You you consider Wordpress a poor mans choice of membership?

[Andyhenry]

Hi Warriors,

Just a quick question.

I'm launching several memberships in the near future and for most of them I'm using membership scripts, but I was considering making one of them just by using Wordpress and having free and paid content.

Would you think differently about it knowing it was Wordpress? or am I just thinking about it too much.

Thanks for your feedback

Andy

[Platinum Matt]

If it works well, I wouldn't care.

But personally, if it was using Wordpress I wouldn't want it to LOOK like a normal Wordpress blog - but I wouldn't mind it being on the WP platform.

[Kyle Tully]

You're thinking about it too much

I use Wordpress for a number of sites. One is a membership that sells for $497, I explicitly tell the members it's a Wordpress site and no one has an issue.

Ryan Deiss uses it for a number of his membership sites as well, I don't think it's affected him too much either.

[Lee McIntyre]

Hi Andy

For a membership site I've just created in the education market I've used Wordpress protected by DLguard, and I think it works pretty well.

I've used the Pro Revolution theme to make the site look less like a blog and more like a magazine, and then had someone make some tiny changes such as removing the dates from each posts.

The site looks better than anything I could have done cheaply using a html template from scratch, plus the site is easy to update and manage.

I say go for it!

I hope this helps

Lee McIntyre

[Andyhenry]

That's great, thanks.

I suppose because I keep using different themes I've got used to them and just thought that all the plugins make it seem like a good idea.

I'll see if I can dig out a license for DLGuard, since I'm out of the UK for another 6 weeks I don't wanna have to wait that long for this

Cheers

Andy

[JayXtreme]

Wordpress is so robust Andy... you could manipulate it enough so that it doesn't even feel like a WP..

Not that I would care anyhow... it's the content and value that count..

Peace

Jay

[ragnartm]

sounds to me like you're worrying about it too much, if I would the membership benefits are worth it, who cares what platform it uses? But like Platinum said, I wouldn't want it to look like a normal wordpress blog so use a professional design.

[David_Thompson]

Ahey Andy,

it's an awesome blog/cms man even if it is open source...

I think you're just over think it because of how simple it
is compare to the other scripts you are using at the moment...

--David

[sridhar]

Make certain blog posts only visible to your friends - The WordPress Magazine

[Sheryl Polomka]

I think it's a great idea, Wordpress is great and I really wouldn't think it would be a problem. I certainly wouldn't think any differently of a membership site just because it was Wordpress.

[David-JP]

I've worked with some big name IMers who use wordpress with amember.
The new generation of themes look great, and function well as the front end CMS system for a membership site.

David

[Steve Porcaro]

To me membership sites are all about the content, content...first

Then the organization of that content

Do not care what platform it is on

[Andyhenry]

Originally Posted by Steve Porcaro

To me membership sites are all about the content, content...first

Then the organization of that content

Do not care what platform it is on

That's what I was hoping you'd say

I guess the concensus is pretty unanimous. Thanks guys.

[SeanIM]

Wordpress rocks for all sorts of stuff. Go for it...as mentioned previously, content is king.

[JustVisiting]

Wordpress is great, I use it for regular site design.

My only concern are the number of 'upgrades' issued, and deemed necessary by the developers.

One of the latest was an essential security upgrade...so how secure were the previous versions? You do hear of folk having their WP sites hacked. (although this could happen with any site)

Plus there are still extra security measures you should take with 2.6.2.

WP upgrades can, and often do, create incompatabilities with already installed plugins on your site. So until the plugin author sorts their plugin out you may have a problem.

Since I use over a dozen what I would consider to be absolutely 'essential'
plugins it can take a couple of weeks for all them to be upgraded by the authors. I know these guys provide the stuff for free, I'm not complaining, but it's just a fact.

With non-membership sites these hassles are annoying and can be very time-consuming when putting right. With membership sites, would (or do) these issues cause more of a problem?

[Monetize]

I agree with everyone else; if it works for you, use it.
If you outgrow it, parlay your proceeds and purchase
something better.

[Bob Montgomery]

Lee - I've been trying to protect a web page with DL Guard (which I purchased) but have been advised that it will only protect download files - such as a pdf or other file - not a web page. Does this sound right or am I missing something here?

Thanks for your input.

