Bonus FAQs regularly added here: onepagelove.com/squarespace-member-areas-tutorial - hope you enjoyed the tutorial + customer POV walkthrough! Let me know if you have any other Member Areas questions? :)
Thanks so much Spencer! Yeah took a lot of time but chuffed with it. I'm kicking off the channel again with a Landing Page help narrative, so busy sharpening the tools 🙏 :)
Thanks so much, really informative! Is there anyway to have the member area navigation show each page separately instead of revealing it when you hover? You mentioned it at around 6:13.
If within your member area you are creating courses, group workshops, and life coaching that all cost different things and access. Are you able to create multiple member areas? Or what would be the best way to do that. The membership will be similar to customers working up the ladder from courses to life coaching but paying more for each one as they go. Is that possible on spuarespace?
Thanks Andres - yes, this answer is very unclear online. I've added an "limitations" FAQ here (onepagelove.com/online-course-with-squarespace#h2-limit) to try tackle these. Here is the extract: "Your customer/student cannot use the same email address for different courses. They must sign up using a second email address for a second course. This is not a deal breaker as you can simply use aliases (e.g. rob+course@onepagelove.com) on many email platforms (Gmail does this easily) but it is something I’m hoping Squarespace will solve soon."
Glad you enjoyed the tutorial Kavisha - I spent some time working in UK, so my UK bank account allowed for Stripe setup. But PayPal is your only option being located in SA. I really hope Stripe opens up down here too, would make so many things easier for everyone:)
Hi Ralph - Unfortunately you can't sign up for a membership and establish their own customer account with login credentials. It also isn’t possible to create or import member profiles manually. My suggestions is email the existing list with a 100% off coupon discount to onboard them for free. Here is more on creating discounts: support.squarespace.com/hc/articles/205811178 - hope that helps a bit!
what about setting up an ecourse? I'm a bit confused on how to do this. Do I need to set up members area only first, then create the ecourse under it? I plan on getting the core package.
Hi Lauren - I'd check in with Squarespace support if there are any direct tutorials on this use-case, but off the top of my head: you'd setup 1 member area, that triggers an email drip (to new sign ups) using their automated campaigns. Scroll to the Drip section in this article: support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002077567-Sending-automated-campaigns
Great video. I really liked the lock icon your added to the Unlock Premium button. Where did you get the icon and how do you include it in the text for that button? Thanks!
Hi Rob, helpful video - thank you. I have a business where I sell to businesses and want to create a members area for their employees to access exclusive content. All my invoicing is done separately as the quotes are customised, not standard of the shelf. How would you suggest I do this?
Hi Rob, loved this tutorial, thank you very much! I have a question: can we (admins) add members to the membership area manually (while the membership site is set to one off payments, not free)? For example I want a friend to view my content but don't want them to have to pay. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed the tutorial! I'm unsure the status of this feature (I'm assuming it's high up on roadmap) but what I would recommend is simply creating a 100% coupon for your friend to sign up (for free) with. Then they receive all the relevant onboarding emails and links.
Rob, excellent tutorial. I am moving forward with a 'member area' capability on my site today. Thank you for helping me navigate this critical engagement element!
Hey! As far as I know you can't create pages specific to an individual member. The work arounds here would be to: A) create a second Member Area with the different content, then add that member there. And hopefully this use-case is for more than one member so it's not too pricey or B) Add a tag to that member profile, then use Email Marketing to only email those tagged members with the exclusive content you want to give. Definitely drop this question with Squarespace support if you need it: support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us The more requests will contribute to the road map no doubt.
Cheers Jenny! I think the context with the free Figma tutorials vs premium tutorials really helps visualize the potential of Member Areas. It can be overwhelming at first, so really wanted to put those to ease with the intro FAQs too.
