Are you looking to provide your most loyal readers with a premium, ad-free experience? Removing ads for subscribers is a smart way to monetize your WordPress site while delivering more value to your audience.
As a website owner, displaying ads allows you to generate revenue from your traffic. However, many users find ads disruptive and are willing to pay a small fee to enjoy your content without interruptions.
Top publishers like Medium, Salon, and Business Insider now offer affordable ad-free subscriptions as an alternative to their ad-supported content. For a few dollars a month, subscribers get a cleaner, faster, less cluttered reading experience.
In this guide, we‘ll walk you through the process of creating an ad-free version of your WordPress site step-by-step. You‘ll learn how to set up subscription tiers, configure ad visibility, and optimize your pricing and promotion to attract paid subscribers.
Let‘s get started!
Why Create an Ad-Free Subscription Option?
There are several compelling reasons to consider offering an ad-free experience for your WordPress site:
Improved user experience. Without ads, your site will load faster and readers will be able to focus on your content without distractions. This can lead to longer reading times, repeat visits, and improved engagement.
Additional revenue stream. An ad-free subscription provides a predictable, recurring source of revenue to complement your ad earnings. Since you know a subscriber‘s lifetime value, you can invest more in your content and user experience.
Increased autonomy. Relying too heavily on ad revenue leaves you vulnerable to algorithm changes and shifting advertiser budgets. Diversifying with reader revenue puts you in greater control of your monetization.
Connection with your audience. Paying subscribers are your most engaged, loyal readers. Delivering an enhanced ad-free experience helps you build a deeper relationship and sense of community with your true fans.
Competitive advantage. In a crowded market, providing an ad-free option can differentiate your site and justify a premium price. You‘ll attract the segment of your audience that values a cleaner UX and is less price sensitive.
Now that we‘ve established the benefits of an ad-free subscription, let‘s dive into how to make it happen on your WordPress site.
Setting Up a Membership Site with MemberPress
The easiest way to create a subscription-based ad-free experience is using a WordPress membership plugin. We recommend MemberPress, our top pick for adding paywalled content and subscriber tiers to a WordPress site.
To get started, purchase a MemberPress license and install the plugin on your WordPress site. If you need help, consult our beginner‘s guide to installing a WordPress plugin.
Once activated, head to the MemberPress settings page to configure your payment gateways. MemberPress integrates with Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.net out of the box so you can easily accept recurring payments.
With the setup complete, navigate to MemberPress > Memberships to create your subscription tiers. Click "Add New" to configure a new plan.
Give your ad-free plan a descriptive title, like "Premium Ad-Free Access." Then set your pricing. You can charge a one-time fee or a recurring subscription, such as $5 billed monthly or annually.
Next, scroll down to the Membership Options section and look for the Permissions settings. Choose "Subscriber" under Allowed User Roles. This ensures that only logged-in subscriber level users can access the ad-free experience.
You can create multiple plans at different price points, such as a higher tier that combines ad-free access with other exclusive perks like premium content, community access, or direct support.
When you‘re satisfied with your membership configuration, publish your plans. They‘ll now be available for purchase.
Configuring Ad Visibility on Your WordPress Site
The next step is configuring ad display on your site so that visitors see ads by default but they‘re hidden for logged-in subscribers.
We recommend using the AdSanity plugin to manage ad placements and visibility. It‘s beginner friendly but packed with powerful features like the ability to schedule campaigns and hide ads from specific user roles.
Start by installing and activating the AdSanity plugin on your WordPress site. Input your license key to enable automatic updates.
Then navigate to AdSanity > Manage Ads to create a new ad campaign. Give it a name, select your banner image or ad code, and configure your display options.
AdSanity offers several different ways to insert ads on your site, including a dedicated widget, shortcodes, and a Gutenberg block. For example, the "AdSanity Single Ad" widget makes it simple to display an ad unit in your sidebar or other widget areas.
