{"id":19762,"date":"2019-11-14T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-11-14T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/?p=19762"},"modified":"2019-11-14T14:15:50","modified_gmt":"2019-11-14T21:15:50","slug":"membership-site-vs-social-media-platforms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/membership-site-vs-social-media-platforms\/","title":{"rendered":"The Difference Between Having a Membership Site and Using Social Media Platforms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Most websites these days are <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"active on social media (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/4-reasons-you-need-a-social-media-presence-for-your-small-business\/\" target=\"_blank\">active on social media<\/a>. Being active means regularly posting new content, and doing your best to engage with followers. The problem is that most people follow hundreds of accounts, which makes getting users to actually engage difficult.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_81 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69b2c9b78b821\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">WHAT'S INSIDE<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69b2c9b78b821\"  \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/membership-site-vs-social-media-platforms\/#How_Membership_Sites_Work\" >How Membership Sites Work<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/membership-site-vs-social-media-platforms\/#3_Advantages_of_Membership_Websites_Over_Social_Media_Platforms\" >3 Advantages of Membership Websites Over Social Media Platforms<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/membership-site-vs-social-media-platforms\/#1_You_Dont_Need_to_Rely_on_a_Third-Party_Platform\" >1. You Don't Need to Rely on a Third-Party Platform<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/membership-site-vs-social-media-platforms\/#2_You_Get_Access_to_More_Avenues_for_Monetization\" >2. You Get Access to More Avenues for Monetization<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/membership-site-vs-social-media-platforms\/#3_You_Can_Build_a_Much_More_Close-Knit_Community\" >3. You Can Build a Much More Close-Knit Community<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/membership-site-vs-social-media-platforms\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>One solution to that problem is not to focus all of your efforts on social media, and to instead build a community of your own. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/membership-site-reasons\/\" target=\"_blank\">With a membership website<\/a>, you control every aspect of the user experience. Moreover, you can use it to foster discussion about your products and services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we're going to talk about how online membership websites work in general. Then we'll go over three key advantages that membership sites have over social media platforms. Let's jump in!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Membership_Sites_Work\"><\/span>How Membership Sites Work<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Chances are you're probably a member of a lot of websites. In broad terms, they all work much the same. You register for an account, and then you can start talking with the site's other members and accessing content. The perfect example of such a system is online forums:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"765\" height=\"303\" src=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/forum-example.png\" alt=\"An example of an online forum.\" class=\"wp-image-19764\" srcset=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/forum-example.png 765w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/forum-example-300x119.png 300w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/forum-example-429x170.png 429w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/forum-example-700x277.png 700w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/forum-example-156x62.png 156w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 765px) 100vw, 765px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>That's just one type of membership website, however. In practice, you can tweak any aspect of the experience, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>What content is open to the public and what is restricted<\/li><li>Who can register to be a member<\/li><li>Whether users have to pay to join the website<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the biggest issues with static websites is that they're hardly interactive. You can't engage with your users \u2013 or get them to interact with each other \u2013 through the website itself. You may have contact forms and emails, but those are hardly conducive to a feeling of community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Social media helps websites bridge that gap. However, social media platforms are limiting in many ways, especially when compared to the power of a fully-featured membership site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Advantages_of_Membership_Websites_Over_Social_Media_Platforms\"><\/span>3 Advantages of Membership Websites Over Social Media Platforms<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There's a time and a place for <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"using social media (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/4-ways-social-media-can-boost-your-membership-site\/\" target=\"_blank\">using social media<\/a> to promote your business. However, it shouldn't be the only channel you rely on, and that's where a membership site comes in. Let's look at three benefits of creating this type of dedicated community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_You_Dont_Need_to_Rely_on_a_Third-Party_Platform\"><\/span>1. You Don't Need to Rely on a Third-Party Platform<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Billions of people (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/ourworldindata.org\/rise-of-social-media\" target=\"_blank\">Billions of people<\/a> use social media platforms every day. You're almost certainly familiar with the big names, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, but there are also a lot of smaller regional and niche platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here's the problem \u2013 every one of those platforms requires you to abide by a different rule set. Moreover, they each tend to specialize in very different types of content. If you want