So glad you enjoyed it Rita! I actually filmed a Member Areas email sending segment, but it made the tutorial too long. Maybe in an upcoming video. Here is related video though on my other channel on how to send Squarespace Email Campaigns in general: ua-cam.com/video/4MWRkrKxDs0/v-deo.html
can I directly upload videos into the squarespace member area instead of pasting an unlisted YT video link? because the unlisted YT videos are still extremely easily shareable outside of the member area. If the videos were directly uploaded into the member's area at least people would have to go through the effort of screen recording and then uploading somewhere to "steal" and distribute them.
Good question! So I'm waiting on confirmation from Squarespace if they have video upload + embed on their roadmap but right now there is no native option. Yes, you are right about YT unlisted being shared but I want to add 1) this is going to happen less than you think (from my experience with private content) 2) you have full analytics on that UA-cam video to see if patterns surface outside of your Member Area 3) If someone is sharing one of your many videos, this can even be seen as free marketing for your Member Area containing all videos + content. The best way to achieve this, if you are serious about privacy, is to use a Vimeo Pro account at $7/month (if paying annually) to embed videos. Pros over YT: Unbranded player with customizable UI controls and no ability to share. Hope that helps!
Hi Trod - please drop this Q with Squarespace support but as far as I know you can't. The workaround here would be to create those 30% content pages individually (that should rank to) upselling the full content in your Members Area (that would contain the full unrestricted articles). So spending time creating ten pages with 30% content would take more time but no doubt be a worthwhile investment of time (and should rank).
Hi Tyler - so with Squarespace 7.1 you can start with any template to achieve the same output (you basically choose a template close to your needs to save you a bit of time) This is the default template when you create a new website, then I created fresh pages starting from blank. If you are interested, check out this tutorial I did on creating Landing Pages starting from scratch: ua-cam.com/video/oqAl-8Py2pg/v-deo.html
@@RobHope thank you. I’m looking at my template right now and I don’t have the ability to create portfolios. That’s why I was wondering. I’ll check out this second video you shared with me. Thank you!
Hi Maknun - yes, you could technically using Squarespace Scheduling. Check out this video I did showcasing how calendar works: ua-cam.com/video/XbOIvcoZ9f0/v-deo.html
This is AWESOME, thanks for the tutorial.💥💥 To clarify: 1 - Is there still a monthly charge if the member area is a free area / subscription? 2 - If/when you charge for access is Stripe the only payment gateway available? This has implications in SA as I believe Stripe doesn’t support South African payments? Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed the tutorial Justin! Let's dive into your questions: 1 - Yes, you have to pay $9/month for a free Member Area but you only start paying once you invite your first members to sign up. The reason it's not free is you can email these exclusive members using Squarespace Email Marketing, included in your $9/month price. It's worth reminding you can have 10,000 free members at only $9/month. There is no limit to members in a single Member Area. 2 - You can connect to Stripe, PayPal, or both. So for South Africa, you'd connect to PayPal as there is no Stripe support (yet!).
Nice work, Rob. If I want to use the membership area for a certification course, is there a way to generate a certificate upon completion of the course?
Thanks Sandy - as far as I know there is no additional function for this baked into the Squarespace platform. I'd suggest using a service like Canva to reuse a certificate template (www.canva.com/certificates/templates/) , then you need to swap out the student name. A bit manual but a solution if a small amount of students.
At 6:15... my site doesn't automatically show the "members only" button on the top navigation like yours does once creating the page. can anyone help please?
Hi Sam - that navigation button is whatever you have named the Member Area. But is only visible once you have added a page within your member area. So you need two steps. Then it should show on the top navigation. Hope this helps give you further clarity. Let me know if you need further help.
Hi, great clear video! I just wondered if we can link to a members area? For instance, I have a members only membership card that can only be accessed via 'members area'. I want to link to this area when they click a certain link? Thanks in advance.
Hey Rob, Amazing tutorial and so easy to follow. Ive set up a fitness membership for monthly/yearly subs. Id like to set up a 7day free trial for clients before they sign up to a paid membership. Is this possible?
Great video! Thanks for posting. Question: Is it possible to set up the Membership Area so Admin approval is required for new members? I'm working on a website that needs a members area but only for a small group of people. Want the ability for each person to go to the site to register, but don't want just anyone signing up. It is a website for an HOA community that needs a private Homeowners section. Need the ability to deny anyone that does not own in our community. I hope that makes sense. Thanks in advance!
