“So, I have this idea…”
If you’re like thousands of creators before you, those words are probably followed by “…but I have no clue where to start.”
After 4 years immersed in the creator economy, watching hundreds turn their ideas into successful video memberships, I’ve distilled everything I’ve learned into this comprehensive guide. From planning to launch, I’ll share the proven strategies and tools you need to turn your vision into reality.
Ready to build your video membership business? Let’s dive in!
Why launching a video membership business is worth it – according to creators.
A video membership business is a powerful way to monetize your content, but that’s not all there is to it. Actually, there are 3 specific advantages that draw content brands to the membership model:
Scalable, recurring revenue (that you can rely on)
If you’ve spent any amount of time relying on sporadic revenue-sharing payouts, then you know better than most why predictable, recurring revenue is so important.
For anyone, the peace of mind that comes from reliable revenue is worth its weight in – well, gold.
But, especially as an independent creator, the freedom of a reliable income allows you to focus on creating the content you love, while still having the resources to scale your business. As your audience grows, so does your potential revenue, without a linear increase in workload.
We can expand and scale the business without expanding our workload – plus, we can touch more people, be a part of more lives, and have a more profitable business.
An exclusive community who’s in it for the long haul
A video membership pairs together your premium video content and private community of members. Not only does this give your members a safe place to interact, but it makes your membership twice as valuable.
Members can form connections with you and their peers, giving them even more reason to come back week after week. In fact, our end-user data at Uscreen shows that video memberships with communities see 2x more retention than those without.
Members come for the content, but they stay for the community.
[Members] want to share their success with the other members so that our members know the website works, which is just a big, giant good thing for us, and it works really well.
Captain Dave Hansen, Founder of Your Saltwater Guide
Complete control over your content and brand
Platforms like YouTube and Instagram are a great way to reach a wider audience, but the constraints of ad-driven, restrictive algorithms, can get in the way of your creativity. Running your own video membership business on your own platform gives you full creative control over your content.
Plus, your own branded platform provides a premium experience for your audience across web, mobile, and TV devices, allowing you to level-up your brand and stand out among your competitors.
Apps gave us an air of legitimacy and got rid of any barriers to accessing the content. We’re available on all the same platforms as the big streaming services, and pose a real alternative option.
Nick Hayes, Founder of Means TV
Ready to experience these benefits first-hand? Let’s start building your video membership business!
How to create a successful video membership business
1. Start with market research
To set up your video membership business for long-term success, you need to build everything around 2 things:
- your target audience,
- and the market you’ll be competing in.
Now, this is the step that people tend to skip the most. I get why that is – after all, who wants to put their creative momentum on hold to… do research?
But doing this research is arguably the most important step in this process. A deep understanding of who you’re building for, and who you’re competing against, will help you make better decisions with more confidence, steering clear of those “I wish I’d known that earlier” moments.
The easiest way to achieve this? Survey your audience, and scope out what the competition is doing.
How to survey your audience effectively
The goal of your survey will be to gather information on your audience around the following core areas:
- Pain points: their biggest challenges, as it relates to your niche.
- Perceived value: whether they’re willing to pay for a solution to their challenges.
- Preferences: how they prefer to consume content, and how they want to pay for it.
There is plenty of other information that can be useful for you, but keeping it concise and to the point during the survey will be key to success here. So these are the most important for right now.
Keep in mind that your audience will be responding to your survey without full context about the value you’re planning on providing with membership. Because of this, the answers you receive from your audience should help to influence your decision-making, but should not completely dictate your key decisions.
Now, onto the how…
- Select a survey tool. There are some great survey tools that are entirely free to use and easy to share with your audience. Google Forms, Typeform, and SurveyMonkey are popular, free-to-use survey tools with more than enough features to get the job done.
- Craft effective questions. Provide clear, engaging questions to make it easy to understand and respond. Use a mix of question types, including multiple choice, rating scales, and open-ended questions. Keep your language clear and concise to avoid confusion, and steer clear of leading questions that might bias responses.
- Prioritize key questions. Ask about their biggest challenges related to your niche, time spent on relevant activities, preferred content types, willingness to pay, and their most valued membership features. These questions will provide crucial insights into your audience’s needs and expectations.
