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Techies >>> Best way to "integrate" Aweber w/ my membership site?

by Brandon Tanner
12 replies
Hey everyone,

I'm going to start a membership site soon, and would like to set it up to where new members have to double opt-in to my mailing list before they can access the site. Here's the thing... I would like to use Aweber or Get Response for this (instead of the email function built into my membership script), as I don't want the headaches that come with sending out large volumes of emails at once from my own server.

I'm not sure about Get Response, but from what I understand you can not directly integrate membership scripts w/ Aweber. So with that said, here's what I would like to do... Set it up so that my script generates a unique log-in password for each new member based on the email address that they use to sign up with (via the Aweber form on my site), AFTER they double opt-in.

From what I understand, you can pass CGI forward variables (such as a users email address) to your custom sign up page. Then set a cookie on that page that contains their email address. Then once they get to the custom confirmation success page, grab their email address from the cookie and use it to generate a unique log-in password.

But the problem with that method is, not everyone keeps cookies enabled.

So... any other ideas or suggestions, or might that be the best way to do it?

Thanks!
#>>> #aweber #integrate #membership #site #techies #w or
  • Profile picture of the author rwil02
    The usual thing I see is:

    1. You sign up
    2. The membership system sends an email to an AWeber list using your email address requesting a subscription
    3. You receive an email asking you to confirm your opt-in to the list.
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    • Profile picture of the author Brandon Tanner
      Originally Posted by Jeff Hope View Post

      Many do indeed do that - however, it's against Aweber TOS for a scripted email to be sent to your signup email address at Aweber. Likewise it's against their TOS for a script to post the user data in the background while the visitor stays on your site.

      Brandon - here's a suggestion. In the first email that goes out - the one sent after someone confirms - why not have a link to your membership signup page that contains their email address?

      You can use all the system variables to do this (such as !firstname_fix - sorry, I don't remember the email address one off the top of my head). Use something like http:// yourdomain.com/yoursignuppage.php?email={!email} (or whatever the variable is). Your membership script can take it from there.

      Jeff
      Jeff,

      That's a great idea! Seems like that would be a much more reliable method than using cookies. I will definitely give it a shot.

      Thanks!
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    • Profile picture of the author ravijayagopal
      While it is true that it's against Aweber TOS for a scripted email to be sent to your signup email address at Aweber, there is a better way to do this.

      Aweber has something called "Email Parsers".

      You can actually quickly write one yourself using their online parser generator. You can even see your (temporary) parser in action.

      Anyway, you would actually have to request Aweber to write a custom parser for you. You need to send them a copy of your entire email (what your script would normally send the signup email address at Aweber), and then they will set up a "parser".

      It is just a "round-about" way of saying, "Hey, your script CANNOT just send an email to mylist@aweber.com, but if you DO set up an email parser on our end, then you CAN do the same thing, and that's ok".

      Take a look at how we've set it up to integrate our script (DigitalAccessPass) with Aweber on the backend, so what happens is:

      1) User gets added to our script
      2) Our script sends out an email to "mylist@aweber.com" with the "from name" and "from email" being that of the subscribers
      3) Since we've set up a "DigitalAccessPass" email parser at Aweber, they will now add the subscriber to the aweber list "mylist".
      4) So subscriber is now basically on two lists: one on our site, one in our Aweber list.

      Here's the link:
      http://www.digitalaccesspass.com/doc...r-integration/

      - Ravi Jayagopal
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  • Profile picture of the author Johnny Slater
    The best way to handle it is how most of the top membership scripts work. Have your signup form submit directly to Aweber and let Aweber process the AR signup. Then have the submitted form data returned back to your site and process the signup on your site using the POST data that Aweber returns back to you.

    Clean, seamless, and fully within the TOS of Awber since the form is being submitted directly to them from the customer and not buy your script itself.
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    • Profile picture of the author ravijayagopal
      Johnny,

      The solution you are suggesting would work only if in a "free signup" membership site situation, where the user path starts at a Aweber signup form, and there is no payment involved.

      It wouldn't work if the user path is as follows:
      1) Visitor goes to sales page
      2) Clicks on "buy button"
      3) Membership script gives access to user to content/download
      4) Only now, after payment is complete, Membership script should add member to Aweber list on the backend.

      That's the typical scenario which 99% of the people want.

      That's where Aweber's "Email Parsers" come into the picture.

      That's the only way to do it from the backend while also fully complying with their TOS.

      And that's also exactly how I've integrated Aweber with DigitalAccessPass.com, a membership plugin for WordPress.

      - Ravi Jayagopal

      Originally Posted by Johnny Slater View Post

      The best way to handle it is how most of the top membership scripts work. Have your signup form submit directly to Aweber and let Aweber process the AR signup. Then have the submitted form data returned back to your site and process the signup on your site using the POST data that Aweber returns back to you.

      Clean, seamless, and fully within the TOS of Awber since the form is being submitted directly to them from the customer and not buy your script itself.
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      • Profile picture of the author Johnny Slater
        This is completely wrong. The solution I suggest works for any signup method and has been in use by multiple scripts for years. Simple Member Pro was one of the first to use this particluar method 3 years ago.

        The process flow is not that complicated.