Hi Lee - this is quite a complex use-case that I'd take up with Squarespace support. They should point you in the right direction. Found this in support forum from Jan 2021 "Right now, you cannot do that using Member Areas. Access is granted as soon as they join." - my workaround would be creating an enquiry form on your site to request access. That goes to your inbox. If submission looks good, you reply back with private Member Areas sign up link (on a page hidden from main website navigation).
@@RobHope So true! I really appreciated how simple and straightforward this was. I would really appreciate if you do a video comparing member spaces in 7.0 vs 7.1
Hi Kelsey - the short answer is yes, if they opt-in (so this is not the MA sign up) within the private member area. It cannot kickoff automatically after signing up. Here is some snippets from the documentation: It's not possible to send automations to members after they sign up for one of your member areas. Members aren't automatically added to a mailing list, so they won't receive subscriber activity automations, and they don't receive customer activity automations, even if they join a member area with a membership fee. If you want your members to receive automations, they'll need to subscribe to a mailing list after becoming a member. To do this, build a mailing list and set up a subscriber activity automation using that list. Then, add a newsletter block in your member area and ask members to subscribe. Keep in mind, if you add members to the list manually, they won't receive the automations. They'll have to sign up on their own. support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002077567-Sending-automated-campaigns#toc-member-areas-and-automations
Hey Rob, thanks for this clear and concise tutorial, it answered my questions. What software did you used for this tutorial? Looks crisp. Thanks again.
Stoked you found it useful and also cheers for the comments on quality:) It's all done in Screenflow for macOS but the x-factor is the method: 1. Brainstorm a realistic (fake) business for the lesson 2. Build a Member Area, then delete it 3. Hit record in Screenflow, rebuild it (smoother than first time) 4. Rewatch recording, write script based on actions 5. Narrate script 6. Edit/sync screencast with script 7. Add bonus visuals/graphics It takes way more time than an off-the-cuff recording but zero fluff and a video I'd appreciate, so going to roll with this going forward 🙏
Bonus FAQs regularly added here: onepagelove.com/squarespace-member-areas-tutorial - hope you enjoyed the tutorial + customer POV walkthrough! Let me know if you have any other Member Areas questions? :)
Important to say that this method only work on Squarespace 7.1
thanks for pointing that out for the others, I'll try include it in another video.
amazing tutorial man! seriously well-done and fast-paced
Thanks so much Spencer! Yeah took a lot of time but chuffed with it. I'm kicking off the channel again with a Landing Page help narrative, so busy sharpening the tools 🙏 :)
Thanks so much, really informative! Is there anyway to have the member area navigation show each page separately instead of revealing it when you hover? You mentioned it at around 6:13.
Really nice, good job - and thank you!
Thank you for the kind words, really appreciate it!
If within your member area you are creating courses, group workshops, and life coaching that all cost different things and access. Are you able to create multiple member areas? Or what would be the best way to do that. The membership will be similar to customers working up the ladder from courses to life coaching but paying more for each one as they go. Is that possible on spuarespace?
Would love to know
@robhope
This is a great video! One thing I still haven't been able to find an answer is; To how many members area, can one user be a member of?
Thanks Andres - yes, this answer is very unclear online. I've added an "limitations" FAQ here (onepagelove.com/online-course-with-squarespace#h2-limit) to try tackle these. Here is the extract: "Your customer/student cannot use the same email address for different courses. They must sign up using a second email address for a second course. This is not a deal breaker as you can simply use aliases (e.g. rob+course@onepagelove.com) on many email platforms (Gmail does this easily) but it is something I’m hoping Squarespace will solve soon."
Hi Rob, Thank you so much for this tutorial. Quick question - do have access to Stripe? I am based in SA and can't seem to set it up.
Glad you enjoyed the tutorial Kavisha - I spent some time working in UK, so my UK bank account allowed for Stripe setup. But PayPal is your only option being located in SA. I really hope Stripe opens up down here too, would make so many things easier for everyone:)
Fantatsic video, super helpful, thank you.
