How to Create a Video Membership Site in WordPress

How to Create a Video Membership Site with WordPress in 2023
Do you want to build a video membership website to share premium videos with paying subscribers? A video membership site is a great way to monetize your expertise by providing gated video content to members who pay a recurring subscription fee.

WordPress makes it easier than ever to create a professional video membership site without any technical skills. You can control access to your videos, offer different subscription levels, accept online payments, and grow your member base, all with a few plugins.

In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll walk you through the complete process of planning, creating and launching a video membership site with WordPress in 2023. Let‘s get started!

Benefits of Building a Video Membership Site with WordPress

There are many advantages to creating a video membership site to host your premium video content:

• Recurring income – Charge a recurring subscription fee for access to your videos
• Establish authority – Position yourself as an expert in your niche
• Deliver convenient access – Members can watch anytime, from any device
• Build a loyal community – Foster engagement and connection with your audience
• Scale your reach – Grow your revenue without trading time for money

WordPress is the ideal platform to build your video membership site:

• User-friendly – The intuitive WordPress interface is easy for beginners
• Flexible – Customize your site‘s design and functionality with themes and plugins
• Affordable – Avoid expensive development costs by using existing tools
• Full ownership – You maintain 100% control over your site and content
• Built-in blog – Publishing articles can attract traffic and new members

Now that you understand the benefits, let‘s dive into the steps to create your video membership site on WordPress.

Planning Your Video Membership Site

Before building your membership site, you need to make some key decisions and gather some initial components:

1. Choose a domain name
   Your site‘s web address should be brandable, memorable and relevant to your niche. Keep it concise and avoid hyphens or numbers. Check availability and purchase your domain from a registrar like Google Domains or Namecheap.

2. Select a web hosting plan
   WordPress itself is free, but you need a hosting service to store your site‘s files and make them accessible online. Look for reputable WordPress hosting with excellent uptime, speed, security and support. Some top options are:

• Bluehost – Affordable and beginner-friendly, with easy WordPress installation. Plans start at $2.95/month.

• SiteGround – Known for high performance and quality support. Plans start at $3.99/month.

• WP Engine – Premium managed WordPress hosting with advanced speed and security. Plans start at $22/month.

We recommend Bluehost for those just starting out, as it offers great value and an intuitive interface. You can check out our step-by-step guide on how to start a WordPress blog with Bluehost.

3. Pick a WordPress membership plugin
   To restrict access to your videos and manage subscriptions, you‘ll need a membership plugin. Look for one with flexible membership levels, content dripping, coupons, reporting and good reviews. Our top recommendations:

• MemberPress – Beginner-friendly yet powerful, with a course builder and many integrations. Pricing starts at $179/year.

• Restrict Content Pro – Another solid all-in-one membership solution with a good feature set. Pricing starts at $99/year.

• Paid Memberships Pro – A robust free membership plugin with paid add-ons for more functionality. The core plugin is free.

Compare features and go with the one that best fits your needs and budget. MemberPress is a popular choice if you want integrated video hosting, while Restrict Content Pro is great for developers. You can also read our full comparison of the best WordPress membership plugins.

4. Consider video hosting options
   While you can host videos on your own WordPress site, you risk slow playback and excess server load. Using a professional video hosting platform ensures smooth streaming and reduces bandwidth usage. Some options are:

• Vimeo – Provides customizable video players and privacy controls. Plus plan starts at $7/month.

• Wistia – Offers marketing integrations and viewer analytics. Plans start at $19/month.

• Jetpack – Includes ad-free, unbranded video hosting. Paid plans start at $10.95/month.

We suggest Vimeo as an affordable, user-friendly option to get started. Its customizable player and domain-level privacy make it ideal for membership sites.

5. Create your video content
   Begin producing the videos you want to offer members as you set up your site. Aim for high-quality, engaging videos that provide value and help you stand out. Decide on a consistent style, invest in decent recording equipment, and develop a content calendar to stay organized.

With these components in hand, you‘re ready to dive into building your membership site.

