Stop dripping your content - reward loyalty

You've got an idea for a membership website and you've found membership software that looks like a good fit. You've written out all your content, and you plan to release it slowly to new customers over a six month period (also known as "dripping content").

Let's rewind. If you're writing all of your content up front do you really need to sell a membership? This sounds like a course or an ebook, and unless you've got quite a few courses that are continually being updated, you're much better off selling them as one-off purchases.

Let's say you discovered a newfound interest in woodworking. In your excitement, you purchase an online membership for a woodworking community. You block out your entire weekend so you can binge watch instructional videos. But wait! You log in and realize the site only allows you to view the first three introductory videos. "What about the rest?!" you scream. Sorry, you'll have to wait, because they're drip feeding that content. What a buzzkill, right?

You subscribe to your favorite magazine because you know they'll deliver fresh content periodically. You pay one-time for a course because you want to learn about a specific subject matter. Unless the course is going to continue on indefinitely, nobody wants to continue to pay for it indefinitely. You're selling a membership when you should be selling content for a one-time fee.

A great rule of thumb for dripping content

If you own or manage a membership site, this is our advice:

If you aren't committed to adding new content at the rate of your renewal (monthly / yearly), then you should sell that content for a one-time fee or as an ebook download.

If you follow this rule, your offering will be more transparent and genuine. One way isn't necessarily better than the other, it's about being clear on what you're selling.

If you're selling the content on your website with Memberful, you can do this by setting a "Lifetime" term on any new plan. You could also just sell a PDF or ebook download directly with Memberful.

What if I want to do both?

What if you want to deliver a pre-set course of content up front, followed by ongoing content? In this case, market the course itself and the ongoing content: "Members get access to my 12 week course on building a blog, and access to a new tutorial every two weeks."

And please, don't drip out the content of the course unless you have a really good reason. Here's the most common arguments I've heard for dripping content:

1. My courses material is just so exhaustive I don't want to overwhelm someone with it all at once.
2. I'm worried someone will sign up and steal all the content or jump in and out of membership.

The first reason can be legitimate in certain scenarios. For example, you know each course should take a week to complete, and you want to ensure that everyone takes that time to digest that material and do some work around the concept.

If you're going to drip content in this scenario I'd recommend doing it through email auto responders (with Memberful you can use Mailchimp or Campaign Monitor). All the content will be available when they sign up, you just won't link to it on your website, and new customers will be sent links each week to each course.

On the contrary, if it's just content to read or videos to watch, you should let someone digest that at their own pace. If they want to stay up all night going through the course, you shouldn't stop them.

Case study: Sue Bryce Education

One of our customers, Sue Bryce Education wanted an easy way to track the consecutive number of months a member has maintained an active membership. Why? This metric would allow them to reward long-time members for their support - a 'carrot' instead of a 'stick' retention strategy.

Instead of requiring members to stay with them under the promise of unlocking content, they wanted to start rewarding longevity. They thought that drip feeding content turns the ‘reward longevity’ approach on its head - punishing learning instead of celebrating it.

Start tracking ‘Member since’ instead

When you block access to learning you quickly turn excitement into frustration. Not letting your student learn at their own pace is a bad idea. So, if you’re interested in keeping your members engaged and keeping them around - stop dripping your content.

To that end, we have an ‘Member since’ metric that is next to each member's subscription in the Memberful dashboard. When their membership lapses, the counter is reset. If you’d like to view this metric in WordPress as well, contact us and we’ll help you set it up.

Rewarding loyalty in action

One of my favorite coffee shops has a rewards program. I bring a card in, and when I reach seven cups of coffee, I get one free. I enjoy the program, not only because of the gamification aspect of collecting stars or stamps but because it reinforces my status as not only a customer but a member of their community.

The same applies to your membership site. Sue Bryce Education added the ‘Member since’ metric to their member profiles and here's what they said of the function:

“We’ve added that stat on the user account page so members can see their data. We'll offer special bonuses to members that have been active for a longer period of time. From the feedback we’re getting, this membership status is an important achievement and will motivate people to maintain their membership.”

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) for content dripping

What is content dripping?

Content dripping is a strategy where content is released to an audience in pre-scheduled intervals. It is often used to create anticipation and maintain engagement.

How does content dripping affect reader engagement?

Content dripping can impact reader engagement positively if done correctly. However, dripping content too slowly can lead to decreased interest and engagement.

What are the benefits of evergreen content?

Evergreen content remains relevant to readers over time, providing ongoing value. It can drive consistent traffic and engagement to your website.

How can I optimize my content for SEO?

To optimize your content for SEO, focus on using relevant keywords, meta tags, and alt text. Regularly update and repurpose content to improve search engine visibility.

Why is audience feedback important for content creation?

Audience feedback helps you understand what resonates with your readers. Use this feedback to tailor your content strategy and improve engagement.

How can I encourage social sharing of my content?

Include social sharing buttons in your content and create compelling calls-to-action. Encourage readers to share valuable content with their networks.

Conclusion: Remember to over-deliver

As you start your reward program, remember that there are multiple ways to reward membership loyalty, but the most important will always be over-delivering value and letting members know they will continue to receive substantial, consistent benefits, by being an active part of your community.

You're fooling yourself if you think dripping content is an effective way of preventing people from stealing it. The goal of your membership website should be to consistently deliver real value to your readers over the long haul. If you do that, most members will be happy to pay you on a consistent basis. Sure, you'll have a few bad apples here and there, but that's something you always have to deal with.

In summary, if you aren't ready to commit to delivering consistent content for the forseeable future, then you're better off selling your content for a one time fee. If you are committed to delivering real ongoing value to your community, don't stress out about a small minority finding a way to cheat you out of a few bucks.