to engage users on Instagram, it's all about visuals, whereas Facebook is more friendly for text-heavy content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The result is that running popular accounts on multiple social media platforms is essentially a full-time job. It's no wonder that so many businesses are hiring social media managers just to keep up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With a membership website that you own, there's no one else setting the rules. You control every aspect of the platform, including which functionality you want, who to let in, what kind of content is allowed, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>WordPress might not offer advanced membership functionality out of the <a href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/go\/box\" title=\"Box affiliate link\" class=\"pretty-link-keyword\"rel=\"nofollow \" target=\"_blank\">box<\/a>, but that's easily fixed with plugins. By using <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">MemberPress<\/a>, for example, you can customize the user registration experience and gain full control over who sees what content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_You_Get_Access_to_More_Avenues_for_Monetization\"><\/span>2. You Get Access to More Avenues for Monetization<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you're going to spend a lot of time and effort managing a social media presence for your business, it should help you drive profits. The issue is that with social media, monetization options can be few and far between.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What you\u00a0<em>can\u00a0<\/em>do is to use social media to help you find and drive leads to your website. Plus, with a membership site you'll get access to a whole host of <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"monetization options (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/5-reasons-every-blogger-should-start-a-membership-site\/\" target=\"_blank\">monetization options<\/a>, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Offering subscriptions<\/li><li>Requiring one-time payments for access<\/li><li>Displaying ads for other websites<\/li><li>Selling digital products<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The main takeaway is that when you get users to visit a website you own, you have a lot more freedom about how to monetize that traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With MemberPress, you can easily <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"add subscription (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/docs\/using-the-subscriptions-page\/\" target=\"_blank\">add subscription<\/a> and payment functionality to your website:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"588\" height=\"295\" src=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/membership-payments.png\" alt=\"Paying for a subscription using MemberPress.\" class=\"wp-image-19765\" srcset=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/membership-payments.png 588w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/membership-payments-300x151.png 300w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/membership-payments-339x170.png 339w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/membership-payments-156x78.png 156w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 588px) 100vw, 588px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>As far as ads go, nothing is stopping you from <a href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/best-ad-management-plugins-for-membership-sites\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">joining any ad network<\/a> you want. For digital products, you'll need <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"an e-commerce plugin (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/how-to-create-an-online-store-in-your-membership-site\/\" target=\"_blank\">an e-commerce plugin<\/a>, but you have a lot of choices as a WordPress user.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_You_Can_Build_a_Much_More_Close-Knit_Community\"><\/span>3. You Can Build a Much More Close-Knit Community<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Right now, you probably follow hundreds of people and businesses on social media, spread out across multiple platforms. Social media is a fantastic tool for communication, but it's less useful if you want to nurture a close-knit community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Traditional social media feeds are designed to drown you in updates. You never cease to get stimuli from different sources, which means you're not going to feel like you're part of a single group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Membership websites such as forums are the complete opposite. Discussions might not be as fast-paced, but you get to have long, interesting conversations with other users who are interested in the same things as you are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"806\" height=\"581\" src=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/discussions-example.png\" alt=\"An example of an engaging online discussion.\" class=\"wp-image-19766\" srcset=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/discussions-example.png 806w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/discussions-example-300x216.png 300w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/discussions-example-768x554.png 768w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/discussions-example-236x170.png 236w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/discussions-example-700x505.png 700w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/discussions-example-156x112.png 156w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 806px) 100vw, 806px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>That last part is key for any membership site. For users to feel as though they're part of a community, there needs to be something that holds them together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to build a membership website for your business, it can enable your audience to discuss their experiences, talk about other topics, share tips, and more. The decision is up to you, and you have full freedom when it comes to what kind of engagement you encourage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Social media is a great way to connect with your website's audience. However, if you want to forge a real community, you'll need something that feels more close-knit. That's where a membership website can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With WordPress and MemberPress, <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"creating a membership website (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/checklist-for-launching-a-new-membership-site\/\" target=\"_blank\">creating a membership website<\/a> isn't all that complicated. It also comes with several advantages over social media, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Not having to rely on a third-party platform.