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The mechanics of setting up and running a subscription web site
There are basically two ways to go when developing your subscription web site. You can:
- Do everything manually - learn how to manually set up the protected areas on your web site, manually create the web pages, manually sign up subscribers, manually create user names and passwords, manually send out renewal notices, manually handle lost passwords, etc. etc. etc.
This is the way I did it with my first two subscription web sites. I had to do everything, from setting up the servers, creating all the html on all the pages on the site, manually processing and assigning all new subscriber passwords, responding to lost passwords, and updating all the menus on the site every time I added a new page. It was a lot of work, so much so that I didn't really want to expand the sites and eventually closed them (even though they were both profitable, I simply couldn't keep up with the work involved.)
- Put it on auto pilot - The alternative to do it manually is to use a software package to automate everything. This allows you to spend your time finding new members and adding new content to the site rather than being a full time code technician.
This is the way we do it now. We use MemberGate to build and manage our subscription web sites. It automates all aspects of running a member web site, and makes it a pleasurable business to be in. Some of our MemberGate customers have sites with close to 20,000 members (and are able to manage their entire sites with just one person). Another one of our MemberGate clients is signing up on the average 25 new members a day (most clients average 2-10 new members a day). This is not a plug for MemberGate. Just a discussion of how using the right tool can substantially reduce the amount of work involved in managing a subscription web site.
My advice - if you want your subscription web site to grow, find a way to put it on auto-pilot as soon as possible. Otherwise you'll end up spending most of your time doing work that benefits neither you nor your members. And you'll soon come to dread all the work and time involved.
Other Considerations
If you are considering getting into the subscription web site business, do your homework first. Define your target market, define what features potential members will want in a subscription web site, what they are willing to pay, and most importantly, how much work you are willing to do to keep the site up and running.
Then look for a few models of success, and learn from what they are doing. Being a subscriber to www.bmyers.com means you can see first hand how a successful subscription web site run by just one person can work.
If done correctly, running your own subscription web site is a very rewarding business. And it sure beats creating and managing a web site where you don't get paid a penny for your efforts.
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Overview
Overview