How to Create a Free Membership Website in Less Than a Day

adminMarch 3, 2023

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How to create a free website without membership

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Introduction

There are two good reasons to create a free membership site for your organization: 1) to build a hub for members-only content, and 2) to generate additional revenue!

Despite these potential benefits, the idea of creating a full membership site might seem a little daunting. Who has the time and energy to figure out how to build a website from scratch?

Reading: How to create a free website without membership

But here’s a little secret: you can put a membership site together in less than a day. And here we’ll walk you through the steps and tools you’ll need to do it.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Before we go into more detail on how to build your own membership site, let’s answer some pressing questions you may have.

What is a free membership site?

A membership site provides your members with their own dedicated online space. Membership sites often offer members access to exclusive content (such as educational courses, private coaching, an online forum for members to connect, etc.)

Only members can join this type of membership site – it is typically unavailable non-members. That’s why it can be a great benefit that could convince potential members to join your organization!

How do free membership sites make money?

Even if access to a membership site is free (as a part of membership) building these types of popular perks is a great way to generate revenue through:

Recurring membership dues
Additional revenue from special events
Additional revenue from premium content or access
Donations
Sales of digital products (e.g. templates, checklists, website themes, tools, etc.)
Sponsorship and/or Affiliate Partners

How much do membership sites cost?

One of the main factors to consider when choosing the right tool to build your website find membership site is paid. And the price you pay can vary greatly depending on what you’re looking for.

For example: some tools charge based on the number of members or contacts you have. Other fees are based on the type of features you need, such as E-commerce capabilities or a mobile app.

You can expect to pay anywhere from $10/month to $170/month. Usually, you pay for the service itself, plus fees for the domain and hosting your website.

But if you’re on a budget, we’re here to introduce you to the free website builders for members to use Get started quickly!

Free options include:

WildApricot (free 60-day trial)
WordPress (some features cost extra money)
Webflow (free lite plan, but other features are paid)
Wix (free lite plan, but other features are paid)
Weebly (free Lite Plan)

These are just a few free tools, but we’ll go into more detail about each one and all of its features below.

Membership Site vs. Subscription Site : What’s the difference?

Some people confuse membership sites and subscription sites (and even use them interchangeably). And while both have gated content, the two have some key differences.

The first major difference is that a subscription site is for revenue only. Subscribers simply pay (like members) to get access to all the exclusive content on the site (think: Hulu or Netflix). However, unlike membership sites, these subscribers don’t have the ability to chat or interact with the people creating that great content (or even each other).

As mentioned above, one of the main purposes of having a membership site is should support the community. Members don’t just visit a membership site for content—they can also connect with each other, engage in discussions, learn new skills, and more.

How to start creating your free membership site

Explore Your Audience

To create a free membership site, you need to show potential members your value. And that means you have to give them content they can’t get anywhere else, or solve a real problem for them.

So how can you do that? Do your homework on your target members!

Consider the audience you want to attract. Why will they visit your website in the first place? Your content isn’t going to resonate with everyone who comes across it, and that’s okay. But you need to make sure the audience you’re trying to reach out to is connecting with you.

Find out what problem you’re trying to solve and conduct market research to see what potential Competitors already offer. Then connect with a few people who fit the type of audience you’re trying to attract. Send them a short survey to ask what offers would appeal to them, what they would pay for those types of offers, and what knowledge gaps they have.

Build a membership model

Create A membership model helps you determine how much people pay to join your site, when they pay (monthly, yearly, etc.) and what they get in return.You can determine your membership model in just a few steps:

Determine your value. What can you give your members and how can you serve them in this way with your mission , vision and your goals?
Clarify your offers. Write down anything you want to offer members on your website – training materials, an online community, a job board, a member directory, events, or other resources.
Increase your Membership Tiers. Most membership sites have at least two membership tiers and sometimes this includes a free tier. You can organize these tiers by number of benefits offered, payment schedule, or type of member (e.g. individual, package/family, corporate, etc.).
Finish your benefits. What level of access and benefits do members get at each membership level?

