing yourself out. Don’t try to make it perfect, just get it going. If it’s useful to your members, you can always polish things later if you want to.

Consider trying these tips on your membership site. Once you start creating your content, you’ll find a routine and style that works best for you. However, it’s important to make sure that your content meets your members’ needs, including their delivery preferences.

Membership Resource Cheat Sheet

Creating valuable content is crucial in building a successful membership site. Here are resources, tips, and tools to help you build a membership site.

Things to Consider

o Make sure you can offer value and help your members to achieve their goals.
o Join a membership site to see if you enjoy the experience from a member’s point of view. This’ll help you know how membership sites work.
o Start a membership site for the right reasons.
o Be different. It’s the unique components that’ll separate you from the new sites popping up that lack credibility and success stories.
o Make sure you have an existing audience that’s hungry for what you’re offering.
o Building a successful membership requires a lot of time and effort. So you must be ready to work for a long time to hit your goals. Don’t give up.

Content Delivery Tools

o Matching your products or services to a content delivery method that showcases your unique offer will set you apart from the competition.
o Email Delivery. You can create a series of emails that you can send automatically to new members once they sign up. You can send one-offs messages to all members to let them know about the improvements in your membership site.
o MailChimp. Helps you design custom landing pages to persuade visitors to join your membership site.
o ConvertKit. It’s ideal for membership sites, such as those running online courses and selling digital products.
o Active Campaign. This can help you segment your members into groups, such as potential members and existing members, as well as send groups different content.
o WordPress Membership sites. It’s a content management system, and it’s ideal for any content-based membership site. It enables you to add content easily, as well as categorize and share it.

Online Resources for Creating Membership Sites

o MemberPress. This is a WordPress plugin that you can easily install in your site and it can help you start charging for access instantly.
o WishList Member. It can help you create a membership site on the fly. Also, it enables you to create a special ‘error’ message when non-members access your content.
o EasyMember Pro. It has a great affiliate program that allows you to promote your products and services to your members. With EasyMember Pro, you can offer special one-time offers and incorporate payment processors like PayPal.
o WooCommerce Memberships. You can create, sell courses, and create membership levels all-in-one. It helps you schedule when members can have access to your content.
o Teachable. It is a hosted platform for protecting content and selling in a membership system. Teachable allows you to create a membership site even if you don’t have the tech experience.
o Thinkific. It offers you everything you need to create and market your membership site even if you don’t have the technical skills.
o Kajabi. It’s an all-in-one hosted platform for creating membership sites and launching marketing campaigns. You’ll have access to done-for-you, user-friendly membership sites.

Choose Essential Features

To choose the right online resource, think about the features you can’t do without:

o Will you drip-feed content?
o Do you want it to include hosting?
o Are you giving a trial period?
o Can members cancel their subscription on their own?
o What do you care about more, how easy it is to set up or customization options?

Membership Content Source/Idea Worksheet

Use this worksheet to draft membership content ideas and sources to offer your audience valuable content and build a successful membership site.

Membership Content Ideas

To build a successful membership site, you’ll need to create valuable content. The best way to do this is to create the content yourself, use private label rights content, hire someone to create it for you—or a combination of all that.

To create valuable content, you need to know your skill set to get it done right. But you don’t have to do everything yourself. Answering these questions will help you be on the right track.

Tasks:

List five problems your members have.

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

List skills, characteristics, or experiences that qualify you to help with each problem.

Problem 1 Qualifications:______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Problem 2 Qualifications:______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Problem 3 Qualifications:______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Problem 4 Qualifications:______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Problem 5 Qualifications:______________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Get Feedback From Members

Ask your members about their experience with your membership program.

Ways to approach this:

Ask about their pain points.
Ask them what they love about your membership program.
Ask what they wish you offered.
Ask about the complementary or supplementary service they’re interested in.
And if your members are okay with you quoting them, this is a good way to use audience-generated content for social proofing.

Tasks:

List your members’ pain points:

______________________________

List what your members love about your membership site:

______________________________

List what your members want you to offer:

______________________________

List the complementary services your members are interested in:

______________________________

Competition Inspirations

Don’t learn the hard way when you can learn from your competitors’ mistakes and successes. Check out your competitors’ sites, freebies, and paid offers. See what’s working for them and what’s not. Note product titles and descriptions to give you ideas. Put your own unique spin on inspired items.

Ways to approach this:

Read through the comments on blogs of related membership sites.
Look at member reviews and Facebook comments. This’ll help you identify what your similar audience is struggling with.
Create content that answers unanswered questions and you’ll have content for months.
Look at how well your competitors write their content.
See if there are spin-off topics that you can work into your product line.

Tasks:

Brainstorm and plan new products by using the competition’s product titles and descriptions for inspiration. Make each product unique, including the title.

Product 1 – Inspiration Source: __________________________________________

New Product Title: ___________________________________________________

Product Type/Formats: ________________________________________________

Additional Materials: __________________________________________________

Notes: _____________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Product 2 – Inspiration Source: __________________________________________

New Product Title: ___________________________________________________

Product Type/Formats: ________________________________________________

Additional Materials: __________________________________________________

Notes: _____________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Product 3 – Inspiration Source: __________________________________________

New Product Title: ___________________________________________________

Product Type/Formats: ________________________________________________

Additional Materials: __________________________________________________

Notes: _____________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Product 4 – Inspiration Source: __________________________________________

New Product Title: ___________________________________________________

Product Type/Formats: ________________________________________________

Additional Materials: __________________________________________________

Notes: _____________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________

Relevant Forums

Explore relevant forums to see what people are discussing and what questions they have. Filter out great ideas for your content creation endeavors.

Task: List the relevant and/or unanswered questions:

Q1 – ________________________________________________________________

A1 – _________________________________________________________________

Q2 – ________________________________________________________________

A2 – _________________________________________________________________

Q3 – ________________________________________________________________

A3 – _________________________________________________________________

Q4 – ________________________________________________________________

A4 – _________________________________________________________________

Q5 – ________________________________________________________________

A5 – _________________________________________________________________

FAQs

Look at your membership site’s FAQ section and those of your competitors. The questions you receive frequently can also help you come up with great content ideas.

Task:

List all the topics you can expand upon, explain, or improve with a video or guide.

My FAQ

_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________

Other FAQ

_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________

Note: Other FAQ sources include:

_____________________________________________________________________

Google News

This is a good source for hot industry topics and updates. Use it and be sure to set up notifications for topics of interest.

Ways to approach this:

Subscribe to popular industry newsletters.
See what your competitors are offering in return for signing up.

Tasks:

List the popular topics related to your niche and member interests.

Niche & Topics

_____________________________

Member Interests & Issues

_____________________________

Identify how you can improve on your competitors’ incentives:

_____________________________

Interview Experts

Experts are often happy to give you a written interview, phone interview and collaborate.

Ways to approach this:

Get permission to use their interview as content for your membership site.
Use the discussion for motivation and inspiration.

Task: Identify industry experts you’d like to get to know and collaborate or JV with.

Name: _______________________________________________________________

Niche: _______________________________________________________________

Expert’s Target Audience: ________________________________________________

Website URL: _________________________________________________________

Contact/Email: _________________________________________________________

Interview Topic: ________________________________________________________

Notes: _______________________________________________________________