- Keep it short and focused. Aim for 10-15 questions maximum to respect your audience’s time. Estimate and communicate the completion time upfront to set expectations and encourage participation.
- Distribute strategically. Email your list with a personalized invitation and share on social media platforms where your audience is most active.
- Analyze results. Look for patterns and trends in the data, paying attention to outliers that might represent niche opportunities. If you get a lot of responses, you can use data visualization tools to help interpret results and uncover valuable insights.
- (Optional) Set up a membership waitlist for respondents. Let your audience know that you’re planning to launch a membership soon, and they can sign up for announcements and exclusive early access. This will give you a rough idea of how many people are interested in your membership (plus, it’s never too early to start building anticipation!)
Once you have your responses on standby, you’re ready to move on to competitor research to really round-out your findings.
Need some guidance on what to ask, and how? Check out this article for a copy-and-paste survey template to get you started!
How to Test Your Membership Site Idea Before Launching
How to research your competitors
You’ve heard from your audience, now you need to know what other membership sites are offering, and what they’re charging.
- Identify key players. Search for keywords related to your niche combined with “membership” or “subscription.” Look for creators in your space who offer paid content or services. This will give you a comprehensive list of direct competitors to analyze.
- Analyze their offerings. Sign up for free trials or sample content when available. Study their membership plans, content types, and unique features. Pay attention to the frequency of content updates and level of community engagement. Do they sell themselves as a “video subscription service”, a “membership community”, or something else?
- Identify gaps and opportunities. Look for content or features missing from competitor offerings. Consider if there are underserved segments of your target audience. Think about how you can differentiate your own website and membership. These gaps represent prime opportunities for your business to shine.
- Learn from their successes and failures. Read member reviews and testimonials for competitor memberships. Look for common complaints or praise. Identify what seems to resonate most with their audience. This feedback can help you avoid pitfalls and replicate successful strategies.
- Analyze their pricing strategies. Compare the pricing models of different competitors. Look at each membership plans page to make note of their tier structures, discounts, and any special offers. This will help you position your own pricing competitively while ensuring profitability.
- Collect your findings. Compile all your research into a comprehensive report. Identify key trends, standout features, and potential areas for innovation. Use this to inform your unique value proposition and overall membership strategy.
That was a fair bit of work to start things off! But, this step will set you up for long-term success and make the rest of this process a whole lot easier.
2. Plan your offering
Now that you’re ready to plan your video membership offering, let’s dive in and create something your audience will love!
First up: Your content strategy.
This is the heart of your membership. Based on your audience research, decide on the types of videos that’ll keep your members coming back for more. Think about:
- Core topics. The 2-3 key areas you’ll focus on in the early days of your membership should center around the pain points of your audience.
- Content types. Snackable videos or in-depth courses? Live streams or on-demand content?
- Frequency. Set a consistent schedule that works for you and your audience.
Here’s an example from Creator Film School. This membership teaches people how to become a successful creator, with a focus on mastering high-quality long-form content.
They’ve grown their on-demand video catalog with weekly uploads around a couple of core topics; storytelling, filmmaking, and mastering the YouTube platform.
Next, let’s talk about perks.
These are the bonus bits of value that make your membership irresistible:
- Exclusive access. Give members VIP treatment with early content or one-on-one sessions.
- Downloadable resources. Supplement your videos with exclusive guides or worksheets.
- Community-based challenges. Keep things fun and engaging with members-only challenges.
- Special discounts. Give members an exclusive discount on the other products and services you offer.
Here’s a quick peek at the perks that Creator Film School offers its members, and how they highlight these extras:
Remember, unique perks can set you apart from the crowd and keep members sticking around.
Finally, plan out a community your members will love logging into.
A strong membership community isn’t just nice to have – it’s your secret weapon for a thriving business and happy members.
Luckily, it’s pretty hard to fail at building a community, as long as you’re showing up consistently and listening to your members.
At this stage, you can keep things simple. Just figure out:
- What you want your community to be used primarily for.
- What topics your community will centre around.
This will be your jumping-off point, but you can let your members tell you what they want to get out of your community once you’ve launched.
We’ll dive deeper into community later on in this guide. In the meantime, let’s jump into pricing!