[Jenn Dize]

Wordpress is fine...Eban Pagen's Wake Up Productive membership is WP

[BlueSquares]

Andy, I've had my eye on this Wordpress Membership plugin for some time. I plan on using it for one of my membership sites. I also have a developers license to all the Revolution Themes in case you've been eyeing those. From that I understand about DLGuard, it will protect an entire page and not specific content. So you won't be able to show 'teaser text' with DLGuard. With the solution above you will.

Originally Posted by Andyhenry

Hi Warriors,

Just a quick question.

I'm launching several memberships in the near future and for most of them I'm using membership scripts, but I was considering making one of them just by using Wordpress and having free and paid content.

Would you think differently about it knowing it was Wordpress? or am I just thinking about it too much.

Thanks for your feedback

Andy

[TheRichJerksNet]

Well Andy you got the Marketers point of view so I guess I will toss mine in here for what it is worth.

Depends upon what type of membership you are selling, if you are trying to sell someone on making money online and using a free script then some may be wanting to turn away from the site.

It's like the old age question that ran around for years "Should I use tripod.com free webpage or get my own domain name ?" Well this is a simple answer, get your own domain name as it looks more professional (plus many other reasons).

Creating a totally unique secured membership that caters to your users vs having a free open source unsecured platform, there is a huge difference here. To many this may not matter but there are some that it does matter, which could cost you in the long run of leaving those ones out that it does matter too...

A Very excellent post by Cherilyn

99% of you are leaving money on the table - here's why.

This same concept applies here also. What if those few visitors (let's say a very small amount) 2%, do care about the platform you choose to use and those 2% happen to be people that actually spend money. I am not talking about the normal member, I am talking about 2% that are highly active.. Depending upon your business model and what type of membership you have that 2% loss could turn into a huge amount of money just as explained on Cherilyn's post.

Really do not want to bore you to death though, just wanted to give you a different opinion to think about. Could be the developer in me but I personally prefer custom built all the way.

To answer your question, would most care about it being wordpress ? Probably not but do you care about leaving money on the table is what you should ask yourself...

James

[yaji]

The link makes lots of sense: opt-in is important in sales page. Thanks!

[TheRichJerksNet]

Originally Posted by yaji

The link makes lots of sense: opt-in is important in sales page. Thanks!

My point is not about opt-ins though ... It is about members actually joining the site or not and paying that membership fee. Some will care about it being wordpress and will turn away..

James

[JustVisiting]

I love Wordpress, but this is the point.

Originally Posted by TheRichJerksNet

...a free open source unsecured platform...

It's getting better with every upgrade but because WP is so much used now it is one of the platforms hackers go after.

Here's an interesting post I found

Wordpress Hack causes Website to be removed from Google (Geek News Central)

Ok WP has been upgraded since but that's no consolation for the guy/girl whose blog was hacked. So lets enter the latest WP release into Google: hack + wordpress 2.6.2

And the first result is...

WordPress › Support Wordpress 2.6.2 got hacked

Wordpress 2.6.1 Exploit: Upgrade to avoid hack | wordpressguru.eu

My other concern is security of the plugins themselves. I'm sure there must be security issues with some of these.

[TheRichJerksNet]

They can upgrade until the cows come home, will not make a difference unless you take control of your blog and secure it yourself. What you got to realize is the platform although upgraded still uses the same exact code and this same exact code including the upgrade hackers have access too..

Plug-ins created by third parties, most dont know what security is and if they do they are not going to worry about it very much because they have been programmed to think "Update and Backup then your safe" this is one of the most lame excuses I have ever seen in my 20+ years online.

The above is the reason why I included on my wp secured product how to secure plug-ins..

What people don't realize is that OLD or NEW wordpress is still being hacked by the hundreds (if not thousands) every single day..

James

[Clare Moser]

Andy,

I use WP for my membership site and used wp-Member.com Advanced Wordpress Membership Plugin for the membership script. WP-member is run by a Warrior named Dave that provides top-notch support if your looking for a good membership script.

[fthomas137]

I've been looking for a wp plugin for a membership site that would do the following:

1. Allow teaser text and teaser video (that has been branded with the web address and posted directly on youtube)
2. When the prospect becomes a paying member, the teaser video is replaced by the full length privately hosted video without the extra branding.
3. Different payment levels. I'm thinking of permitting membership at a discount until a specific number is reached and notch it up as the membership numbers increase. Using much the same idea that WSO's use to create urgency. Example, first 100 - $7.97, second 100 - 8.97, etc. And the membership would stay constant for members that entered at the 7.97 level unless they unsubscribe.