<\/li><li>Getting access to more avenues for monetization.<\/li><li>Being able to build a much more close-knit community.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Do you have any questions about how to start a membership website using WordPress? Let's go over them in the comments section below!\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Most websites these days are active on social media. Being active means regularly posting new content, and doing your best to engage with followers. The problem is that most people follow hundreds of accounts, which makes getting users to actually engage difficult. One solution to that problem is not to focus all of your efforts [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":76756,"featured_media":20032,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_strive_editorial_status":"not-started","_strive_copy_of":0,"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_caption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_nocaption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_hide":"","_strive_checklists":"\"\"","_strive_active_checklist":"62291e2bb2422","_strive_post_notes":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[362],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-19762","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-social-media","8":"entry"},"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO Pro 4.9.5.1 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A membership website can be a great way to foster a community around your projects, and that&#039;s just one of many benefits. Let&#039;s find out about the rest!\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"max-image-preview:large\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Zeph Bluestone\"\/>\n\t<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/membership-site-vs-social-media-platforms\/\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"generator\" content=\"All in One SEO Pro (AIOSEO) 4.9.5.1\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"de_DE\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"MemberPress\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Difference Between Having a Membership Site and Using Social Media Platforms\" \/>\n\t\t<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A membership website can be a great way to foster a community around your projects, and that&#039;s just one of many benefits. 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Let's find out about the rest!","twitter:image":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Membership-vs-socialmedia@2x.png"},"aioseo_meta_data":{"post_id":"19762","title":"The Difference Between Having a Membership Site and Using Social Media Platforms","description":"A membership website can be a great way to foster a community around your projects, and that's just one of many benefits. 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Being active means regularly posting new content, and doing your best to engage with followers. The problem is that most people follow hundreds of accounts, which makes getting users to actually engage difficult.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Most websites these days are <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"active on social media (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/4-reasons-you-need-a-social-media-presence-for-your-small-business\/\" target=\"_blank\">active on social media<\/a>. Being active means regularly posting new content, and doing your best to engage with followers. The problem is that most people follow hundreds of accounts, which makes getting users to actually engage difficult."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>One solution to that problem is not to focus all of your efforts on social media, and to instead build a community of your own. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/membership-site-reasons\/\" target=\"_blank\">With a membership website<\/a>, you control every aspect of the user experience. Moreover, you can use it to foster discussion about your products and services.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"One solution to that problem is not to focus all of your efforts on social media, and to instead build a community of your own. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/membership-site-reasons\/\" target=\"_blank\">With a membership website<\/a>, you control every aspect of the user experience. Moreover, you can use it to foster discussion about your products and services."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>In this article, we're going to talk about how online membership websites work in general. Then we'll go over three key advantages that membership sites have over social media platforms. Let's jump in!<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"In this article, we're going to talk about how online membership websites work in general. Then we'll go over three key advantages that membership sites have over social media platforms. Let's jump in!"}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/heading","render":"<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Membership Sites Work<\/h2>","content":"How Membership Sites Work","data":[],"style":{"align":"left","parent_style":{},"header":"h2","fontSize":"27px"}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Chances are you're probably a member of a lot of websites. In broad terms, they all work much the same. You register for an account, and then you can start talking with the site's other members and accessing content. The perfect example of such a system is online forums:<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Chances are you're probably a member of a lot of websites. In broad terms, they all work much the same. You register for an account, and then you can start talking with the site's other members and accessing content. The perfect example of such a system is online forums:"}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/image","render":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img src=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/forum-example.png\" alt=\"An example of an online forum.