3. Set your membership tiers and pricing
Okay, so I’ll admit that – as a writer – I lean on my calculator app for some embarrassingly simple math. If you’re anything like me, then figuring out pricing sounds like it should be boring and complicated…
But, surprisingly, it’s not! Plus (pun intended), we built our very own pricing calculator for you to lean on if you need a bit more guidance. But before we get to that, let’s talk about what this step is all about.
At this stage, you’ll decide how you’ll spread out the content and perks you offer across different membership tiers, and how much you’ll charge for it.
Plan out your tiers
Once you have your content and perks mapped out, plan out the varying levels of access to these through different membership tiers.
To keep things simple when you launch, you can just offer 1 tier. Many memberships who are years into their business still only offer 1, and they’re no less profitable for it!
If you want to offer multiple plans for your members, and you have enough perks to do it, we recommend a maximum of just 2 tiers.
- A Basic Tier. Provides access to your core content.
- A Premium Tier. Includes everything in the Basic Tier plus additional perks.
This will simplify things for you, and make the decision easier for your audience. If you build up to more content and more perks over time, you can choose to introduce another tier later.
Here’s an example from Abundance Plus, a membership that helps people to master homesteading.
They offer 2 different tiers, and clearly highlight what’s included in each plan.
If you’re stuck on whether to launch with just 1 tier or 2, the best way to get unstuck is to use your survey results.
If responses show that different segments of your audience are simply excited for your content, while others expect more than just videos, then you know that you should probably offer 2 tiers of access.
Work out your pricing
When setting your prices, you’ll consider 2 factors:
- The value you’re providing. This holds the most weight in your decision-making, your prices should always reflect the value you’re providing.
- Your competitors’ pricing. This will give you an idea of what people are willing to pay for a membership like yours.
Whatever you do, make sure that your pricing truly reflects the value that your membership is providing. Don’t shy away from a number that you think is ‘too high’, if you know that you’re offering a fair amount of value in exchange.
Lower price tiers are always going to have higher rates of churn… When you pay more for something, you assign more value to it and are therefore more likely to make use of it.
Need a bit of help figuring out the perfect price?
Use our free tool to pinpoint your ideal membership price in just 3 steps, leveraging a decade of data.
Once you have your pricing worked out, compare this to the responses you received from your audience in your survey.
Your audience’s responses should not dictate your pricing, since they didn’t have full insight into the true value of your offering when they filled out your survey. Instead, their responses will reveal any gaps between their expectations and your pricing. Those gaps aren’t a problem if you know they exist and deal with them right.
For example, their responses might show that you’ve priced your membership too low to be considered valuable, and so you’ll have to increase your prices.
Or, that your prices are higher than anticipated, and so you’ll need to emphasize all of the value you’re providing when you start marketing your membership.
Set your billing frequency
Once you’ve locked in your pricing, you’ll move on to your billing frequency. The goal of this step is to determine how often you will bill your members, such as monthly, bi-annually, or annually.
We recommend launching with monthly and annual plans.
The month-to-month option provides flexibility for new members who aren’t ready to commit long-term, while annual plans introduce a lot more value for your dedicated members – and your business.
Annual memberships are important for offering high-value memberships and generating a stable business. Our data shows that for annual memberships, churn rates are relatively lower, and customer lifetime value (LTV) is significantly higher than monthly memberships.
The more billing intervals you offer, the more complicated the decision becomes for your audience, which can put them off signing up at that moment.
Let’s assume, for example, that you’ve chosen to launch with 2 tiers: a basic tier, and a premium tier. Each of these would be available to sign up for a monthly plan, or an annual plan. So, you would have the following 4 options available for your new members:
- Basic Tier, billed monthly.
- Basic Tier, billed annually.
- Premium Tier, billed monthly.
- Premium Tier, billed annually.
4. Choose your video membership platform
You might already have a shortlist of membership platforms in mind. But, now that you know exactly what your membership will offer, and how you’re going to charge your members, you can narrow down your decision to a platform that supports it all.
You’ll want to look for something more than just a video hosting platform, and instead find the best all-in-one video membership platform that offers all the tools and features you need to build a powerful video membership site, and a thriving business.
Here are some of those must-have features to look for:
A premium video streaming experience. Look for a video-first platform that provides reliable video playback, an easy-to-navigate video catalog, and flexible organization options to create collections and bundles.
Why it’s a must-have: A positive viewing experience keeps members engaged and excited to come back week after week.