Really glad you enjoyed it Sam - thanks for the message - appreciate it!
LIFE SAVER
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for commenting:)
this is an excellent, superior tutorial. you do this verrrrrrry well.
Thanks so much Jeffrey - took a while to edit but really stoked how it came out :)
Is there anyway to add members manualy?
Hi Ralph - Unfortunately you can't sign up for a membership and establish their own customer account with login credentials. It also isn’t possible to create or import member profiles manually. My suggestions is email the existing list with a 100% off coupon discount to onboard them for free. Here is more on creating discounts: support.squarespace.com/hc/articles/205811178 - hope that helps a bit!
what about setting up an ecourse? I'm a bit confused on how to do this. Do I need to set up members area only first, then create the ecourse under it? I plan on getting the core package.
Hi Lauren - I'd check in with Squarespace support if there are any direct tutorials on this use-case, but off the top of my head: you'd setup 1 member area, that triggers an email drip (to new sign ups) using their automated campaigns. Scroll to the Drip section in this article: support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002077567-Sending-automated-campaigns
Great video. I really liked the lock icon your added to the Unlock Premium button. Where did you get the icon and how do you include it in the text for that button? Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it Taylor - the lock icon is simply an Emoji:) Copy and paste this into your Squarespace site button: 🔐
Thanks Rob. Appreciate your very quick reply. Keep up the awesome work.
Hi Rob, helpful video - thank you. I have a business where I sell to businesses and want to create a members area for their employees to access exclusive content. All my invoicing is done separately as the quotes are customised, not standard of the shelf. How would you suggest I do this?
Exactly what I needed
So glad you enjoyed the tutorial!
Hi! Can you add multiple offer or tiers for memberships? Kinda like Patreon or YT membership
Hi Rob, loved this tutorial, thank you very much! I have a question: can we (admins) add members to the membership area manually (while the membership site is set to one off payments, not free)? For example I want a friend to view my content but don't want them to have to pay. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed the tutorial! I'm unsure the status of this feature (I'm assuming it's high up on roadmap) but what I would recommend is simply creating a 100% coupon for your friend to sign up (for free) with. Then they receive all the relevant onboarding emails and links.
Rob, excellent tutorial. I am moving forward with a 'member area' capability on my site today. Thank you for helping me navigate this critical engagement element!
That's brilliant to hear M - good luck on your next chapter!
I love it. Thank u sooo much
Stoked you found it useful Vanezza! :)
Can I add pages to a specific members account?
Hey! As far as I know you can't create pages specific to an individual member. The work arounds here would be to:
A) create a second Member Area with the different content, then add that member there. And hopefully this use-case is for more than one member so it's not too pricey or
B) Add a tag to that member profile, then use Email Marketing to only email those tagged members with the exclusive content you want to give.
Definitely drop this question with Squarespace support if you need it: support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us The more requests will contribute to the road map no doubt.
Brother love your video!
Thank you Jonathan! Took a minute but real stoked on the outcome:)
Thanks Rob, clear and helpful as always. Great work.
Cheers Jenny! I think the context with the free Figma tutorials vs premium tutorials really helps visualize the potential of Member Areas. It can be overwhelming at first, so really wanted to put those to ease with the intro FAQs too.
Awesome tutorial Rob! 😍 Can u make more videos about adding the email subscription and campaign on Squarespace,, So so much appreciated 🙇🏻♀️
So glad you enjoyed it Rita! I actually filmed a Member Areas email sending segment, but it made the tutorial too long. Maybe in an upcoming video. Here is related video though on my other channel on how to send Squarespace Email Campaigns in general: ua-cam.com/video/4MWRkrKxDs0/v-deo.html
Excellent video! Thorough and to the point is always appreciated which you did and then some.