\" class=\"wp-image-19764\"\/><\/figure><\/div>","content":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/forum-example.png","data":{"alt":"An example of an online forum.","src":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/forum-example.png","align":"center"},"style":{"width":765,"height":303,"align":"center","parent_style":{},"alignSelf":"center"}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>That's just one type of membership website, however. In practice, you can tweak any aspect of the experience, including:<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"That's just one type of membership website, however. In practice, you can tweak any aspect of the experience, including:"}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/list","render":"<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>What content is open to the public and what is restricted<\/li><li>Who can register to be a member<\/li><li>Whether users have to pay to join the website<\/li><\/ul>","content":"<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>What content is open to the public and what is restricted<\/li><li>Who can register to be a member<\/li><li>Whether users have to pay to join the website<\/li><\/ul>","data":{"listType":"unordered"},"style":{"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>One of the biggest issues with static websites is that they're hardly interactive. You can't engage with your users \u2013 or get them to interact with each other \u2013 through the website itself. You may have contact forms and emails, but those are hardly conducive to a feeling of community.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"One of the biggest issues with static websites is that they're hardly interactive. You can't engage with your users \u2013 or get them to interact with each other \u2013 through the website itself. You may have contact forms and emails, but those are hardly conducive to a feeling of community."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Social media helps websites bridge that gap. However, social media platforms are limiting in many ways, especially when compared to the power of a fully-featured membership site.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Social media helps websites bridge that gap. However, social media platforms are limiting in many ways, especially when compared to the power of a fully-featured membership site."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/heading","render":"<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3 Advantages of Membership Websites Over Social Media Platforms<\/h2>","content":"3 Advantages of Membership Websites Over Social Media Platforms","data":[],"style":{"align":"left","parent_style":{},"header":"h2","fontSize":"27px"}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>There's a time and a place for <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"using social media (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/4-ways-social-media-can-boost-your-membership-site\/\" target=\"_blank\">using social media<\/a> to promote your business. However, it shouldn't be the only channel you rely on, and that's where a membership site comes in. Let's look at three benefits of creating this type of dedicated community.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"There's a time and a place for <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"using social media (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/4-ways-social-media-can-boost-your-membership-site\/\" target=\"_blank\">using social media<\/a> to promote your business. However, it shouldn't be the only channel you rely on, and that's where a membership site comes in. Let's look at three benefits of creating this type of dedicated community."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/heading","render":"<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. You Don't Need to Rely on a Third-Party Platform<\/h3>","content":"1. You Don't Need to Rely on a Third-Party Platform","data":[],"style":{"align":"left","parent_style":{},"header":"h3","fontSize":"21px"}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Billions of people (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/ourworldindata.org\/rise-of-social-media\" target=\"_blank\">Billions of people<\/a> use social media platforms every day. You're almost certainly familiar with the big names, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, but there are also a lot of smaller regional and niche platforms.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Billions of people (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/ourworldindata.org\/rise-of-social-media\" target=\"_blank\">Billions of people<\/a> use social media platforms every day. You're almost certainly familiar with the big names, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, but there are also a lot of smaller regional and niche platforms."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Here's the problem \u2013 every one of those platforms requires you to abide by a different rule set. Moreover, they each tend to specialize in very different types of content. If you want to engage users on Instagram, it's all about visuals, whereas Facebook is more friendly for text-heavy content.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Here's the problem \u2013 every one of those platforms requires you to abide by a different rule set. Moreover, they each tend to specialize in very different types of content. If you want to engage users on Instagram, it's all about visuals, whereas Facebook is more friendly for text-heavy content."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>The result is that running popular accounts on multiple social media platforms is essentially a full-time job. It's no wonder that so many businesses are hiring social media managers just to keep up.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"The result is that running popular accounts on multiple social media platforms is essentially a full-time job. It's no wonder that so many businesses are hiring social media managers just to keep up."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>With a membership website that you own, there's no one else setting the rules. You control every aspect of the platform, including which functionality you want, who to let in, what kind of content is allowed, and more.