Native live streaming. Your video membership platform should support live streaming and, ideally, offer native tools to go live from within your membership without the need for third-party tools. Bonus points for live chats that allow members to chat with you and their peers during your streams.
Why it’s a must-have: Uscreen customers who host regular live streams generate 2.5x more revenue compared to non-live stream users!
A built-in community space. An engaged online community is the foundation of your membership, so your platform should provide native community tools that allow your members to switch between your video content and exclusive community area seamlessly.
Why it’s a must-have: Don’t compromise on your community; Uscreen customers who use Community see 2x more retention than those who don’t.
Marketing tools and analytics. Built-in marketing tools and analytics allow you to reach and convert more members and understand the numbers behind your business, without the need for third-party platforms.
Why it’s a must-have: Built-in tools allow you to save time and money, simplify your tech stack, and level-up your marketing with tools that were designed for your membership.
Flexible monetization. Look for a platform that supports multiple ways to monetize your content; from subscriptions, to rentals and one-time purchases.
Why it’s a must-have: Flexible monetization allows you to make the most out of every piece of content; whether you want to sell a series of videos for a once-off fee, or a subscription to your entire video catalog (or both!)
Want to see Uscreen’s membership platform in action?
Build, launch and manage your membership, all in one place.
5. Curate your content catalog
Here’s a little secret: You don’t need a massive video library to launch successfully.
In fact, many thriving video memberships have kicked off with as few as 3 high-quality videos. Why does this work?
- It reduces overwhelm. For both you and your members. You’re not scrambling to produce, and they’re not drowning in content.
- It allows for feedback. With a smaller initial offering, you can quickly gauge what resonates and adjust accordingly.
- It creates anticipation. A limited initial catalog with a clear content schedule can keep members excited about what’s coming next.
And, launching a video membership doesn’t mean starting your content catalog from scratch. In fact, leveraging your existing content can give you a head start and help you hit the ground running. Here’s how to make the most of what you’ve got…
Assess and repurpose your existing content
First, you’ll want to look at the existing video content you have. This could be other premium content you’ve previously created, like online courses, or it could be the free videos you’ve published on sites like YouTube.
Here’s what you want to do to identify which pieces to repurpose:
- Analyze engagement metrics. Look beyond view counts. Consider likes, comments, shares, and watch time. These indicators show what truly resonates with your audience.
- Check for evergreen topics. Content that remains relevant over time is perfect for your membership catalog.
- Review audience feedback. Pay attention to comments and messages. What are viewers asking for more of? What problems are they trying to solve?
- Align with your membership goals. Choose content that fits the themes and topics you’ve outlined for your membership.
💡 Pro tip: Create a spreadsheet to track your top-performing paid and free video content across all platforms. This bird’s-eye view will help you spot trends and make informed decisions.
Once you’ve identified your gems, it’s time to polish them for your membership. Here’s how:
- Refresh and update. Give older videos a facelift with new intros, outros, or updated information. This keeps the content current and adds value for your members.
- Create themed collections. Group related videos into series or courses. This organization adds structure and perceived value to your offering.
- Break it down. Turn longer videos into a series of bite-sized lessons. This makes the content more digestible and gives members a sense of progress.
- Expand and enhance. Take your most popular short-form content and create extended, in-depth versions exclusively for your members.
- Add exclusive elements. Supplement existing content with member-only resources like workbooks, checklists, or bonus footage.
If you want to re-use existing pieces of content as-is without adding to or altering them, you could consider archiving or privating this content on the public channels where it was originally posted.
If you’d prefer to keep them up, you can find other ways to position the value of these videos on your membership platform, like highlighting that they’re ad-free, uncensored, or uploaded in a higher resolution.
For example, Jump Rope Dudes offers a category on their membership site for the ad-free versions of their YouTube videos.
⚖️ Balancing free and premium content
If you’re keeping some content public while also using it in your membership, here’s how you can get the best of both worlds:
• Highlight the premium experience. Emphasize the ad-free, higher resolution, or uncensored nature of the content within your membership.
• Offer extended versions. Keep shorter versions public, but provide full, uncut versions to members.
• Exclusive context. Provide additional insights, behind-the-scenes info, or follow-up content exclusively for members.