Really appreciate that Joe - they take time but really stoked how they came out:)
This is one of the best tutorial ever for membership website
Thanks so much Maknun - this one took a while but stoked how it came out:)
can I directly upload videos into the squarespace member area instead of pasting an unlisted YT video link? because the unlisted YT videos are still extremely easily shareable outside of the member area. If the videos were directly uploaded into the member's area at least people would have to go through the effort of screen recording and then uploading somewhere to "steal" and distribute them.
Good question! So I'm waiting on confirmation from Squarespace if they have video upload + embed on their roadmap but right now there is no native option.
Yes, you are right about YT unlisted being shared but I want to add 1) this is going to happen less than you think (from my experience with private content) 2) you have full analytics on that UA-cam video to see if patterns surface outside of your Member Area 3) If someone is sharing one of your many videos, this can even be seen as free marketing for your Member Area containing all videos + content.
The best way to achieve this, if you are serious about privacy, is to use a Vimeo Pro account at $7/month (if paying annually) to embed videos. Pros over YT: Unbranded player with customizable UI controls and no ability to share.
Hope that helps!
Superb!
Glad you enjoyed!
Are you able to show like a preview of the page before the paywall shows? Like 30 percent of the page So it can still show in search Engines?
Hi Trod - please drop this Q with Squarespace support but as far as I know you can't. The workaround here would be to create those 30% content pages individually (that should rank to) upselling the full content in your Members Area (that would contain the full unrestricted articles). So spending time creating ten pages with 30% content would take more time but no doubt be a worthwhile investment of time (and should rank).
What template in squarespace are you using?
Hi Tyler - so with Squarespace 7.1 you can start with any template to achieve the same output (you basically choose a template close to your needs to save you a bit of time) This is the default template when you create a new website, then I created fresh pages starting from blank. If you are interested, check out this tutorial I did on creating Landing Pages starting from scratch: ua-cam.com/video/oqAl-8Py2pg/v-deo.html
@@RobHope thank you. I’m looking at my template right now and I don’t have the ability to create portfolios. That’s why I was wondering. I’ll check out this second video you shared with me. Thank you!
Hey, can you make a hotel or room booking squarespace website?
Hi Maknun - yes, you could technically using Squarespace Scheduling. Check out this video I did showcasing how calendar works: ua-cam.com/video/XbOIvcoZ9f0/v-deo.html
This was really helpful, Thank you Rob!
Only a pleasure Laura - really stoked on all the positive comments on it:)
This is AWESOME, thanks for the tutorial.💥💥
To clarify:
1 - Is there still a monthly charge if the member area is a free area / subscription?
2 - If/when you charge for access is Stripe the only payment gateway available? This has implications in SA as I believe Stripe doesn’t support South African payments?
Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed the tutorial Justin! Let's dive into your questions:
1 - Yes, you have to pay $9/month for a free Member Area but you only start paying once you invite your first members to sign up. The reason it's not free is you can email these exclusive members using Squarespace Email Marketing, included in your $9/month price. It's worth reminding you can have 10,000 free members at only $9/month. There is no limit to members in a single Member Area.
2 - You can connect to Stripe, PayPal, or both. So for South Africa, you'd connect to PayPal as there is no Stripe support (yet!).
This is excellent 👌
Nice work, Rob. If I want to use the membership area for a certification course, is there a way to generate a certificate upon completion of the course?
Thanks Sandy - as far as I know there is no additional function for this baked into the Squarespace platform. I'd suggest using a service like Canva to reuse a certificate template (www.canva.com/certificates/templates/) , then you need to swap out the student name. A bit manual but a solution if a small amount of students.
Thanks so much for this tutorial. Super helpful!!
Thank you Maja - really stoked how it came out:)
Great video thank you for your easy to follow no fluff guidance so helpful!
No fluff is *exactly* what I want in all videos I watch, so I had to create the same:) Glad you found it useful Rebecca!
At 6:15... my site doesn't automatically show the "members only" button on the top navigation like yours does once creating the page. can anyone help please?
Hi Sam - that navigation button is whatever you have named the Member Area. But is only visible once you have added a page within your member area. So you need two steps. Then it should show on the top navigation.
