A membership site is a website that only permits registered members to access its content, platform features, and any other exclusive benefit.
To gain the right of access, aspiring members are often required to pay a membership fee. This could be a one-time charge or a recurring charge.
Limiting access to people who meet specific requirements usually creates a community of people with similar interests that have every reason to engage with each other.
This explains why many businesses, clubs, and non-profits opt to create membership sites that restrict access to the specific audience that will be most interested in their offerings and goals.
How Do Membership Sites Work?
Membership sites are often subscription sites that deliver premium content that can include articles, training videos, audio (podcasts), live streaming sessions, online courses, newsletters, webinars and exclusive downloads to their members.
The subscription can be free or paid. The paid subscription can be a flat fee that is paid monthly or annually, and it can also be a tiered subscription model where the member gets more access to features on the platform when they subscribe to premium plans.
To create a membership site, you can build one from the scratch, use purpose-built CMS software, or install and customize a WordPress Plugin if you use the platform.