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"With a membership website that you own, there's no one else setting the rules. You control every aspect of the platform, including which functionality you want, who to let in, what kind of content is allowed, and more."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>WordPress might not offer advanced membership functionality out of the box, but that's easily fixed with plugins. By using <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">MemberPress<\/a>, for example, you can customize the user registration experience and gain full control over who sees what content.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"WordPress might not offer advanced membership functionality out of the box, but that's easily fixed with plugins. By using <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">MemberPress<\/a>, for example, you can customize the user registration experience and gain full control over who sees what content."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/heading","render":"<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. You Get Access to More Avenues for Monetization<\/h2>","content":"2. You Get Access to More Avenues for Monetization","data":[],"style":{"align":"left","parent_style":{},"header":"h2","fontSize":"27px"}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>If you're going to spend a lot of time and effort managing a social media presence for your business, it should help you drive profits. The issue is that with social media, monetization options can be few and far between.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"If you're going to spend a lot of time and effort managing a social media presence for your business, it should help you drive profits. The issue is that with social media, monetization options can be few and far between."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>What you&nbsp;<em>can&nbsp;<\/em>do is to use social media to help you find and drive leads to your website. Plus, with a membership site you'll get access to a whole host of <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"monetization options (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/5-reasons-every-blogger-should-start-a-membership-site\/\" target=\"_blank\">monetization options<\/a>, including:<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"What you&nbsp;<em>can&nbsp;<\/em>do is to use social media to help you find and drive leads to your website. Plus, with a membership site you'll get access to a whole host of <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"monetization options (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/5-reasons-every-blogger-should-start-a-membership-site\/\" target=\"_blank\">monetization options<\/a>, including:"}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/list","render":"<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Offering subscriptions<\/li><li>Requiring one-time payments for access<\/li><li>Displaying ads for other websites<\/li><li>Selling digital products<\/li><\/ul>","content":"<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Offering subscriptions<\/li><li>Requiring one-time payments for access<\/li><li>Displaying ads for other websites<\/li><li>Selling digital products<\/li><\/ul>","data":{"listType":"unordered"},"style":{"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>The main takeaway is that when you get users to visit a website you own, you have a lot more freedom about how to monetize that traffic.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"The main takeaway is that when you get users to visit a website you own, you have a lot more freedom about how to monetize that traffic."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>With MemberPress, you can easily <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"add subscription (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/docs\/using-the-subscriptions-page\/\" target=\"_blank\">add subscription<\/a> and payment functionality to your website:<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"With MemberPress, you can easily <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"add subscription (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/docs\/using-the-subscriptions-page\/\" target=\"_blank\">add subscription<\/a> and payment functionality to your website:"}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/image","render":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img src=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/membership-payments.png\" alt=\"Paying for a subscription using MemberPress.\" class=\"wp-image-19765\"\/><\/figure><\/div>","content":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/membership-payments.png","data":{"alt":"Paying for a subscription using MemberPress.","src":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/membership-payments.png","align":"center"},"style":{"width":588,"height":295,"align":"center","parent_style":{},"alignSelf":"center"}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>As far as ads go, nothing is stopping you from <a href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/best-ad-management-plugins-for-membership-sites\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">joining any ad network<\/a> you want. For digital products, you'll need <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"an e-commerce plugin (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/how-to-create-an-online-store-in-your-membership-site\/\" target=\"_blank\">an e-commerce plugin<\/a>, but you have a lot of choices as a WordPress user.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"As far as ads go, nothing is stopping you from <a href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/best-ad-management-plugins-for-membership-sites\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">joining any ad network<\/a> you want. For digital products, you'll need <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"an e-commerce plugin (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/how-to-create-an-online-store-in-your-membership-site\/\" target=\"_blank\">an e-commerce plugin<\/a>, but you have a lot of choices as a WordPress user."