Create a Pricing Structure

It’s time to set your prices. Think about how much you will spend to attract new members to your site and maintain your offerings – not only should your prices cover that, but you should get a return on your investment.

An effective one Pricing structure falls on a balance between what your members are willing to pay and what you need to cover your expenses. And it’s built on a strong foundation with great benefits. If your offers are valuable to your target members, they’ll be more willing to spend money on them.

Follow a few crucial steps to amplify your prices:

Research similar ones Membership sites (and their prices)
List your expenses
Deliver value with your offers
Consider the budgets of your target members (for example: If They appeal to young professionals, don’t make your prices prohibitive)
Consider offering promotions
Consider offering a free trial

For more help creating your pricing structure, see our guide to setting membership pricing.

Brand your organization

Your brand helps make your membership site stand out from to stand out from others. Coherent branding indicates that your website is professional and trustworthy. And branding also provides visual cues so your members know that all communications are from you.

You need to consider and create a number of visual elements for your free membership site, including:

Logo
Slogan
Color scheme
Imagery
Fonts

Specify your site A name

What’s in a name? A lot, especially when it’s the first thing most people learn about you. It’s worth the time and effort to think about your membership site name – it will pay off in the long run.

Your free membership site name should be memorable and grab your member’s attention in just a few seconds words.

Your name could be meaningful (e.g. Old Dominion Boat Club) based on the founder or celebrity or your organization’s geography (e.g. biking in Greensboro).

Write your website content

Now it’s time to write the copy that will appear on your website. While each membership site is unique in its own way, you will need to author content for a few important sections, including:

Homepage. This is where you leave your first impression. What information do you want members to see immediately? This could be your most important call to action (e.g. “Join us now”). Many sites also feature news, featured members, and upcoming events. An example of a great home page is the Webb Mountain Discovery Zone.
About Us. Tell the story of your membership site. Add your mission, vision and values, as well as profiles of the founder and current board of directors. An example of a great About Us page is the Greater Kendall Business Association.
Contact Us. Include all of your contact information (email, phone number, address , if you have an office).

Create your members-only content

Here are some of the valuable offers that will attract your members in this section of elbow grease to ensure you create exclusive content that your members can’t find anywhere else.

This includes:

Resources. This is where you add all the great educational, training and informational resources. This could include on-demand videos, webinars, industry-specific training materials, training courses, and more. An example of a great resource site is the Medical Library Association.
A members-only area. Here you host a space that only members can access. You can add details for a private Facebook group, forum or member directory.
Events. If events are part of your offer, you can post all the details here! Create a calendar with dates, times and details of upcoming events for members. A great example is the Wayne County Chamber of Commerce.

Devise a strategy for royalty-free revenue

While your members will certainly pay to access your site, it’s also helpful to devise a strategy to generate revenue generate recurring revenue outside of this revenue. So diversify your earnings with:

Special events for members and non-members
Selling physical and digital products on your website
Donations
Sponsorship

Decide on a URL

Now that you have a name and the content of your membership site, it’s time to choose your domain name . In general, your website’s URL is similar to your name. So if your name is Old Navy Boat Club, your URL could be www.oldnavyboatclub.com.

Or your domain name could be an abbreviated version of your organization’s name. For example, Bicycling in Greensboro chose the domain https://bikegso.org.

Choose your platform

To choose the right platform to build your website, you can follow these steps:

Explore your options. Do your homework and make a list of some tools that suit your needs (don’t worry, we’ll help you with that a bit later in this article!).
Make a shortlist and review. Make a list of your top 3 choices and do thorough reviews. Sign up for demos and free trials and try it out firsthand.
Make a decision. Pick your top choice, narrow down all of its benefits, and run them from your board of directors or executive directors.

