6 Types of Membership Sites You Can Launch Tomorrow
Membership sites can provide immense value when done right. The truth is that not every website idea is well-suited to become a membership site. Membership sites thrive on the value of gated content, and if you’re not providing a valuable resource for your niche, you might see a low subscriber count.
The good news is that there are tried and true membership site types that seem lucrative year after year. If you find yourself with expertise in any of these types of membership sites, you could launch your site tomorrow and start growing your audience right away.
Here are six proven membership site ideas to help catapult you toward success.
1. Cooking and Recipes
Recipe and cooking membership sites are extremely popular. Folks constantly look online for tomorrow’s recipes, cooking tips, and easy meal ideas.
As a cooking membership site owner, you can use your finesse in the kitchen to create weekly meal plans, shopping lists, and full video libraries. If you’ve got some solid cooking skills, plus strong photography and writing skills to boot, why not dive into this lucrative niche? Creative spins on popular dishes, plus hacks for cooking shortcuts, can help you make a name in this space.
2. Coaching
There are loads of people looking for solid advice on how to run their businesses. If you know how to answer their deepest questions and drive them toward success, then a coaching membership site may be a perfect fit.
You could offer coaching calls, articles, guest speakers, podcasts, and stories from your career. For example, if you’re a successful marketer, you can offer training in advertising, digital marketing, affiliate marketing, or copywriting. Coaching sites are known for being successful, especially in times of uncertainty, when folks are thinking of switching careers. If you have sought-after knowledge, you could do well with a coaching membership site.
3. Auctions
If you have an interest and expertise in vintage and antique items, an auction membership site might be a great way to go. You could build a forum for buyers and collectors to meet in the middle.
To make money, you could charge a membership fee to let site users post listings or buy goods. There’s also the assurance that transactions are legitimate, as they’re occurring through your secure membership site portal. You could also provide weekly content about antiques, such as blogs, tips, and local listings for sales.
4. Hobbies
Hobby membership sites are filled with valuable niche content that covers everything there is to know about specific hobbies. You’ll want to give unique tips and tricks that will help your members make the most out of the hobby they love.
For example, a membership site with a crochet focus could contain long-form articles and deep-dive blog posts dedicated to topics like the best crochet hooks to use. You could also include courses by installing a plugin like LearnDash to teach people how to start crocheting.
Consider gating video tutorials, a community forum, and weekly alerts about sales. No matter your hobby, if you share a passion with others, you can profit from your dedication to the community.
5. Journalism and Sports News
You’ve probably noticed that most magazines have taken on a digital membership model. There’s a good chance that the news source you count on requires some sort of subscription fee now to access content that goes beyond what’s available for free. By launching your own journalism or sports news membership website, you’ll be able to offer an informed opinion about the news or sports topics that you constantly keep your eye on.
When it comes to setting up membership sites for journalists, it’s important that you don’t put all of your content behind a paywall. You’ll need to show your users enough to know that your take is important enough to pay to hear more. You’ll also need to provide extreme value, such as insider news or a deep analysis. That’s your ticket to success.
6. Podcast Membership Site
Starting a membership site for podcasters can be ideal for people who already have an audience and who plan on continuing their podcasts for years to come. As a podcaster, your fans will be eager to engage directly with you, talk about episodes, and see your sources and show notes. You can also sell merchandise and courses through a membership site.
It’s important to note that it takes quite some time to gain substantial listenership if you’re just starting out. Expanding your listener base should come before you create a membership site. If you’re a niche expert, a great researcher, or just organized and well-spoken, a podcast plus a membership site may take off for you.
Getting Started With Your Membership Site
Once you’ve decided on the type of membership site you want to launch, it’ll be time to get to work. To get your idea off the ground, check out our tips for making your membership site a business.
Ready to start building? The most effective and cost-efficient way to start a membership site is to build your new site with WordPress and a membership plugin. If you get stuck on the theme, Kadence offers the freedom to create almost any site design you can imagine.
Welcome to the journey of being a WordPress membership site owner. May success come your way!