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/heading","render":"<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. You Can Build a Much More Close-Knit Community<\/h3>","content":"3. You Can Build a Much More Close-Knit Community","data":[],"style":{"align":"left","parent_style":{},"header":"h3","fontSize":"21px"}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Right now, you probably follow hundreds of people and businesses on social media, spread out across multiple platforms. Social media is a fantastic tool for communication, but it's less useful if you want to nurture a close-knit community.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Right now, you probably follow hundreds of people and businesses on social media, spread out across multiple platforms. Social media is a fantastic tool for communication, but it's less useful if you want to nurture a close-knit community."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Traditional social media feeds are designed to drown you in updates. You never cease to get stimuli from different sources, which means you're not going to feel like you're part of a single group.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Traditional social media feeds are designed to drown you in updates. You never cease to get stimuli from different sources, which means you're not going to feel like you're part of a single group."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Membership websites such as forums are the complete opposite. Discussions might not be as fast-paced, but you get to have long, interesting conversations with other users who are interested in the same things as you are:<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Membership websites such as forums are the complete opposite. Discussions might not be as fast-paced, but you get to have long, interesting conversations with other users who are interested in the same things as you are:"}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/image","render":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img src=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/discussions-example.png\" alt=\"An example of an engaging online discussion.\" class=\"wp-image-19766\"\/><\/figure><\/div>","content":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/discussions-example.png","data":{"alt":"An example of an engaging online discussion.","src":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/discussions-example.png","align":"center"},"style":{"width":806,"height":581,"align":"center","parent_style":{},"alignSelf":"center"}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>That last part is key for any membership site. For users to feel as though they're part of a community, there needs to be something that holds them together.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"That last part is key for any membership site. For users to feel as though they're part of a community, there needs to be something that holds them together."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>If you want to build a membership website for your business, it can enable your audience to discuss their experiences, talk about other topics, share tips, and more. The decision is up to you, and you have full freedom when it comes to what kind of engagement you encourage.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"If you want to build a membership website for your business, it can enable your audience to discuss their experiences, talk about other topics, share tips, and more. The decision is up to you, and you have full freedom when it comes to what kind of engagement you encourage."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/heading","render":"<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>","content":"Conclusion","data":[],"style":{"align":"left","parent_style":{},"header":"h2","fontSize":"27px"}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Social media is a great way to connect with your website's audience. However, if you want to forge a real community, you'll need something that feels more close-knit. That's where a membership website can help.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Social media is a great way to connect with your website's audience. However, if you want to forge a real community, you'll need something that feels more close-knit. That's where a membership website can help."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>With WordPress and MemberPress, <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"creating a membership website (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/checklist-for-launching-a-new-membership-site\/\" target=\"_blank\">creating a membership website<\/a> isn't all that complicated. It also comes with several advantages over social media, including:<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"With WordPress and MemberPress, <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"creating a membership website (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/checklist-for-launching-a-new-membership-site\/\" target=\"_blank\">creating a membership website<\/a> isn't all that complicated. It also comes with several advantages over social media, including:"}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/list","render":"<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Not having to rely on a third-party platform.<\/li><li>Getting access to more avenues for monetization.<\/li><li>Being able to build a much more close-knit community.<\/li><\/ol>","content":"<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Not having to rely on a third-party platform.<\/li><li>Getting access to more avenues for monetization.<\/li><li>Being able to build a much more close-knit community.<\/li><\/ol>","data":{"listType":"ordered"},"style":{"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Do you have any questions about how to start a membership website using WordPress? Let's go over them in the comments section below!&nbsp;<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Do you have any questions about how to start a membership website using WordPress? Let's go over them in the comments section below!&nbsp;"}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}}],"app_access":{"can_access":true,"restrict_message":null},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19762","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/76756"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19762"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19762\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20032"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19762"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19762"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19762"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}