Creating Your Best Membership Site: What It Should Include

While the best membership sites are a little different, they have all some common components. To create a successful website, start with these basic building blocks and then adapt them:

About us. The best membership sites tell the story of their organization. Include your Mission, Vision and Values and Founder Profiles here.
Membership Level Information. Provide a clear breakdown of your membership tiers, pricing, and the benefits associated with each tier.
Member sign-up form. Top member sites make it easy for potential members to join the group. Keep your signup form in an easily recognizable place (e.g. right in your site’s navigation bar!).
Online payment processing. Make it easy for members to pay for your amazing content ! Use an online payment processor to collect monthly dues, donations, and event payments.
Members-only area. This space is where you host exclusive content, educational resources, a forum, or training videos. For the best membership sites, these protected resources are the main attraction for members!
Integrate with your membership management software. An all-in-one tool will have a website builder that can do that integrates seamlessly with a contact database, marketing tools, and event management tools.

Features you should look for in the best free membership site

The best Platforms to build your membership site allows you to easily build a comprehensive website along with some key features like an events calendar, resources for members, news, blog posts, and social media integrations. Most importantly, you should be able to use the platform yourself without knowing anything about design or coding.

Besides these crucial features, here are some things to keep in mind when evaluating your options:

Member database management. You should be able to easily add and manage your contacts, members and subscribed people.
Email Marketing Functions. With an integrated email tool, you can easily segment your members and send transactional emails, thank you emails or marketing emails from the same platform.
Other communication tools. strong> While email is vital, are there other ways you can connect with your members? Think text messaging and a dedicated app for your website.
Handy automation tools. Look for features like automatic member profile updates (because nobody likes manual input) and automated emails such as reminders for members, confirmations and transactional emails.
Events with online registration. If your offerings include online events such as webinars or IRL events, look for a tool that allows participants to register online.
Easy to use website builder. You shouldn’t need to know how to code to create a website from scratch. So look for a tool that makes building a website easy (and make sure it’s mobile-friendly!).
Members only. Make sure , your tool of choice makes it easy to protect your membership content.
Donations and Payments Processing. Online payment processing features make it easy to receive and track payments for your membership site.
Inexpensive options. Does your platform offer inexpensive (or even free!) packages to keep your costs under control?
Great support. Make sure it’s easy to get the kind of help you need, when you need it. This can take the form of live chat, training resources, or even coaching to help you create the membership website you envisioned.

11 Free Membership Website Options
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As Long As There Are Along with numerous paid tools for building your membership site, you have nearly a dozen free options to lean on instead. Each has its own pros and cons and unique features, and we’ll walk you through them here.

1. WildApricot

Summary: WildApricot is an all-inclusive solution for organizations to build and host their website without any coding skills while managing their members, donations and events platform.

Features:

Membership Management
E- Mail marketing
Event organization
Mobile event check-in
Public API
Developer-friendly API that lets you connect to any tool or data you need and display your courses and content on any website
Advanced theme customization

Pricing/Plans: Paid plans start at $29/month

Duration of free trial: No trial; Free plans include limited features and cost $1 10% for each transaction through your website created on the platform.

7. Squarespace

Summary: Squarespace’s templates are visually appealing, functional, and easy to navigate. The website builder is a mix of drag-and-drop and HTML coding to edit features, although most basic editing can be done with one click.

Features:

Customization of HTML coding
Cheap hosting
Online store
WordPress integration
Email marketing
Automatic invoices (for an additional $$$)
Recurring donations

Pricing/Plans: Paid Business plans start at $33/month

Free trial duration: 14-day free trial

8. Wix

Summary: The Wix website builder is intuitive, easy to use, and well-built. Users with programming experience can edit the website’s HTML codes, making it highly customizable if you know what you’re doing.

Features:

HTML Coding Customization
Members Only Sections (for additional $$$)
WordPress Integration
Email Marketing (for an additional $$$)
Designer-made email/newsletter templates
Online Store
Online Event Registration
Automatic Invoices (for additional $$$)
Online Donation

PPricing/Plans: Paid Business plans start at $28/month

Duration of Free Trial: 14-day free trial for premium features

9. MightyNetworks

Summary: With a Mighty Network, you can bring your courses, memberships, and offerings together in one powerful, branded community on iOS, Android, and the web.

