In the digital age, subscription websites have emerged as a powerful way to monetize online products or services. A WordPress subscription website allows you to offer personalized content, membership benefits, or exclusive products to your target audience on a regular basis.
Creating a WordPress subscription website involves several key steps, from choosing the right plugins to setting up payment gateways and managing user accounts.
But how do you create a WordPress membership website that stands out, gives your members value and also generates money? No worries! In this article, we will guide you through the process of building a successful subscription website using WordPress, ensuring you can start your journey with this website model with ease.
Benefits of a Subscription Website
The recurring nature of this type of website provides numerous benefits for both the provider and the consumer.
Here are some of the reasons that highlight the importance of adopting a subscription model:
- Customer loyalty: Foster stronger relationships with your audience and improve retention rates with ongoing engagement.
- Predictable revenue: Ensure that you receive regular payments from your subscribers, whether it’s monthly, quarterly, or annually.
- Personalization journey: Tailor the user experience with personalized content and recommendations based on your subscribers’ data.
- Direct customer interaction: Build a direct relationship with your audience, allowing better customer service and targeted marketing.
- Community building: Create a sense of community amongst your subscribers with exclusive forums, groups, and networking opportunities.
How to Build a WordPress Subscription Website
Creating a subscription website doesn’t have to be a complicated process. By utilizing the appropriate tools, you can set up a subscription site without needing advanced technical skills.
Here are five simple steps to establish a subscription website using the Paid Member Subscriptions plugin, which is rated 4.7/5 stars from over 200 user reviews.
1. Install and configure the Paid Member Subscriptions plugin
If you haven’t already, the first step that you need to do is to download the free version of the plugin from the official plugin directory or by simply searching for it byname in the Plugins page on your WordPress backend dashboard.
Now make sure to activate it so that you can use the plugin.
The good news is that this plugin allows you to create a subscription website with the free version. However, if you would like to access premium features such as pro-rated subscription plans or group memberships, upgrading to Paid Member Subscriptions Pro is recommended.
2. Set up the Registration page
After you first activate the plugin, the Setup Wizard page will appear when you click on the Paid Member Subscription section of your menu. This setup page will guide you through the initial configuration of the plugin. It will also automatically create essential membership pages, including the registration page where users can select a subscription plan.
While you will still need to create the actual subscription plans, the Setup Wizard gives you a quicker start of the implementation process.
Once you complete all the setup steps, your registration page will be ready, complete with the integrated form.
3. Customize your form
Now that your registration form is ready, you can also customize its design using Form Styles, available in the Pro version of the plugin. Upgrading to the Pro version gives you access to these advanced customization options, providing you with greater flexibility and control over your website’s design.
To do so, simply go to the Paid Member Subscription icon in your Dashboard menu and click on Settings. In the Design & User Experience section, you can either choose one of the three form style templates already available. If none of these options meet your preferences, you can choose the default template, which allows you to customize the CSS for a look that better matches your website.
Once you choose the preferred style, select it and make sure to click the Save Settings button on the right.
4. Set up the payment gateways
Whether you want your subscribers to pay via offline payments, PayPal, or credit card, you must set up the payment gateways first. Payment gateways facilitate the transfer of money between your members and your business accounts.
To do so, go to your WordPress dashboard menu, navigate to the Paid Membership Subscriptions section, and click on Settings → Payments.
Under Active Payment Gateways, you have the option to choose which of these payment methods to offer to your subscribers.
Additionally, you can choose the Default Payment Gateway that will be selected initially..
It’s important to know that if you choose PayPal or Stripe as payment options for your website, you’ll need to complete an additional setup for activation. To begin the onboarding process, press the button under the option that you have selected. You will be redirected to the official website to complete the initial setup. After finishing, you’ll be redirected back to your website. If the connection is successful, you will be able to process payments
After you made your decision, make sure to click on Save Settings before exiting the page.
5. Create subscription plans
To create your first subscription plan, navigate to Paid Member Subscriptions on your admin interface, then click on Subscription Plans → Add New.
In this section, you can choose all the relevant details of your subscription, like a creative membership name, description, duration, price and user role.
Optionally, you can further monetize your website content by using subscription plans to restrict content. This encourages visitors to opt for a paid plan in order to get exclusive access to premium content, giving you greater control over your website and boosting your revenue.
After you created your plans, the registration page your front end users will see to sign up for one will look something like this:
Congratulations! In just five steps, you have created your first WordPress subscription website.
Implement a Pricing Table
After all this is finished, you might want to create a pricing table so the visitors on your site can easily view and compare the plans that are available for them and their prices.
The are only two easy steps to do that:
- First and foremost, go to Paid Member Subscriptions → Subscription plans → Create Pricing Page.
- Next, a pop-up will appear where you can choose the subscription plans you want to include on the Pricing page (up to a maximum of 3 plans).
Afterwards, a pricing page will be automatically generated with the preferences selected earlier.
You can further customize how your plans appear on the page by selecting an existing pricing table template from the plugin or fully customizing one yourself.
Conclusion
Creating a WordPress subscription website is a smart choice for businesses and creators looking to thrive online. Whether you’re offering exclusive content, personalized services, or limited products, a subscription website can turn your online presence into a sustainable and profitable venture.
With the Paid Member Subscriptions plugin, you can easily manage a WordPress subscription website that allows you to monetize your offerings effectively while delivering value to your subscribers.
Start exploring the benefits of a WordPress subscription website today and take your business to new heights.