Plan and create new content
If you don’t have any existing content to pull from, or if you really want to launch with a larger library, then you can plan and create video content strategically.
First, identify any content gaps.
Review your content plan and compare your existing content against your planned offerings to reveal any gaps in your content.
For example, if there are core topics you want to cover from day one, do you have enough content to kickstart those categories?
Then, if needed, create content strategically and efficiently.
Time is precious, especially when you’re launching. Here’s how to make the most of it:
- Batch production. Set aside dedicated filming days to create multiple videos at once. This saves on setup time and helps maintain consistency.
- Create modular content. Design videos that can stand alone but also fit into larger series or courses. This gives you flexibility in how you present the content.
- Develop templates. Standardize your intros, outros, and graphics. This not only speeds up production but also creates a cohesive brand experience.
- Leverage live streams. Use live sessions to create engaging content that can later be edited and added to your catalog.
- Involve your community. If appropriate, consider featuring member success stories or Q&A sessions. This creates valuable content while fostering community engagement.
Just a reminder that you shouldn’t be aiming to make new content simply for the sake of a larger library. A focused selection of high-value content can be more impactful than a vast library of mediocre videos.
6. Set up your video membership site
Now, the fun part; creating your site.
If you have no idea how to build a membership site, then here’s some good news: you’ve already done all the hard work over the past few steps, and now you just need to apply it.
And, if you have the right platform, bringing your site to life should be a breeze. Let’s get you set up in just a few steps.
1. Branding and customization
To get started, you’ll want to cover the basics of customizing your site to reflect your brand. Most membership platforms should allow you to add the following elements to your site:
- Logo and color scheme. Ensure your site’s visuals align with your brand identity.
- Fonts and graphics. Use consistent fonts and graphics to create a cohesive look.
- Banner images. Add eye-catching banner images that highlight key aspects of your membership.
Need some creative examples for your membership site? Here’s one from Lottie Murphy Pilates.
While they keep their site design simple, their banner images and video thumbnails tie into their branding which helps to make the experience visually cohesive for the user.
2. Uploading and organizing content
You might have just a few videos in your content catalog when you first launch, but you’ll still need to organize your videos once they’re uploaded.
If your membership platform is designed for video-first creators, then it should offer some user-friendly features to help you sort your content and make navigation easier for your members.
Organize your content into playlists or series to make it easy for members to find what they’re looking for, then add tags and categories to each video to enhance searchability.
Even if you only have 1 or 2 videos that fall into each category, your members will appreciate the organization (and get excited for more videos to come!)
To keep things simple but well-optimized, you’ll want to use…
- Thematic playlists. Group related videos into themes or topics. Not sure how you want to group your content? You can always search for ideas from other membership sites in your niche!
- Sequential series. Arrange content in a logical sequence to guide members through your material step-by-step.
- Tags and categories. Add relevant tags and categories.
3. Adding tiers and pricing
This is a quick step since you’ve already figured out what your tiers and pricing will be.
Now, you just need to add these to your membership site and make sure they’re easily found for potential members.
Be sure to list out all of the content and perks that each tier offers to make the decision easier for your audience!
4. Curating your community space
Your membership platform should offer a dedicated space for you and your members to interact and keep up-to-date with the goings on.
You’ll start by creating a community channel.
We recommend launching with just a single general channel to start, and waiting a while before you add more dedicated spaces. This keeps all the engagement in one place, and it’s less overwhelming for new members.
Name your general channel, and give it a clear purpose so members know what to expect and what to post.
Here’s an example from Your Book of Memories.
Lastly, create a simple schedule to keep your community posts on track.
Not all of your posts need to be planned out in detail, but there are some types of foundational posts that will benefit from a schedule.
For example:
Each month, we make a post that includes all the details about the new release of exclusive content, and any events happening in the community.
Katie Steckly, Founder of the Creator Club.
With this post, new members can quickly find the information about the newest content – which I think is crucial since many new members might join because of specific, new exclusive content that I’ve promoted across my social channels. This will be the fastest way for them to find it.
5. Activating helpful tools
An all-in-one membership platform usually offers built-in marketing tools that are designed specifically for membership businesses.
Using these can help to streamline your promotional efforts, and cut down on the number of third-party tools you have to juggle.
