Lesson #31 Keeping Your Members in the Loop
Written By Titmowse

You know exactly when you’ve updated the content on your paysite. For you, this process is memorable because it involves time, money and work. However, the people who paid to see your content might not notice you’ve just added three, full-length movies and a thousand images, unless you tell them.

Think about it. When one of your subscribers logs into the member’s area of your paysite, how do you let them know there are extra goodies to view? Have you posted a link? Is there a graphic banner somewhere to show a subscriber to your update? Did you send out an email notice?

As an adult paysite operator, you want to keep the members you already have. In any business, a repeat customer is the best kind of customer. This rule applies to adult paysites. When you are able to entice a member to pay again for another month, you’ve done something right. The absolute, surest way to get them to pay again is by adding new content through site updates. The best way to make sure your members know about updates is to tell them, flat out.

Humans are capricious creatures. Sometimes you have to smack them to get their attention. Most of your paysite customers probably aren’t as Internet savvy as you are.

They might not notice that little text link that reads: “New Additions”, especially if you’ve buried it at the bottom of the main member page. When you update, be obvious. Place a link or graphic banner at the top of the main member’s page, or at least put it in a sidebar or above the fold.

Some paysites even go as far as to create an entire page dedicated to site updates. You want current members to know right away ­after login- that there are ripe berries to pick from the vine. Don’t make them work for the new stuff, because they won’t. If members aren’t aware you’ve done some updating, then it’s likely they’ll cancel their subscription for the next month.

Another way to notify members of content additions is through a mailer/newsletter. It’s perfectly acceptable to send informative emails to your paysite members as long as you have their permission to do so.

Many times you will include the choice of this option during the membership sign up process. The joining subscriber simply checks or unchecks a box in a form field. Another way to add paysite clients to a mailing list is through a user account console. You can offer a member a place where they can personalize their account settings. Within those settings your subscriber can specify if they want email updates and what email address those updates are sent to. If you mail only to members who opt in, then you won’t receive spam complaints.

If you want to run an adult paysite, you need to update your content on a regular basis. New, fresh content keeps your site alive and turns your present members into long-term customers. However, your members won’t know you’ve updated unless you tell them. In order to keep your members; you have to keep them, in the loop.