Setting Up Your WordPress Video Membership Site

Follow these steps to configure WordPress and install your essential plugins:

1. Install WordPress
   If your hosting didn‘t come with WordPress pre-installed, you‘ll need to install it yourself. Download the latest version from WordPress.org and follow the famous 5-minute installation guide.

Most hosts also provide 1-click WordPress installation from your hosting control panel. For example, Bluehost lets you install WordPress during signup.

2. Choose a WordPress theme
   Your theme controls your site‘s appearance and layout. Pick one that complements your brand and content. Look for a responsive, lightweight theme with positive reviews. If you want a head start, consider one of these membership site themes.

You can find free themes in the official WordPress.org theme directory or buy a premium theme from a marketplace like StudioPress or ThemeForest.

3. Install your membership plugin
   In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins → Add New and search for your chosen membership plugin. Install and activate the plugin.

You‘ll see a new menu item for your membership plugin, where you can configure settings. We‘ll cover the specifics of MemberPress as an example:

4. Configure MemberPress global settings
   In your WordPress dashboard, go to MemberPress → Settings to configure the plugin‘s main settings:

• Pages – Specify the pages for registration, login, account management, etc.
• Payments – Enable your payment methods (PayPal, Stripe) and currency
• Emails – Customize the templates for member email notifications
• Accounts – Set account creation rules, login/logout redirects, etc.

MemberPress lets you create Pages for account management as you go through the settings.

5. Create membership levels
   Go to MemberPress → Memberships and click "Add New" to create a membership level. Give it a name, description, and pricing. Specify the billing type, frequency, and access expiration.

Use the Membership Options meta box to customize permissions, price box display, and more. Repeat the process to create additional membership levels as needed.

6. Set up access rules
   Go to MemberPress → Rules and click "Add New" to restrict content. Choose the content to restrict (all content, a specific Page/Post, a category, etc.), and select the membership level(s) that should have access.

Use the Drip/Expiration section to schedule when content becomes available after a member registers. For example, you might wait 7 days before releasing a video course module.

Integrating Video Hosting & Uploading Videos

Now you‘re ready to connect your video host and start uploading members-only videos.

1. Configure video hosting settings (Vimeo example)
   Sign up for a Vimeo Plus account or higher. Go to your account settings to get your API key and token. In your WordPress dashboard, install the Vimeo shortcode plugin.

Go to Settings → Vimeo Shortcode and enter your Vimeo API details. Here you can also set global video behavior and styling.

2. Upload videos to your host
   In Vimeo, begin uploading the videos you created for your membership. Set each video‘s Privacy to "Only people with the private link". You can also add captions, tags, and other metadata.

3. Embed videos in WordPress
   Create a new Page or Post in WordPress where you want to embed a members-only video. Toggle to the "Code Editor" view and paste in the video‘s full Vimeo URL.

The Vimeo shortcode plugin will automatically convert the link into a responsive, playable embed. Publish/Update the Page/Post.

4. Restrict video content
   Edit the Page/Post and scroll down to the MemberPress Unauthorized Access box. Check "Enabled" to restrict this content. Select the membership levels that should have access and customize the unauthorized message if desired.

Now, only members who are logged in with the proper membership level will be able to view the video embed. All other users will see the unauthorized message instead.

Customizing Your Membership Site

Tailor your membership site‘s key pages and notifications to fit your unique brand.

1. Customize registration & login process
   Use the MemberPress Unauthorized Access meta box on key pages like your site‘s homepage to specify where logged-out users should be redirected. The login page is a common choice.

Customize the MemberPress registration form by adding and removing fields. For example, you might collect a phone number or remove the password field and automatically generate one.

2. Brand your members‘ area
   Create a WordPress Page to serve as the member dashboard. Use the MemberPress account shortcode to display the member‘s subscription details and profile info. Include navigation links to other members-only Pages.

Customize this page‘s design with your site logo, brand colors, and personalized welcome message. Create a consistent look and feel across all your members-only Pages.

3. Set up confirmation emails
   Go to MemberPress → Settings → Emails to view and edit all the transactional emails your membership site may send (registration, payment receipt, cancellation, etc.)

Customize the subject line and body copy to infuse your brand voice. Include key details like login credentials or a link to the members‘ area. Send yourself test emails to check appearance and deliverability.