Hope this helps give you further clarity. Let me know if you need further help.
Hi, great clear video! I just wondered if we can link to a members area? For instance, I have a members only membership card that can only be accessed via 'members area'. I want to link to this area when they click a certain link? Thanks in advance.
If we are on the pro plan, does it mean we can host 10 courses?
Yes Kunal - and transaction fees are only 1% :)
@@RobHope on the basic plan we can host only one course and have multiple people sign up for that right?
@@8826885655 yes, the Starer plan can have 1 course (ie. 1 Member Area) with UNLIMITED students (ie. members) but a 7% transaction fee.
@@RobHope Understood. Thank for the clarification. Really appreciate it.
@@8826885655 Good luck with the build, it's going to be fun:)
This is an awesome video! Thank you so much! Quick questions please. 1. Can you customize the login questionaire?
Hey Rob, Amazing tutorial and so easy to follow. Ive set up a fitness membership for monthly/yearly subs. Id like to set up a 7day free trial for clients before they sign up to a paid membership. Is this possible?
Great video! Thanks for posting. Question: Is it possible to set up the Membership Area so Admin approval is required for new members? I'm working on a website that needs a members area but only for a small group of people. Want the ability for each person to go to the site to register, but don't want just anyone signing up. It is a website for an HOA community that needs a private Homeowners section. Need the ability to deny anyone that does not own in our community. I hope that makes sense. Thanks in advance!
Hi Lee - this is quite a complex use-case that I'd take up with Squarespace support. They should point you in the right direction. Found this in support forum from Jan 2021 "Right now, you cannot do that using Member Areas. Access is granted as soon as they join." - my workaround would be creating an enquiry form on your site to request access. That goes to your inbox. If submission looks good, you reply back with private Member Areas sign up link (on a page hidden from main website navigation).
@@RobHope Thank you!
Memberspace has this feature.
How do I make this my photo for our group
Hi Sherri - what are you referring to specifically?
This was really great and fast paced!
Thank you Kanushree! I'm trying to make videos with the pace I'd want. Nothing worse than an hour video on something that can be taught in ten:)
@@RobHope So true! I really appreciated how simple and straightforward this was. I would really appreciate if you do a video comparing member spaces in 7.0 vs 7.1
I am currently running two different member areas which need different welcome member emails. Does anyone know a way around this?
Hi Maddie - did you get anything from Squarespace support on this? I'd love to know too and update the article.
@@RobHope unfortunately not. I have booked an appointment with squarespace team early November. When I find out I will pass on the answer!
Can you do a drip campaign for members only?
Hi Kelsey - the short answer is yes, if they opt-in (so this is not the MA sign up) within the private member area. It cannot kickoff automatically after signing up. Here is some snippets from the documentation:
It's not possible to send automations to members after they sign up for one of your member areas. Members aren't automatically added to a mailing list, so they won't receive subscriber activity automations, and they don't receive customer activity automations, even if they join a member area with a membership fee.
If you want your members to receive automations, they'll need to subscribe to a mailing list after becoming a member. To do this, build a mailing list and set up a subscriber activity automation using that list. Then, add a newsletter block in your member area and ask members to subscribe.
Keep in mind, if you add members to the list manually, they won't receive the automations. They'll have to sign up on their own.
support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002077567-Sending-automated-campaigns#toc-member-areas-and-automations
@@RobHope thanks so much!
Hey Rob, thanks for this clear and concise tutorial, it answered my questions. What software did you used for this tutorial? Looks crisp. Thanks again.
Stoked you found it useful and also cheers for the comments on quality:) It's all done in Screenflow for macOS but the x-factor is the method:
1. Brainstorm a realistic (fake) business for the lesson
2. Build a Member Area, then delete it
3. Hit record in Screenflow, rebuild it (smoother than first time)
4. Rewatch recording, write script based on actions
5. Narrate script
6. Edit/sync screencast with script
7. Add bonus visuals/graphics
It takes way more time than an off-the-cuff recording but zero fluff and a video I'd appreciate, so going to roll with this going forward 🙏