Membership Sites: Questions from a technophobe!

19 replies
I am trying to set up a paid membership website but I am unsure which way to go.

I need to make it so that the members pay a monthly fee and get access to the hosted software inside the membership area. The software is the easy bit, but which membership software is going to be the easiest to use and set up?

I'm a self confessed technophobe, so if your reply includes the words "cron job" or "edit this line of code" I am afraid I will simply have no clue what you are talking about.

Does anyone have any experience with setting something like this up?
Can you dumb your advice down to my level?


Thanks everyone!
#membership #questions #sites #technophobe
  • Profile picture of the author sal64
    Hi Colin,

    Apart from accessing the software, what else will be the requirements?

    Is the software an online application or download?

    It all depends on what you have planned for the membership itself. There are many solutions.

    Perhaps the best starting point is to base the site in a wordpress blog... as there are many scripts that you can use to turn it into a membership site. These range from the very simple to the very exoensive.

    Hope this helps... so far.

    Sal
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    • Profile picture of the author supersonic
      Originally Posted by sal64 View Post

      Hi Colin,

      Apart from accessing the software, what else will be the requirements?

      Is the software an online application or download?

      It all depends on what you have planned for the membership itself. There are many solutions.

      Perhaps the best starting point is to base the site in a wordpress blog... as there are many scripts that you can use to turn it into a membership site. These range from the very simple to the very exoensive.

      Hope this helps... so far.

      Sal
      Thanks, I am also in the same position as OP is.
      Can you please tell me if I don't know anything about databases etc. even then I can make a membership site using Wordpress :rolleyes:
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    • Profile picture of the author Colin Palfrey
      Originally Posted by sal64 View Post

      Hi Colin,

      Apart from accessing the software, what else will be the requirements?

      Is the software an online application or download?

      It all depends on what you have planned for the membership itself. There are many solutions.

      Perhaps the best starting point is to base the site in a wordpress blog... as there are many scripts that you can use to turn it into a membership site. These range from the very simple to the very exoensive.

      Hope this helps... so far.

      Sal
      Hi Sal,

      The main purpose and incentive for members to join, is the software inside.

      The software would not be downloaded but used in the membership site.

      Wordpress would simplify things and I hope to use it, provided the best solution works with it. Especially as my main concern is how hard this will be to set up.

      Cheers,
      Colin Palfrey
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      I write articles and eBooks - PM me for details!
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  • Profile picture of the author Robert Puddy
    i'm biased but loginfrequencymarketing.com is by far the best solution for any membership site solution. I tend to stay out of membership threads for fear of invoking the "your only in here to sell your own software" comments

    But it irks to see people recommend inferior software for running membership sites
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  • Profile picture of the author Colin Palfrey
    Hi Robert,

    I've saved the link for a proper look later. Seems like a good solution though.

    Cheers,
    Colin Palfrey
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    I write articles and eBooks - PM me for details!
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  • Profile picture of the author davewebsmith
    There are other options eg

    www.vibralogix.com checkout SiteLok

    Depends on the features you want --

    @supersonic - WP Memberships scripts do exist - google it - also if you do decide that option make sure you keep your script (WP) upto date and current as security is a must

    DaveWebSmith
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    • I have not heard of that software i will take a look later!

      I Use DAP wordpress membership site software, It Is easily the best from what i have seen, i have not seen that one earlier in the thread tho!

      Dap Can intergrate with vbuletin and has a built in affiliate program, for the one off price it is easily the best and has top notch customer service!
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      Alexander Sebastian Just launched his new blog offering High end Training for FREE..
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  • Profile picture of the author techvic
    You'll pay for it, but Membergate membership software is pretty much technically hands off. Once they have it setup, you just have to login as an admin and manage your content.
    Takes a little work to get the hang of the interface, but it's all point and click. Nothing technical.
    The easiest membership software I've used by far.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ormonious
    Another option is Nanacast. It pretty much offers an all in one solution and once set up the process is totally automatated so you can focus on the marketing. This involves no scripts. There is a learning curve but once set up, you can set and forget. It can also be integrated with Wordpress and there is a great theme that works awesome with Nanacast and Wordpress that I recommend.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kevin AKA Hubcap
      Originally Posted by Ormonious View Post

      ... and there is a great theme that works awesome with Nanacast and Wordpress that I recommend.
      Hi Ormonious,

      Ya just can't say that and not reveal it.

      Care to share??
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      • Profile picture of the author sal64
        Obviously, everyone is going to put forward their preferred software.

        I have used Membergate and will not touch it with a barge pole... ever again.

        I use Wishlist for a few sites. Affordable and does what I need it to do. Very easy to set up and configure. Have heard there are issues with content security, but I honestly don't worry about that with digital products cuz people ca simply share a pdf around easy enough. This may be an issue for the OP due to the nature of his site.

        Wishlist have now released an affiliate plug in of which I am about to try.

        I have DAP for another site and it has some great features as well as an affiliate management feature.

        Once again, Colin, feel free to PM me for a further chat or get me on skype if I can be of help.

        I have no allegience to any of the above.

        Not sure if this helps, but if you're a war roomie, you can grab my membership ebook HERE

        It may not be relevant to what you want to do... but you might get some nuggets from it.

        Cheers
        Signature
        Internet Marketing: 20% Internet - 80% Marketing!
        You Won't See The Light Until You Open Your Eyes.
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        • Profile picture of the author Colin Palfrey
          Originally Posted by sal64 View Post

          Obviously, everyone is going to put forward their preferred software.

          I have used Membergate and will not touch it with a barge pole... ever again.

          I use Wishlist for a few sites. Affordable and does what I need it to do. Very easy to set up and configure. Have heard there are issues with content security, but I honestly don't worry about that with digital products cuz people ca simply share a pdf around easy enough. This may be an issue for the OP due to the nature of his site.

          Wishlist have now released an affiliate plug in of which I am about to try.

          I have DAP for another site and it has some great features as well as an affiliate management feature.

          Once again, Colin, feel free to PM me for a further chat or get me on skype if I can be of help.
          Very generous offer but hopefully the below will give me all the ideas I need.

          Originally Posted by sal64 View Post

          I have no allegience to any of the above.
          Not sure if this helps, but if you're a war roomie, you can grab my membership ebook HERE

          It may not be relevant to what you want to do... but you might get some nuggets from it.
          Yes I'm a War Room member and I'm downloading it now

          Cheers,
          Colin Palfrey
          Signature

          I write articles and eBooks - PM me for details!
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      • Profile picture of the author Ormonious
        Originally Posted by Kevin AKA Hubcap View Post

        Hi Ormonious,

        Ya just can't say that and not reveal it.

        Care to share??
        Kevin - my mistake. The theme is OptimizePress by James Dyson.
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  • Profile picture of the author brandon2664
    Amember works great for me it is pretty easy to setup.
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  • Profile picture of the author cpareview
    I used phpfox back in the day for paid membership community. I would look into it see if its something you need!
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