Growing Your Video Membership Base

Once your video membership site is up and running, focus on attracting paying members.

1. Gate some video content for free
   Consider offering a limited selection of videos for free to give prospective members a sample. Use MemberPress Rules to restrict just a portion of a Page/Post‘s content, or create a separate free membership level.

"Ungated" content can also help your SEO, since search engines can‘t index members-only Pages. Decide what to gate carefully to balance lead generation with incentive to subscribe.

2. Promote on social media & email
   Share links to your membership site on your social media profiles, with teaser clips of your video content. Mention it regularly in your email newsletters. Build anticipation before launch and continue to discuss the benefits of membership over time.

3. Optimize for search engines
   Help prospective members find you through search by optimizing your public-facing Pages/Posts. Research relevant keywords and incorporate them naturally in your content. Use a plugin like Yoast SEO to set a focus keyword, craft enticing meta titles/descriptions, and identify other on-page optimizations.

4. Run paid advertising campaigns
   Invest in paid social media ads and/or Google Ads to expand your reach. Target relevant interests and demographics. Experiment with different ad formats and copy. Direct ad traffic to an optimized landing page for your membership.

5. Partner with influencers & affiliates
   Identify influencers and brands with a complementary audience to yours. Propose a partnership where they promote your video membership to their followers. You could offer them a free membership for review or a commission for referrals.

Create an affiliate program using a plugin like AffiliateWP to incentivize partners to promote your membership. Provide them with a unique link to share and pay them a percentage of the subscription revenue they generate.

6. Listen to member feedback
   Survey your existing members periodically to understand what they like and dislike about your video content and membership experience. Identify ways to improve your videos‘ substance, style, and delivery. Implement changes based on feedback to boost member satisfaction and retention.

Consider setting up an online community (e.g. private Facebook group) for your members to connect with one another and discuss your content. Engage in the conversations to build relationships and get ideas for future content.

Maintaining Your Video Membership Site

Sustain your membership site‘s security and performance with some regular maintenance.

1. Keep WordPress & plugins updated
   When you see the notification in your WordPress dashboard that a new version is available, update to the latest release. Updates often include bug fixes, security patches, and new features. Back up your site before each update in case you need to revert.

2. Run security scans & backups
   Security plugins like Sucuri and Wordfence can scan your site for malware and suspicious activity. Configure them to run automated scans on a schedule (e.g. weekly). Also set up regular automatic backups (e.g. daily) so you can quickly restore if needed.

3. Monitor site speed & performance
   Use a tool like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to test your site‘s page load times. Implement their recommendations, like compressing images and minifying code, to maintain snappy performance. Fast load times are crucial to visitor engagement and search rankings.

4. Provide prompt customer support
   Be responsive to member inquiries and issues in a friendly, professional manner. Offer multiple contact methods like email, phone, and live chat. Consider implementing a knowledge base or support ticket system to streamline responses.

Train a virtual assistant to handle common support tasks. Create email templates they can use to ensure consistency and accuracy. Escalate complex issues to yourself and respond promptly to maintain members‘ trust.

5. Continuously add new video content
   Keep your membership valuable over time by regularly publishing new videos. Stick to a consistent schedule that sets expectations for members, like 2 new videos per month. Alternate between repurposing existing content in new ways and covering fresh topics.

Survey members on what subjects they‘d like to see covered next. Look for trends and hot topics in your industry to address. Prune outdated content periodically to keep your video library fresh and relevant.

Final Thoughts

Building a video membership site can be a lucrative way to monetize your expertise and scale your impact. With WordPress and MemberPress, you can set up a professional video membership site and start accepting paying subscribers in no time.

The keys to success with a video membership site are creating remarkable video content, making it easy to access, and promoting it strategically. Focus on providing real value, engaging your members, and continuously improving your membership experience. Maintain your site proactively to keep it secure and speedy.

Following the steps in this guide, you‘ll be well on your way to recurring revenue from a loyal member base. Your video content can become a cornerstone of your online business.

For more guidance on expanding your membership site and increasing sales, see our article on proven ways to grow an online business.