Services

Membership sites allow you to place content behind a membership ‘gate’. Customers get access to this content, which is often considered particularly valuable or exclusive, by becoming members. Membership sites are sometimes created to allow you to build a community of people with similar interests or as a business by charging a subscription fee for members. Members will expect regular and useful content which could be in the form of articles, downloads, videos, online courses or even live sessions. In some cases an existing website can be turned into a membership site simply by placing selected content behind the membership gate while still offering open access to other pages of the site.

Many people now identify themselves as content creators. In some cases this is their full time role and, in others, it’s a role they take on as part of an existing business. There are many forms of content but the first question people may ask is how do I get my content online? Which tools and platforms do I use? And how do I go about creating it? And in recent times video content has become king which brings up a lot more questions – especially around the technical aspects of creating video and getting it to your audience. If you intend to build a membership site or to create online courses you’ll have to create content. That content must be of a high enough quality to compete with others in your marketplace and to satisfy your subscribers or members.

Contrary to what you may think creating content for an online course or membership website doesn’t necessarily require a large investment in new kit. While it’s true that some fulltime content creators have purpose-built studios and high-end equipment, most people don’t have (or need) that. So, what do you need? A laptop and a mobile phone already takes you a long way! Depending on what type of content you plan to create – particularly if it’s video – you may need some other bits and pieces such as lighting, a good microphone and tripod. We’ll discuss technology requirements for your particular project at the workshop. The technology aspect of creating content and getting it online can be very intimidating. But, keep in mind, it’s just a skill to develop like anything else and with a few trial runs will become more and more familiar. Don’t let the technology put you off and keep in mind I can provide direct 1-1 support or training on this aspect of your project if required.

One of the big questions everyone asks (and should ask!) is what platform or platforms do I use? This is an important question because a) there are a lot of them and b) each offers specific features that you may, or may not, want and there are a range of pricing options from ‘free’ to ‘professional’ plans. Choosing the right platform is important as it must offer the features you require, at a price that works, and in a way that will allow your audience to access your content. Also, you want to be confident with where you put your material so that you don’t have to repeat the process on another platform if you’re not happy with the results. In essence though, all of the platforms for online courses offer some similar core features – the ability to upload videos, photos and documents, software to allow the course to be delivered to customers, sales pages where you can promote your offerings and an administration section where you can track sales and other metrics and manage your courses and students. We’ll spend some time at the workshop looking at the pros and cons of various platforms.   

Right?! I felt the same way. I’m fairly shy by nature so the last place I wanted to be was in front of a camera. But, like anything else, it’s just a skill to develop over time and can be fun and empowering once you get more comfortable. But consider this – whatever skill or knowledge you want to share, you should be an expert and experienced in it. If that’s the case then focus on that and not on the camera. If you’re not an expert then ask yourself if you should really be sharing this knowledge with others. If you’re not used to working with a camera it will take some practice to find your best on-camera self but you’ll get there. Remember you’re sharing your skills and knowledge, not trying to be a comedian or entertainer (unless that’s what you’re teaching!) – people want clear instructions that allow them to build new skills and will be more focused on that than on your ‘performance’. In fact, don’t be afraid of making mistakes on camera – sometimes they can be charming and add humour and humanity to your presentation. Also, keep in mind your materials don’t all have to be video (in fact, they shouldn’t be!). You should aim to have a mix of video, written materials, exercises, quizzes, photos and even voice-over. Your choice of content type will be dictated by the nature of your specific project.

That really depends on the scope of your project but it’s been well documented that many people have been very successful with small amounts of high quality content. If, for example, you’re teaching a particular skill it may be that you can do so in something like 10 lessons. The general advice is to start off small – possibly even making your content free initially. This will give you the opportunity to go through the entire process from start to finish and learn from any mistakes. If you make your content available for free then it’ll be ok to take it down at a later date if you wish to. Putting it out there also gives you the opportunity to receive feedback and, although that can be tough to receive, it’s a sure way to learn what people want. As a creator it’s easy to do your audience’s thinking for them – but it’s important to listen to their needs and comments.

This is another common question and also a key one. If you plan to place content behind a payment wall or gate on a website (essentially creating a membership site) the pricing structure is likely to be quite simple – probably something like a monthly fee that all members pay to access your exclusive content. Online courses, on the other hand, have many payment options which have become more flexible as the platforms have developed. Apart from the question of the actual prices you set, you’ll also want to consider the type of price – will it be a one off fee, a monthly (or longer) subscription, or a free course? Will you create discounted prices for longer subscriptions? Coupon codes? What currency will you offer your content in? Rather than feeling overwhelmed by these options, look at it as offering flexibility to suit your particular project. Also, keep in mind that you’ll have to administer these pricing options so you’ll want to keep it manageable.