How To Grow Your Video Membership Community

“Community” is one of the most beautiful benefits afforded to creators and audiences in this modern age of entertainment and edutainment.

Live streaming, social media, and real-time discussion have bridged the gap between content creators and their followers, which has created and fostered a true sense of community like never before.

If you’re a creator looking to scale your burgeoning audience, where do you start? Here’s how to effectively grow your video membership community.

 

How do I make a video membership site?

The first thing you’ll need to do is build a membership site for your content that’s 1) easy to update and 2) comes with a lot of customization options.

No coding experience? No problem.

A CMS (content management system) is a software tool that streamlines website creation for amateurs. This means you don’t need coding experience to create a professional website. 

 

 

Here are some of our favorite CMS platforms:

Webflow

Boasting the effectiveness of code (without having to actually write any), Webflow simplifies website creation and customization by generating the code for you.

Content creators with some web developing experience will appreciate Webflow, though it was made for beginners too.

Ghost

Ghost was launched with “new-media creators” in mind. When you sign up for Ghost, you get “modern tools to build a website, publish content, send newsletters and offer paid subscriptions to members.”

Ghost might just have everything you’re looking for.

Wix

Offering a good pricing mix and reliable support, Wix focuses on helping its customers scale their business and grow their audience.

If you’re anticipating rapid growth with your paid subscribers, consider Wix.

Shop around

For more CMS options, and for a deeper dive into membership website creation, check out our blog on How To Create a Video Membership Website.

Membership websites that offer engaging and educational content are no longer just for celebrity personalities. Creators with something valuable and meaningful to offer their audience should absolutely build a membership site — and having an intuitive website will help you grow your community.

 

How do I grow my membership site?

Growing your video membership site requires a combination of strategies to attract, retain, and engage members. Here are some proven tips to help you grow your video membership site:

Content creation

Create high-quality, valuable, and exclusive content that addresses the needs and interests of your target audience. And make sure you’re regularly updating your content to keep it fresh and relevant.

Audience identification

Clearly define your target audience and tailor your content to meet their specific needs and preferences. Remember: If you’re talking about everything, you’re talking about nothing. Specificity is your best friend when it comes to striking a chord with your viewers. 

Marketing and promotion

Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy using various channels, including social media, email marketing, content marketing, and online advertising. (More on marketing a membership site next.)

Community building

Make sure that you intentionally foster a sense of community among your members. This can be achieved through forums, discussion boards, or social media groups related to your video content.

Member engagement

Encourage member interaction and engagement by responding to comments, conducting polls, and continuously seeking feedback.

Retention strategies

Consider implementing retention strategies such as loyalty programs, exclusive perks for long-term members, and regular members-only events. The key here is to be proactive, not reactive.

Site optimization

Does the CMS you chose for your website optimize for smartphones? It should! It’s likely that a lot of your members will want to access your content on their phones, so make sure that they actually can.

Patience and consistency

Don’t stress if your desired results don’t come in overnight. Growing a video membership site takes time, consistency, and an understanding of your audience. Be flexible and open to refining your approach based on feedback that comes in from your audience.

How do you market a membership site?

Now that you have a general sense of how to grow your membership site, let’s examine some of the key ways that you can market your website.

First up, be sure to define your unique value proposition (UVP). What sets you apart from competing voices, and why should audiences choose your platform? If you can’t clearly communicate the benefits of your video membership website, then how can you expect potential members to see the value?

Once you define your UVP, this should act as your North Star, guiding each of the following marketing activities:

Activate social media channels

Don’t underestimate the power of TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. In many cases, it’s easier to build a following on these channels first, and then redirect and incentivize this audience to sign up for your membership site to unlock perks, like early access to exclusive content.

Unleash email marketing

Build an email list and use it to nurture your leads. Send regular newsletters with updates, links to exclusive content, and promotional offers. And don’t forget to imbue your emails with personality, so it doesn’t feel like an automated email blast (even though it probably will be).

Embrace collaboration

Partner with influencers, experts in your niche, and other creators who can promote your video membership site to their followers. But to do this authentically; make sure these partnerships and collaborations provide value to audiences. If it’s just a plug, viewers will sniff it out and move on.

Leverage referrals

No, you shouldn’t go the way of a multilevel marketer, but definitely encourage word-of-mouth referrals with incentives, such as discounts, exclusive content, or other perks. Word-of-mouth marketing can be quite effective for growing your membership.

Boost visibility with SEO 

“Search engine optimization” is the process used to optimize your website’s “content relevance and link popularity” so that its pages can become easily findable. Use relevant keywords, create descriptive meta tags, and produce content that aligns with what your target audience is searching for.

How do you set membership fees?

Setting membership fees for your video membership website involves the consideration of many factors to ensure that the pricing is fair, attractive to audiences, and sustainable for your channel!

Here’s a quick checklist of things to consider as you establish fees and pricing for your site:

How much is it going to cost to produce your content regularly?

Sit down and calculate the costs associated with running your membership website, including hosting costs, content creation, marketing, and any other relevant expenses. And definitely set profit margin goals for yourself, too.

What are other creators in your niche doing?

We’re shouting this from the rooftops, folks: Market research as much as possible! How are other creators and competitors pricing their membership websites? And what kind of content and value are they bringing to their audience?

Can you afford to get creative with promotions and offers?

If you can afford to — especially in the early stages of getting your membership site off the ground — consider promotions, discounts for “early subscribers,” and even bundled offers. Anything that will incentivize your viewers to become paid members.

What kind of payment options are you comfortable having?

Your market research will impact the decision here, but definitely think through if you’ll offer flexible payment options, such as monthly, quarterly, or annual subscriptions. You could even provide discounts for members who sign up for longer-term plans.

Setting membership fees is going to involve a little bit of trial and error, so just be prepared to iterate on your pricing — and then iterate some more. If you want more help pricing your membership site, or deciding between one-time or recurring payments, make sure to check out our other articles!

Start growing your membership community today.

Now that you’re equipped to grow your membership community, how can you scale that into recurring revenue?

Tools like Switcher make creating a video membership website affordable and accessible.

Switcher’s video subscription platform integrates seamlessly with your current website, so you can own your premium content and earn recurring revenue directly from members right away.

Plus, Switcher has everything you need to create, share, and monetize subscription-based video content from one easy-to-use, award-winning app.

Ready to get started? Here’s a 14-day FREE trial to see how Switcher can elevate your membership website.