To start simple and get your video membership site set up for success, the key marketing tools you’ll want to enable – if available – are:
- Email marketing. Automate welcome emails, newsletters, and promotional campaigns.
- Abandoned cart. Encourage users to complete their purchase if they abandon their checkout.
- Reduce churn. Offer a discount to members who cancel to reduce churn.
- Try again for free. Offer a free trial to win back members who cancel.
- Automated upsells. Entice members to upgrade to an annual plan with a discount.
Setting up these tools before you launch will help you manage and grow your membership efficiently.
6. Requesting your membership apps
Some video membership platforms, like Uscreen, offer branded membership apps that pair seamlessly with your membership site.
This step is optional, but if you want to level up the experience for your members and make your content and community accessible on their favorite devices, then mobile and TV apps are a no-brainer.
If you’re sold on the idea of membership apps, and you’re building your membership with Uscreen, then this is the stage where you will request your apps to get them ready in time for your launch.
Want to learn more about launching your membership apps alongside your video membership website?
How To Launch a Membership App
7. Craft your membership messaging
When you’re just getting started, you don’t need a bunch of complex tactics or fancy tools to market your membership effectively.
All you need is a clear set of messaging that explains what your membership is, and a list of places where you’ll share that messaging.
Your membership messaging clearly explains how your membership uniquely serves a specific group of people, and helps them to achieve a valuable outcome.
To craft your membership messaging, you need to define 3 things:
- Your target audience. Who exactly does your membership serve?
- Your key value-driver. What is the key value-driver that bridges the gap from when a member joins to when they achieve those core outcomes?
- The core outcomes. How does your membership change the lives of its members?
Once you have these clearly defined, it’s just a case of threading these elements together to create clear and compelling messaging.
💬 Membership messaging formula
[Your membership] helps [target audience] achieve [core outcomes] through [key value-driver].
We have a more in-depth guide for developing your membership messaging (with examples and bonus tips included!)
How to Craft Effective Membership Messaging That Converts
Once you have your core messaging, you can essentially copy and paste this everywhere you’re promoting your membership.
Some high-impact channels to start with:
- Across your membership site, especially your homepage and pricing page
- Call-outs in your video content across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok
- Calls-to-action in your email marketing and newsletters
You might get bored of saying the same thing over and over again, but all that does is make it clear to your audience what you offer, helping to sidestep confusion and boost their likelihood of signing up.
It’s cliché, but consistency really is key.
Want to explore more ways to market your video membership?
📚 Resources to help you grow a thriving video membership business.
• Membership Site SEO: 3 Approaches for Better Organic Visibility 👀
• How to Create a YouTube Marketing Funnel for Your Membership Business
• The Scaling Membership Marketing Strategy: Why Retention Beats Growth
• Membership Retention: 8 Proven Strategies to Keep Your Members
8. Polish your onboarding experience
A well-designed onboarding process can completely transform your member experience, leading to a positive impact on member retention and engagement.
The biggest triggers for member churn are poor onboarding, a subpar user experience, a lack of follow-up, and a lack of continued value being added. Reducing churn starts at the very beginning as soon as they become a paying member… every positive interaction you have with a customer adds time to their clock.
Here’s how to create a smooth, welcoming experience that sets your new members up for success:
- Create a warm welcome. Start with a personalized welcome video or message. Introduce your community’s purpose, highlight key benefits, and provide a brief overview of your platform’s features. This initial touchpoint helps new members feel oriented and valued from day one.
- Provide a clear roadmap. Develop an onboarding checklist or guide that outlines key actions for new members. This might include exploring top content, participating in community discussions, or attending upcoming events. A clear path reduces overwhelm and encourages active participation.
- Establish community guidelines. Clearly communicate your community’s rules and expectations early on. This sets the tone for respectful interactions and helps members feel secure in their new environment. Make these guidelines easily accessible and frame them in a positive, encouraging manner.
- Encourage early engagement. Create opportunities for new members to interact right away. This could be through welcome threads, introductory posts, or beginner-friendly discussions. Consider features like monthly Q&As or feedback sessions to show that you value member input from the start.
- Highlight membership benefits. Regularly remind new members of the unique perks they now have access to. Whether it’s exclusive content, special events, or community features, keeping these benefits visible reinforces the value of their membership and encourages continued engagement.