        Visit to site.
        Click payment button and make payment.
        Return to signup form.
        Submit signup form and send to Aweber.
        Aweber returns the form and script processes signup.

        or

        Visit to site.
        Click payment button which takes you to signup form.
        Signup form submitted to Aweber.
        Aweber returns data and script processes signup.
        Member taken to payment gateway.
        After payment member returned to protected area login.


        Just because you can't figure it out on your own product does not mean that others haven't figured it out in our products. LFM, BFM, SMP, RAP, and many other membership scripts have no problem processing Aweber signups as part of a paid process.

        Those of you who have parsers created need to realize that using parsers is NOT the only way to stay within Awebers TOS. The method I describe has been in use for years and has been fully vetted by Aweber many many times. It is fully within their TOS and works seamlessly.

        Originally Posted by ravijayagopal View Post

        Johnny,

        The solution you are suggesting would work only if in a "free signup" membership site situation, where the user path starts at a Aweber signup form, and there is no payment involved.
        - Ravi Jayagopal
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  • Profile picture of the author ravijayagopal
    Johnny,

    No need to get nasty or personal. I could too, but I just know better than that.

    Before Aweber introduced Email Parsers, I used to have this very same solution (what you just suggested) of using a "Splash screen" concept, and presenting the Aweber form "after" they've made a purchase.

    Got too many complaints from people. Which was expected.

    Because when someone has just filled out a long order form and given you all of the information - including name and email id - it doesn't make sense to ask them for it again.

    So yes, forcing your users to fill out the Aweber form "after" they've made a payment - does it work? Sure, it does.

    But just because it works, does it mean it is the best solution? Certainly not.

    And just because some membership scripts do it, for whatever reason - doesn't automatically make it the ideal solution.

    Just because someone *can* walk from home to work which is 30 miles away, doesn't mean they should.

    Asking people to fill out a sign up form with their name and email right after they've filled out a long form with the same information and also their billing address and their credit card info could be very annoying, and should be avoided if possible - especially if you don't like annoying your paying customers :-)

    - Ravi Jayagopal
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    • Profile picture of the author Johnny Slater
      I didn't say anything at all about a "splash" screen. If you have a membership then the member has to fill out their username, password, email address, paypal email address, etc. Submitting that form directly to Aweber then processing the returned data is fully within the services TOS, its transparent as far as the user is concerned, and does not add any un needed steps. As I said, and this isn't a personal attack, just because you guys using parsers haven't figured it out doesn't mean it can't be done.

      Before you start saying parsers are the "only" legal way to stay within Awebers TOS you should at least understand the methods you are slighting when you make those kinds of statements. The blanket statement that only parsers are within Awebers TOS is not only incorrect, it is just plain bad advice. For the vast majority of people there are solutions already in place that have nothing to do with parsers and don't require anyone to have to deal with having to figure out how to use a method that requires more time to set up than it saves.

      Originally Posted by ravijayagopal View Post

      Before Aweber introduced Email Parsers, I used to have this very same solution (what you just suggested) of using a "Splash screen" concept, and presenting the Aweber form "after" they've made a purchase.

      Got too many complaints from people. Which was expected.- Ravi Jayagopal
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  • Profile picture of the author Johnny Slater
    Just to add a little clairity here.. Aweber is looking for the end users IP address on signup. As long as any given method correctly comes directly from the end users IP address then Aweber has no problems with it.

    The "scripted" method that Aweber says is against their TOS is when the script itself sends the data to Aweber and the IP address of the server hosting the script is recorded instead of the end users IP address.

    There are at least 4 seperate methods that have been in use for 3 or 4 years which allow the site owner to collect signup information and automate responder signup using the same one form and stay well within the TOS of Aweber.

    If the methods I am describing were against the TOS of Aweber then scripts like Launch Formula Marketing, Butterfly Marketing, Simple Member Pro, Rapid Action Profits, and many others would have been required to remove the methods they currently use. The different methods used in each of the mentioned scripts have been verified with Aweber several times over the years and Aweber has clearly said they have no problem with the methods used.

    Parsers are great when they are needed, but they are not always needed and in some situations they can actually be more of a hassle than using other methods since other methods only require 2 bits of information from an Aweber form to work.

    Again, as long as the recorded IP address is coming from the end user, meaning the end user submits the form instead of a script sending data directly, then Aweber has said over and over that they have no problem with it and it is TOS compliant.
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  • Profile picture of the author CarloD.
    Here's a setup I do.

    Sales Page -> Buy -> ThankYou (also Step 1 of sign up)(Aweber Opt In) -> Aweber ThankYou (Please Check your email to finish registration) (Aweber Confirmation) -> Aweber Confirm Thankyou Page (This is where you can add your Membership Registration) -> Final Thankyou Page -> Login
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    • Profile picture of the author Johnny Slater
      Thats a nice valid setup. A bit long winded with a few steps that could be cut down but a good way of processing the flow.

      Originally Posted by CarloD. View Post

      Here's a setup I do.

      Sales Page -> Buy -> ThankYou (also Step 1 of sign up)(Aweber Opt In) -> Aweber ThankYou (Please Check your email to finish registration) (Aweber Confirmation) -> Aweber Confirm Thankyou Page (This is where you can add your Membership Registration) -> Final Thankyou Page -> Login
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