Answering Your Top Questions About MemberSpace
I’ve shared before that my recommended method for setting up an online membership program is a simple integration using a tool called MemberSpace to membership-protect content on your existing Squarespace website.
This is the method I use most often to build online courses, resource libraries and other membership programs for my custom web design clients. It’s my fave!
Because I use and recommend MemberSpace so often, I also field a lot of questions about the platform, its capabilities, and the logistics of getting it all set up and integrated with your Squarespace website.
So, if you’re also considering using MemberSpace to develop membership-protected content, here are the answers to the top questions I get from small business owners (or non-profits!) looking to design an online membership program.
This post contains affiliate links through which I may earn a commission if you choose to purchase, at no additional cost to you.
In June 2021, I joined the MemberSpace team (woohoo!). This article was written independently, prior to my employment with MemberSpace, and all opinions are my own. I’ve personally used MemberSpace for years, both in my own business and for my web design clients. It’s my favorite tool for creating membership-protected content!
But before we begin: Why do I build so many membership programs in the first place?
Why membership content is so beneficial for your business
Online membership programs can be a super beneficial addition to your business. They’re a fantastic way to:
scale your products or services
share your expertise with a wider audience
bring in more clients/customers than you can serve 1:1
add passive income to your business
provide added value to existing customers/clients
work with anyone, anywhere in the world, any time of day or night
I work with many small business owners looking to build an online membership program that can help them scale their existing service offerings and expertise into online courses, resource libraries, video archives, and other types of online membership communities.
I’ve worked with health coaches, fitness instructors, teachers, mindfulness coaches, business and financial advisors, fashion designers, and even an organic farm—so can safely say that membership programs in general (and the MemberSpace/Squarespace integration in particular) work for a wide range of industries and business types.
So, let’s get into some more details about what exactly this integration can do, and how it works for your biz!
What is MemberSpace & why is it needed?
As you may know, I build websites exclusively on Squarespace, which I think is the very best website platform for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
But despite its many lovely benefits, Squarespace has not historically offered the ability to build membership-protected content on your website.
Update November 19, 2020: Squarespace now offers membership protection via their new feature, Member Areas. Which means: there are now two options for creating members-only content on a Squarespace website—Squarespace’s own Member Areas, or MemberSpace, the third-party integration I’ve previously used and recommended.
Both are viable options, though there are some important distinctions to note between them. Here’s a detailed comparison of Squarespace Member Areas and MemberSpace, and my tips for choosing which would be the best fit for your membership content.
MemberSpace is a third party tool that can protect Squarespace pages and content, making the protected content accessible only to members who’ve been granted access through a sign-up process (which could be free or paid).
So, you create all of your membership content just as you’d like, on your Squarespace website, and then MemberSpace protects it for you and acts as the “gatekeeper,” determining who shall have access to that members-only content.
This Squarespace/MemberSpace integration works for a wide variety of membership program types, across any industry.
To help determine if this method is a good fit for your particular needs, here are the top questions I get about using MemberSpace to create online membership programs:
MemberSpace Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best / easiest / most cost-effective way to set up an online membership program?
MemberSpace. 😎
There are a lot of great course creation and membership platforms out there: Teachable. Kajabi. Podia.
I like MemberSpace because it allows you to create content directly on your existing website—and then membership-protect it!
Besides being able to use a wider variety of content and program types than the more “structured” platforms mentioned above, it also tends to be the preferred option for many small business owners managing their own technology, because you can easily add and update content on your own website, without needing to set up and learn a new platform.
I also like that you have much more control over branding, and that it tends to be less costly than the other programs that include more features (like hosting your content and your sales page—things I definitely suggest hosting on your own site anyway).
Does MemberSpace work with my Squarespace website?
Yes! Either version of Squarespace (7.0 or 7.1), and any template. You’ll just need to be on the Squarespace Business plan or higher, which gives you access to the custom code feature you’ll need to use the integration.
Does MemberSpace work with other website platforms (WordPress, etc.)?
It sure does. In addition to Squarespace (which it was initially designed for), MemberSpace also integrates with WordPress, Wix, Weebly, Webflow and others. See their full list of integrations here.
Of course, as a web designer, I only assist with the Squarespace integration. 🤓
What “stuff” can I include in my membership program?
Essentially anything you can host on your Squarespace website! Webpages, blog posts / articles, videos, audio files, downloadable PDFs, images, a members-only forum, a community directory… the sky’s the limit!
All of your content “lives” on your Squarespace website. We just membership-protect those particular pages, buttons, downloads, etc. with MemberSpace.
How much does it cost?
MemberSpace starts at $25/month, with a 4% transaction fee on your membership sales. This plan contains all of their features, and is what most businesses start with.
There are some additional plans that increase in monthly subscription fee, while the transaction fee decreases. (See here for a breakdown of which plan makes best sense for the dollar amount you’re bringing in through MemberSpace.)
All transactions are processed through Stripe, which has its own 2.9% + 30 cent transaction fee (as it does anywhere).
I can’t afford that transaction fee.
