How to Create a Membership Website in WordPress

Creating a membership website on WordPress is an excellent way to build a community, offer exclusive content, or create a subscription-based business. WordPress, with its user-friendly interface, flexibility, and a vast selection of plugins, makes it easier than ever to build a membership site, even without technical expertise. In this guide, we’ll walk through the essential steps to create a membership website in WordPress, focusing on setting up WordPress, selecting membership plugins, configuring membership tiers, securing the site, and optimizing the user experience.

Step 1: Set Up WordPress

Before you can start building your membership site, you need to install WordPress. Here’s a quick overview:

1. Choose a Hosting Provider: To use WordPress, you’ll need a web hosting provider. There are many options available, but for membership sites, you should look for providers that offer high performance and security. Popular WordPress hosting providers include SiteGround, Bluehost, and WP Engine.
2. Install WordPress: Most hosting providers offer a one-click WordPress installation. Simply log in to your hosting account, find the option to install WordPress, and follow the instructions.
3. Select a Domain Name: Choose a domain name that reflects your brand or membership offering. You can buy your domain through your hosting provider or through a domain registrar.
4. Choose a Theme: Select a WordPress theme that fits the purpose of your membership site. You can choose from free or premium themes. Popular themes like Astra, OceanWP, or the default WordPress theme (Twenty Twenty-One) are excellent choices. Some themes are even optimized for membership sites, with built-in features like content protection and custom login pages.

Step 2: Install a Membership Plugin

WordPress doesn’t include built-in functionality for creating membership websites, but fortunately, there are many membership plugins that make it easy to restrict content, manage memberships, and set up payments.

1. Select a Membership Plugin: Popular membership plugins include:
   • MemberPress: One of the most popular and powerful membership plugins. It allows you to manage memberships, restrict content, create subscription plans, and integrate with payment gateways.
   • Restrict Content Pro: A simple but robust plugin that can manage memberships and restrict content on a per-post or per-page basis.
   • WooCommerce Memberships: If you’re already using WooCommerce for your online store, WooCommerce Memberships integrates seamlessly to sell membership subscriptions along with your products.
   • Paid Memberships Pro: A free plugin with a premium option that offers a lot of flexibility for membership sites of all sizes.
   For this guide, let’s focus on MemberPress since it’s a comprehensive solution.
2. Install and Activate the Plugin:
   • From your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New.
   • Search for MemberPress and click Install Now.
   • After installation, click Activate.
3. Configure the Plugin: After activation, you’ll be prompted to configure the plugin. Go to MemberPress > Settings to begin setting up general settings like currency, payment gateways (such as PayPal or Stripe), and user registration settings.

Step 3: Set Up Membership Levels and Tiers

The heart of any membership site is its membership levels or tiers. Depending on your goals, you may offer multiple membership levels with different access privileges, such as free, basic, and premium tiers.

1. Create Membership Levels:
   • Go to MemberPress > Memberships and click on Add New.
   • Name your membership plan (e.g., Free, Basic, Premium).
   • Set the price (if applicable), billing frequency, and duration (e.g., monthly, yearly).
   • Customize the access rules for each membership level. You can set specific content restrictions for each level, so only paying members can access premium content.
2. Access Rules:
   • Go to MemberPress > Rules to create rules that control which content is visible to which membership levels.
   • You can restrict entire categories, posts, pages, or custom content types based on membership access. This helps to ensure only paying or specific-tier members can view exclusive content.

Step 4: Configure Payment Gateways

For a membership website, one of the most important aspects is handling payments. MemberPress integrates with several payment gateways, including PayPal, Stripe, and Authorize.net.

1. Set Up Payment Gateways: In the MemberPress > Settings > Payments tab, you can configure the payment methods you want to accept.
   • Select your desired gateway, enter the required API keys, and configure the gateway settings.
   • After completing the payment setup, make sure to test the payment process to ensure everything works smoothly.

Step 5: Restrict Content and Protect Membership-Only Pages

The key to a membership site is content protection. You’ll want to ensure that only members with the appropriate level of access can view certain pages or posts.

1. Restrict Content: Use the MemberPress Rules to define which content is restricted for members. For example, you can limit access to specific posts, categories, or pages.
   • For each rule, specify whether it applies to all members or just to specific membership levels.
2. Create Membership Pages: You’ll need some essential pages for your membership site, such as:
   • Login Page: A custom login page where members can log in.
   • Registration Page: A page where users can sign up for your membership.
   • Account Page: A page where members can manage their profiles and subscriptions.

Step 6: Design Your Membership Site’s User Experience

The user experience (UX) of your membership site is crucial. You want the process of signing up, logging in, and accessing content to be simple and intuitive.

1. Customize the Registration and Login Process: MemberPress offers built-in options to customize your login and registration forms. You can add custom fields, create redirects after login, and set up welcome emails.
2. Create a Member Dashboard: It’s important to create a dashboard where members can view and manage their subscriptions, update their profile, and access exclusive content. Many membership plugins, including MemberPress, offer customizable member dashboards.
3. Design Content Layout: Use your theme’s customization options to ensure that your membership content is displayed in an attractive, easy-to-navigate format. Make sure members can easily find the content they are paying for.

Step 7: Test and Launch Your Membership Site

Before launching your membership site, thoroughly test all aspects of the site, including:

• Membership registration
• Payment gateways
• Content access rules
• Membership renewal and cancellations
• User login and logout

Make sure everything is working as expected and that there are no barriers to entry for potential members.

Step 8: Promote Your Membership Site

After launching your membership site, you’ll need to promote it to attract new members. Here are some strategies to consider:

• Offer Free Trials: Encourage people to sign up by offering a limited-time free trial of your premium content.
• Content Marketing: Use blog posts, videos, or podcasts to drive traffic to your site.
• Email Marketing: Build an email list and keep potential and existing members engaged with valuable content and special offers.
• Referral Programs: Consider creating a referral program where existing members can earn rewards for bringing in new members.

Conclusion

Building a membership website on WordPress is a powerful way to create a sustainable online business or community. By following these steps, including choosing the right plugins, creating membership levels, setting up payment gateways, and designing a great user experience, you can launch a successful membership site. The key is to create valuable content that people are willing to pay for and to make sure your membership system is smooth and seamless for all users.