Make sense? Anyone who has any idea of this sort of detail, I would be grateful to hear your advice.

Frank

[BlueSquares]

YourMember does all of this. It's the solution I setup for Andy at his blog. You can read my full review here:

YourMember Review: A Wordpress Membership Plugin | Wordpress

Originally Posted by fthomas137

I've been looking for a wp plugin for a membership site that would do the following:

1. Allow teaser text and teaser video (that has been branded with the web address and posted directly on youtube)
2. When the prospect becomes a paying member, the teaser video is replaced by the full length privately hosted video without the extra branding.
3. Different payment levels. I'm thinking of permitting membership at a discount until a specific number is reached and notch it up as the membership numbers increase. Using much the same idea that WSO's use to create urgency. Example, first 100 - $7.97, second 100 - 8.97, etc. And the membership would stay constant for members that entered at the 7.97 level unless they unsubscribe.

Make sense? Anyone who has any idea of this sort of detail, I would be grateful to hear your advice.

Frank

[TheRichJerksNet]

Yeah and be sure you make it hacker free too ...

James

[Melody]

There is so much you can do to NOT look like a standard blog and still retain the ease of content update - Mobile Advertising For Small Business | Marketing With SMS | Mobile Marketing is WP but just about everything that you see on a blog (comments, date of post etc) except the RSS has been taken out. Links to page and posts are gone - the menu is actually the blogroll widget. It's not quite done yet - but you get the point.

I travel a lot and for me - the ability to add/change content on the fly from anywhere is very important, and WP lets me do this.

I have two new membership sites starting shortly and I am using the WishList plugin from wpwishlist.com Home because it has the membership features along with sequential content delivery, membership levels, etc.

Still in the early stages of playing with it - but it seems pretty good for the price.

[ShayRockhold]

It would not matter to me either way.

Honestly, if you changed the theme enough, no one could tell if it were Wordpress anyway.

[TheRichJerksNet]

Trust me Shay people can spot a WordPress Blog a mile away ... No matter how much you change the looks, this is why hackers still hack then even when you do add a custom theme..

James

[ShayRockhold]

Originally Posted by TheRichJerksNet

Trust me Shay people can spot a WordPress Blog a mile away ... No matter how much you change the looks, this is why hackers still hack then even when you do add a custom theme..

James

LOL Ya learn something new every day....

[xlfutur1]

I've used Joomla for a membership site for over a year and since alot of my other sites are in WP, I'm switching over.

There are some terrific plugins out there for member sites now, and with the availability of so many great themes now, you can make the site look just about any way you want.

Joomla was ok and basically did the job, but just seemed kind of complicated and not so user friendly at points along the way. Wordpress has really come into its own in the last year or so. I doubt I will go back to Joomla again.

[mudmat]

I don't think that Wordpress is a poor man's choice of membership site..

The important thing is your content. Provide quality content and I don't think people will mind if you use a membership script or wordpress.

But customise your wordpress theme to make it nicer!

[jsmith2482]

Originally Posted by Jenn Dize

Wordpress is fine...Eban Pagen's Wake Up Productive membership is WP

Can you give us a screen shot of what it looks like?

[Bruce Wedding]

If you use a revolution theme, now freely available, 99% won't even be able to tell it's Wordpress.

[tiger325]

wordpress works ...period

[Jenn Dize]

Originally Posted by jsmith2482

Can you give us a screen shot of what it looks like?

The inside of the membership looks just like the blog that has the free content on it.

WakeUpProductiveBlog

Actually, I guess that I don't know that it's Wordpress - but it is in 'blog' format.

[KathyK]

The WakeUpProductive blog is not WordPress - it's Movable Type (one of WordPress's pay competitors). Personally I prefer WordPress. I"ve used both.

A properly done WordPress site often looks, and works, better than a regular static site. The problem is that a lot of people just use 'out of the box' templates and go from there.

Tweak those designs a bit and no one (other than me and a few other nerds ) will be able to tell if it's Wordpress, Joomla, Drupal, MovableType, Dreamweaver or Notepad.

[Louis Raven]

In fact, some may prefer using a friendly and familia service.

Andy, if you don't mind me asking, are you using a paid script or free plugin?

Looking to set up a similar project. I use E-Junkie for digital downloads but don't think they handle memberships etc.

Louis