Features:

Paid Memberships
Online Courses
Creation of live cohort courses
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Congrats, now you’ve started your free, 60-day trial! This means that you will have all the access to all the Functionality all paying customers get for 60 days.

At the end of the 60 days you will be notified that your trial account is about to expire (unless you upgrade).To activate your free account, leave the Just expire trial. WildApricot will automatically turn your trial account into a limited free account that runs for as long as you need it.

Step 2: Take a tour (or skip it)

Once your account is activated you will have the opportunity to review the platform, if you choose to do so you will be taken through a simple setup instructions to help you get started right away.

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Skipping the instructions will take you straight to t The backend of your new WildApricot website. For the purposes of this tutorial, I’ll take you straight to the back end of your WildApricot website.

Step 3: Navigate to the Website Pages

Once you are in the backend of your WildApricot website, navigate to the website

PGG does an excellent job of showing the benefits of joining their membership site. For a nominal fee of $75, golfers receive a bi-monthly subscription to FORE magazine, access to the SCGA Directory of Golf, a handicap index for comparison, and many other benefits.

2. Old Dominion Boat Club

The Old Dominion Boat Club offers membership to sailors and sailing enthusiasts from Alexandria, VA. And this boating group does a great job of highlighting their many upcoming club events on the members site home page (tacos and trivia, anyone?) as well as highlighting all the requirements for potential people to apply for membership.

3. Bicycling in Greensboro

Bicycling in Greensboro is a member organization that aims to transform the Greater Greensboro, North Carolina area into a more bike-friendly community through advocacy, education, and service.

The BIG membership site does a great job outlining their mission and values while also sharing all of their many Communities highlights programs.

4. Propeller Club Port Norfolk

The Propeller Club of Port Norfolk has more than 300 members from all areas of maritime transport and logistics. The club hosts a number of networking events throughout the year.

This easy-to-navigate membership site not only notifies members of upcoming events directly on the homepage, but also provides a summary of the latest news and links for more Information.

5. The Hunting Hills Swim Club

Hunting Hills Swim Club is a family-oriented community swim club located on the outskirts of Catonsville in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1958, it is also the oldest private, community-funded swim club in the United States.

Hunting Hills Swim Club offers a wealth of helpful information on its membership page, including important details about the pool (opening hours and rules), upcoming events, how to sign up for membership and even a FAQ section.

6. Comox Valley Tennis Club

The Comox Valley Tennis Club (CVTC ) is a non-profit organization dedicated to expanding the sport of tennis in the Comox Valley of B.C., Canada. The club organizes leagues and tournaments for its members and hosts open events in which players from other communities are invited to participate.

The tennis club offers a members-only forum and even offers exclusive member content such as blog posts and a newsletter.

7. ATV Association of Nova Scotia

The ATV Association of Nova Scotia is a membership association of ATV enthusiasts in Nova Scotia, Canada. And the members’ website not only offers driver maps, safety information and an FAQ section, but also details on member discounts and an online store where they sell their favorite products.

Start your free trial of WildApricot

So what’s included with your free WildApricot account? With your free trial you get:

Number of administrators: 1

Maximum size of contact database (members and email contacts combined): 50

Individual file size limit: 100MB

Total file storage limit: 100MB

Online or recurring payments: No

Custom domain name: No

Banner ads appear at the top of every website page

After growing your free membership site to over 50 members, it’s easy to switch to a paid account.This upgrade also allows you to take full advantage of WildApricot’s comprehensive member management software, with handy features such as:

Allow more than 50 members and contacts

Access for more administrators

Accept online payments and donations for memberships and events

Automate recurring payments for membership fees

Use a custom domain name

Increase your file storage limit

Remove Banner Ads at the Top of Your Website

To start your free 60-day trial of WildApricot, just click here.

See also: IRS Printable Mileage Log Template 2023 – Free Excel & PDF

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