To hide ads from subscribers, you‘ll need the User Role Ad Visibility add-on for AdSanity. With this installed, visit AdSanity > Settings and search for the option labeled "Hide Ads from these User Roles." Check the box next to "Subscriber" and save your changes.
That‘s it! Ads will now appear for regular site visitors but not for logged-in users with a Subscriber role.
Creating a Pricing Page to Promote Your Ad-Free Tier
You‘ve configured your membership tiers and ad visibility. Now you need a way to communicate the benefits of your ad-free experience and motivate users to sign up.
Use MemberPress to create an attractive, high-converting pricing page. Head to MemberPress > Groups to set up a new group that will become your pricing page.
Give your group a name like "Premium Subscriptions" and select which of your membership plans to include. Drag and drop them into your preferred order, putting the ad-free plan in a prominent position.
MemberPress‘ group templates make it easy to display your plans in a comparison table format with a clear call-to-action button. Customize the colors and styling to match your branding.
On your pricing page, spell out exactly what subscribers get at each tier, highlighting the ad-free experience as a key selling point. Use benefit-focused copy that stresses how much more enjoyable your content is without ads.
Consider offering a low-cost trial or money-back guarantee to entice visitors to sign up. You can also create special limited-time promotions to drive urgency.
Link to your pricing page in your site navigation, sidebar, and relevant blog posts or pages. A MemberPress login widget makes it simple for subscribers to access their accounts.
Enhancing Your Subscription Offering
Removing ads is a powerful perk, but it‘s not the only way to provide value to paying subscribers. Consider these ideas to make your premium ad-free experience even more compelling:
- Offer bonus content that‘s exclusive to subscribers, such as in-depth tutorials, case studies, webinars, or audio/video material
- Create a private community forum or Slack channel where paying members can connect with each other and get direct support from you
- Provide premium tools or digital downloads that complement your site content, such as templates, checklists, or software
- Give subscribers a one-on-one onboarding or strategy session to help them apply your advice and get results
- Offer early or exclusive access to new content or features before they‘re released to the public
The key is delivering a premium experience that goes beyond the surface level benefit of hiding ads. Listen to your audience and keep refining your offering to best serve their needs.
Measuring the Impact of Your Ad-Free Subscription
Once your ad-free subscription is live, track key metrics to gauge its performance and make informed improvements. Some important numbers to watch:
- Subscriber growth: How many new subscribers are you adding each week and month? What‘s your conversion rate on your pricing page?
- Churn: How many subscribers are canceling each month? Monitor this to spot potential issues with your product and retention.
- Engagement: Are paying subscribers consuming your premium content and engaging with your community? Strong engagement is a positive sign for long-term retention.
- Revenue: What‘s the average revenue per user (ARPU) across your subscription tiers? How does lifetime value (LTV) compare to your customer acquisition costs (CAC)?
As with any new initiative, expect to make plenty of optimizations as you learn what resonates with your unique audience. Stay focused on providing real value and you‘ll be able to build a profitable recurring revenue stream.
Conclusion
Creating an ad-free experience for subscribers is a savvy way to monetize your WordPress site while strengthening bonds with your most dedicated readers. Using plugins like MemberPress and AdSanity, you can easily set up members-only content and configure ad visibility without hiring a developer.
The key to success is presenting your ad-free tier as a compelling value proposition. Deliver meaningful perks that justify the recurring subscription cost, and make the signup and login process as frictionless as possible. Continuously gather feedback and strive to level up your premium offering.
With the right packaging and promotion, you‘ll turn your most loyal audience members into paying supporters of your work while reducing your reliance on unpredictable ad revenue. You may even discover that a fully ad-free, premium content model aligns best with serving your readers over the long run.
Further reading:
- How to Build a Recurring Revenue Stream on WordPress with Paid Memberships
- 10 Proven Ways to Monetize a WordPress Blog
- Best WordPress Advertising Plugins to Boost Ad Revenue
