Why Should Video Creators Build a Membership Site?

What Is A Membership Site?

A membership site refers to a platform or website where you host your exclusive on-demand videos and earn money by charging your members a monthly or annual fee to watch them. The best part is, when you create this site, you can have your own community, wherein your members can communicate with others.

Benefits Of Having A Video Membership Site

By offering member-only content, a membership site enables you to build stronger relationships with your audience. Plus, these websites come with a variety of benefits, which are discussed below:

1. A Steady Income Without Relying On Ads, Unlike YouTube

Making money solely through advertising is unreliable. Many YouTubers are shifting away from ad-supported revenue, as they feel underpaid for their content. YouTube does not pay creators based on video views, but rather on ad views. Suppose, if your most recent video earns a thousand views but only 500 ad views, you will get money based on the 500 ad views. This income source is unpredictable as there may be less than 500 ad views for your next video.

On YouTube, creators cannot keep all of their ad earnings. The platform keeps about 45% of the money made from ads, with the creator receiving the remaining 55%. This further limits how much a creator can actually earn from ads.

That’s when membership sites come into play, allowing you to keep 100% of what you earn and receive recurring revenue straight from your users (by charging them on a monthly or annual basis). Membership pricing model makes it easier for creators to predict how much money they will earn. Plus, you can set different rates (tiered pricing) to make the subscription reasonable, which helps you attract more customers.

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2. Deliver Value To Your Members

People are constantly searching for valuable content. By producing videos tailored to your target audiences’ tastes and preferences, you can add value to their experience.

If you’re a wellness coach, for example, you can share your invaluable videos in which they learn how to cope with challenging situations. Also, you can invite professionals from your field to create a podcast. It is advisable to post some of your videos for free and keep the rest behind a paywall (a system that allows people to view content only after paying a subscription fee). When your audience feels your videos are informative, they are more likely to return for more and subscribe to your website.

This is how you can convert visitors into loyal members. You simply need to keep generating high-quality, engaging videos.

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3. Control Over Video Monetization With Membership Sites

You have complete control over the amount you wish to charge. You can even create multiple tiers (subscription levels) based on your potential members' budgets. For those who can pay ₹149 or ₹199 per month, you can build a basic membership plan, while those who can spend ₹499 per month you can create another plan, resulting in a tiered pricing model.

However, it is advisable that you set a reasonable price that everyone is able to pay. Because overcharging may cause you to lose your members.

For example, Netflix provides flexible subscription plans that cater to a wide range of consumers. People can choose between four different monthly plans that include unlimited ad-free movies, TV shows, and mobile games.

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4. Establishes Your Authority

To position yourself as an industry expert, you must create exceptional content that fills in the gaps left by your competition. Addressing these gaps strengthens your site's authority, comprehensiveness, and value to your target audience.

Furthermore, the more videos you make, the more likely people will notice you. When you begin to get recognition, you increase demand for your videos, where people are willing to interact with your site.

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5. Complete Ownership Of Your Video Content

Unlike YouTube, which can suspend your account, demonetize a video, or restrict your online presence without notifying you, creating your own membership site eliminates all of these issues. You have complete control over what or how your videos are published and who can view them. The best part is that you can track how your videos are performing, including who watched them for how long, which videos are getting more views, and other data like viewer contact information. This allows you to get to know your audience better and generate content that is tailored to their interests.

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6. Customization Options

Owning a membership site gives you the freedom to brand your business, from choosing your logo, business name, to website title and everything in between, exactly the way you want. With a variety of customisable templates to choose from, you can unleash your inner designer, design your website, and flaunt your unique creations to the world.

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7. Break Free From Algorithms

Algorithms do not stand between you and your audience. Unlike YouTube’s AI algorithm, which is ever-changing and designed to show users the best and most captivating videos, you can break free from the algorithm rat race.

You don't have to worry about which days and times are best for publishing your content. You can post your high-quality creations, without any compromises, whenever and how you like it.

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8. Develop Stronger Bonds With Your Viewers

Membership sites come with a community feature, which is a dynamic space where members can connect with one another and exchange knowledge on topics of interest.

People can participate in any type of discussion, voice their thoughts, and raise questions. You can even announce any offline events you intend to conduct ahead of time and invite everyone. By doing so, your viewers will feel like they are an important part of your business and will gladly remain your member for the long run.

Furthermore, members can message you personally if they run into any issues while streaming your video. And you have to make sure that you respond to them and take care of their problems as quickly as you can. This approach guarantees a lasting relationship with your subscribers and reflects your genuine care for them.

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Things to Consider When Creating a Video Membership Site

In addition to offering quality content, a strategic approach to a satisfying user experience is essential for an engaging membership site. Your site must be a space where members find value, participate actively, and form enduring bonds. To build a successful membership website, you must:

• Ensure you can upload, organize and publish your videos easily and improve your workflow
• Create subscription plans with ease and provide flexibility in pricing strategies
• Cultivate a community that lets subscribers communicate with one another
• Track video performance and other business metrics

How Can Skara Help?

Skara, a no-code platform, is ideal for video creators seeking a one-stop solution for memberships and content monetization. With a scalable solution, Skara makes it possible for you to launch your own video membership website and connect with your audience. Instead of investing money and time required to start from scratch, you will receive a mobile application and a free customizable website to instantly distribute your videos. Plus, you can create many membership tiers with different prices and select which content is accessible to each tier.

Not only that, but you can also have complete control over your finances by receiving direct payments from your members.

Wrapping Up

The future of memberships is being shaped by consumer behavior. Since people crave for more authentic videos that cater to their preferences while making them feel like they are a part of a community, video streaming businesses are adopting this approach. Building a loyal following, establishing yourself as an authority in your field, and generating a steady income are all made possible by membership websites.

This is the perfect time to build a membership site if you've been considering it. All you need to do is commit to giving value to your members over the long run.