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Membership site layout - guidance needed

by Cynthia Mosher
3 replies
I'm preparing a traditional membership website and need some help mapping out how things should be located. This is my first membership site so I'm really not sure how to go about this. I'm using Simple Member Pro membership script (if that matters) but have all my pages in html ready to be placed. Here's my planned public homepage:

VEGAN WEIGH DOWN

For non-members, the pages accessible through the navbar will be explanatory information with some content. On internal pages the same navbar links will be to member content, with some of the pages the same as public access content (such as the "About" pages). But I'm a bit confused about how to place everything.

Starting with the public homepage, do I place that as an HTML index page or do I place the HTML for the page into SMP as the home index page? Should I have two pages - a public index and a member index? If so, what would be the need for two pages and how would they be different?

On the homepage, the login link in the navbar would take you to the SMP login page, correct? I assume that if someone clicks on that page who is not a member, I can also place a "Not a member? Click here to join now." box. Would that go to the squeeze page? Or...?

I will have some pages that are not member only content, like the "About" page, the "Free Recipes" page, and all the Features pages that are just informational about what is offered in the membership. Do I need to place these info pages within the SMP as custom pages? Or do I keep them as HTML pages?

And now, thinking through all of this again, maybe I need my homepage to be my sales page, sans the right column navigation and footer, just using the header and top navigation?

Thanks for any ideas and suggestions.
#guidance #layout #membership #membership site #needed #site #website creation
  • Profile picture of the author Johnny Slater
    There should be no need to create your own html pages. The script allows you to place custom content within the admin area and use the CMS to display the content inside or outside of the members area.

    You really need to post this on the SMP support forum (Lochshire Technology Customer Forums - Index) as well as contact me through skype ( Skype id is lochshire) so that I can guide you through what you need to do.
    Signature

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  • Profile picture of the author markwinder
    Hi Cynthia - Looks like Johnny's the right guy to talk about SMP there! :-)

    But hopefully I can help with some other issues.

    One thing to think about is the layout of your member section. Remember one thing: people who buy your membership want to get immediate access to what they bought - not go hunting around trying to find it. So if it's even slightly hidden as to where to find a particular set of information, make sure you give your customer some sort of document or video that shows them where everything is. Also, when you do this, you get to highlight additional areas of interest they might not have found on their own.

    Regarding your final point talking about the sales page. I'm generally torn about using the sales page as the main index page. And my rule of thumb is, if I'm promoting my site through organic SEO and getting people to "find" me, I like having my main index page showing up as being a little more informational (like you have it now - good lookin site btw!).

    However, if I'm sending paid traffic or affiliate traffic to a page, I want that page to be an "action" page (either sales or squeeze) and I try to strongly limit the viewer's options to basically taking the action (purchase or giving me contact info), or backing out.

    Finally, I notice that you don't have any sort of customer capture mechanism. I'd strongly recommend that you integrate some sort of squeeze page whereby you offer a free report or newsletter in return for them giving you their name and email address. The reason this is SO important is that it allows you to contact them in the future, as opposed to *hoping* that they come back and check out the site again. Sales research shows that it takes between 5 - 7 meaningful contacts with a prospect before they make a purchase decision. And that number is increasing. So the ability to be able to contact them is KEY.

    Hope that helps out a little!

    All the best,

    - Mark.
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    • Profile picture of the author Cynthia Mosher
      Thanks Johnny. I did post a few days ago. Maybe you missed my post?

      Mark, thank you. This is very helpful. Let me explain a bit more what I have done so far. Maybe it will help you help me more.

      One thing to think about is the layout of your member section. Remember one thing: people who buy your membership want to get immediate access to what they bought - not go hunting around trying to find it. So if it's even slightly hidden as to where to find a particular set of information, make sure you give your customer some sort of document or video that shows them where everything is. Also, when you do this, you get to highlight additional areas of interest they might not have found on their own.
      Nice idea. Thanks! Do you mean this for members as an intro to the site? Or for potential customers as well?


      Regarding your final point talking about the sales page. I'm generally torn about using the sales page as the main index page. And my rule of thumb is, if I'm promoting my site through organic SEO and getting people to "find" me, I like having my main index page showing up as being a little more informational (like you have it now - good lookin site btw!).
      So far it has all been organic SEO and I've developed a pretty healthy list. It helps that I have an authoritative parent site - VegFamily magazine - Raising Vegan Children, Vegan Pregnancy, and Vegan Recipes and it is throught hat site I have done my marketing for this new site. It has been very low key so far and has taken me a long time to get this far but it is finally coming together. Glad you like the site!

      However, if I'm sending paid traffic or affiliate traffic to a page, I want that page to be an "action" page (either sales or squeeze) and I try to strongly limit the viewer's options to basically taking the action (purchase or giving me contact info), or backing out.
      I think I follow you. But let me back up just a bit. I have been sending people to my pre-launch page here:

      Vegan Weight Loss - VegFamily's Vegan Diet Support Group

      That's how I've developed my list so far. So that is my squeeze page for now. I'll create a new squeeze page once I'm ready to launch. But would I then locate that squeeze page on my veganweighdown.com site? Or change this one?

      Finally, I notice that you don't have any sort of customer capture mechanism. I'd strongly recommend that you integrate some sort of squeeze page whereby you offer a free report or newsletter in return for them giving you their name and email address. The reason this is SO important is that it allows you to contact them in the future, as opposed to *hoping* that they come back and check out the site again. Sales research shows that it takes between 5 - 7 meaningful contacts with a prospect before they make a purchase decision. And that number is increasing. So the ability to be able to contact them is KEY.
      With what I've explained above, what do you advise now? Do I keep my VEGAN WEIGH DOWN as my homepage and place a free report, newsletter, opt in box there?

      Thanks for your help. This is great!
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