Not really a question, but one I hear a fair amount. 😁
In most cases, you can afford that transaction fee—it’s the cost of the technology needed to build your membership program and keep it running smoothly.
As with any other cost of sustaining your membership program, it should be covered by your program fee (aka members are covering the cost, as it’s part of what they’re getting with their membership).
If you’re using MemberSpace to build a free program to grow your audience, then you’re not paying the transaction fees. And $25/month is a pretty good deal for marketing your biz. 👍
Can I try it for free before I commit?
Yup! Grab your 14-day free trial.
And, pro tip: If you need longer than that to set up your program before you begin selling memberships, just let them know and they’ll generally extend your trial. (Sweet!)
Can you give me a discount?
Nope, sorry. But MemberSpace offers a 10% discount for nonprofits if you happen to be one. And, nonprofit or not, you get two months free if you choose annual billing.
Can I approve members before they join my program?
You sure can! You don’t have to, but you have the option to manually approve members before they’re able to join your program or access your membership content. This works well if you have membership requirements or prerequisites.
Can I set up subscription-based programs?
Absolutely. That’s one of the payment structures you can use for selling your membership program via MemberSpace.
If you’re wondering, the others are: one-time payments, multiple payments (like a payment plan), and free programs.
Can I create multiple membership programs within my business?
Yes! And one of the convenient things about MemberSpace is that you can utilize the same content for different membership programs or plans as needed.
For example, if you sell a membership-protected resource library and an online course, you could offer access to the resource library for members of the online course—and could even have access to the library end when their course ends.
From the technical side of things, MemberSpace makes it easy to create content once and offer it in different ways, for different programs or pricing tiers.
Can I add MemberSpace to multiple websites?
Yes, you can connect unlimited domains to your MemberSpace account. You get up to two domains included by default, and can add more for $20/month each.
Do I need a website to use MemberSpace?
Yes. If you don’t have a website (what?! 😜), one of the other course creation platforms mentioned above (Teachable, Kajabi, Podia) is probably better for you. But here’s why you should probably have a website anyway.
How do I sell things with MemberSpace?
To sell a program you’ve created with MemberSpace, you’ll set up a sales page on your website. Your sales page will include purchase buttons that will open a MemberSpace pop-up form.
New members will sign up via that form and the transaction will be completed through MemberSpace (which uses Stripe as a payment processor). Once the payment is processed, members will be granted access to the membership-protected pages or content you’ve created for them.
Grow a membership program from your Squarespace website
Grab my free MemberSpace Checklist:
Can I provide discounts or refunds for my program?
Yes, you can create coupon codes as you’d like (lots of options there), and can provide full or partial refunds if needed.
How do members access their membership content?
During the sign-up process, members will create their own password. In the future, they’ll log in with their email address and that password they created during sign-up.
There are several different options for adding “Member Log-in” buttons to your website. These are the links members will use to log in to your membership-protected content.
One detail that’s helpful to know: members will automatically stay logged in to their membership content, unless they log out or clear their browser, etc. This is helpful in that, once logged in, they can come back to your membership content repeatedly without having to log in each time.
How do I communicate with members?
Two possible ways: First, MemberSpace comes with certain automated emails for your customers—things like payment confirmation, a welcome email, password reset email, etc. These are triggered to send by certain actions your customer takes (for example, purchasing your program, or requesting a password reset). These emails can be customized or turned off in your MemberSpace dashboard as needed.
You can also connect MemberSpace to your existing email marketing tool (Mailchimp, ConvertKit, Flodesk, etc.) and communicate with members there as well.
I like to set up a nicely branded welcome automation and a check-in message or two with whichever email tool you use. (Though you can certainly do that with MemberSpace-generated emails instead if you prefer.)
Note that these other email tools are connected to MemberSpace via Zapier, which allows you to send new members to specific lists, tags, automations, etc.
Can you set up my program for me?
Sure, learn more about my custom web design services.
Oof, I can’t afford custom design, any other options?
Yeah, custom design is not cheap. It’s a good option if you’re looking to have your program designed professionally and you’re confident your sales will make back that investment.
But that’s not always the best fit for everyone, and no worries! 😊
There are also plenty of free resources you can explore:
blog posts on setting up MemberSpace and the different types of membership programs you can create with it
a free MemberSpace Checklist to work off of as you’re designing your program
And, if you’re looking for a happy medium between totally figuring it out yourself, and shelling out the big bucks for a professional designer, check out my online training:
The Membership Lab
The Membership Lab is a step-by-step online training with video lessons, detailed checklists and additional resources—a DIY blueprint for building & launching your own profitable membership program.
It’s all the details, tips + tricks I provide my custom web design clients—packaged for you to implement on your own website. ✨
The Membership Lab also includes access to a members-only Question Portal, where you can get direct feedback and assistance on any strategic or tech questions along the way.
So, whether you’re packaging your expertise into a resource library, an online course, or an interactive membership community, the Squarespace/MemberSpace integration is my favorite way to build and grow online membership programs from your Squarespace website.