Our strategy for onboarding new members comes in two parts: one is a playlist in the content library, and the other is pinned posts in the community.
Katie Steckly, Founder of the Creator Club.
The welcome playlist includes videos like ‘how to navigate the membership’ and ‘how to use the community forum’ and information on how to find the bonus resources that are included in the membership.
The community has a pinned post clearly labeled [READ THIS FIRST] – explaining the community and what each channel’s purpose is. It also has a prompt to introduce yourself!
💡 Pro tip: Set up an automated email sequence to welcome new members. Use these emails to educate new members on how to use your platform and make the most of its features; encourage them to engage in the community space; suggest specific videos that are best for beginners, and – most importantly – get them logging into your membership in those crucial early days.
9. Soft-launch your new membership
When you pre-launch your membership to a select group of trusted members, you’re able to work out all the kinks before you open up your membership to a wider audience.
This is an especially good idea if a paid membership is your first experience selling subscription based video content.
Let’s dive into how to make your beta phase as valuable as possible:
- Recruit your dream team. Keep your beta testing exclusive and open to a small group of engaged followers. Ideally, you’ll recruit these members from your email list or private community. Remember, these aren’t just testers – they’re your first members and potential ambassadors.
- Set clear goals. The objective of beta testing is to learn, and to improve your membership before a wider launch. To set yourself up for success, you’ll want to go in with some core questions and focus areas. For example…
- Content engagement: Are members binge-watching or bouncing?
- User experience: Can they navigate your site with ease?
- Pricing feedback: Does your pricing align with the value members are receiving?
- Create an insider experience. Make your beta testers feel like they’re a part of something special to incentivize their engagement. Offer exclusive content, behind-the-scenes peeks, or direct access to you throughout this period.
- Gather and act on feedback. Prompt feedback from your beta group regularly. Use surveys, polls, community threads and even live Q&As to understand what’s working and what needs tweaking. Then, actually use that feedback to refine your offering.
- Prepare for your official launch. Armed with insights and improvement, you’re ready for a wider release. Keep your beta testers in the loop and consider giving them a permanent break on their membership fees as a way to show appreciation for their contributions. Their continued support can be invaluable as you grow.
Remember, beta testing isn’t just about finding bugs. It’s about creating a group of enthusiastic early adopters who’ll champion your membership from day one. So give them an experience worth talking about!
10. Officially launch your membership
When preparing for the final stretch of your official launch, you’ll want to start building some excitement among your broader audience, across your most engaged platforms.
Here’s how the pros boost the hype ahead of their launch…
- Share sneak-peeks of your content and community. This can include exclusive previews of members only content, or a behind-the-scenes look at the benefits members will get.
- Offer a limited-time discount for those who join early. Scarcity and urgency can drive more sign-ups and foster a sense of exclusivity among early adopters.
- Host a launch-day live stream. This is another effective way to engage your audience and allow them to experience the community firsthand.
And, after you’ve launched, keep the momentum going by regularly connecting with your members. Share new updates in your community, and make your presence felt through regular content updates or live sessions.
Similar to how you approached it during your soft-launch, be sure to gather feedback actively, especially during the first few months. Use surveys or direct communication to understand what works well and what could be improved. Acknowledge any negative feedback and communicate your plans to address concerns; this shows members that their voices are valued and builds trust.
And, be sure to leverage positive feedback by keeping your testimonials current. Happy members’ stories can help build credibility and encourage potential new members to join.
Use these testimonials across your website, social media, and marketing channels to reinforce the value your membership offers and to attract new sign-ups.
I often see creators who offer incredible memberships but don’t know how to reflect the impact they make on their members. If you’re struggling to understand what makes your membership stand out and keeps your members around, choose a few members and invite them to speak with you. Ask them questions about why they joined and the results they’re seeing. You can then use this in your marketing — and you might even learn some ideas for increasing the value of your membership over time.
Wrapping up
Launching a successful video membership business may seem daunting, but remember, the key is to start with a solid foundation, remain flexible, and continuously engage with your members. Your unique content and community are what will set you apart from the rest.
From researching your market to crafting your offering, choosing the right platform, and executing a smooth launch: your own video membership business is just 10 big steps away from becoming a reality.
Ready to take the first one?
Build, launch and manage your membership, all in one place.
