Webinar Wednesday 114 – June 2, 2021

Update: Manage support tickets from admin (00:02:07)

• The ability to manage support tickets directly from the admin area is a significant step, allowing users to get in touch with the support team more quickly while working in the admin area (00:02:07).
• In the admin portal, there are two places where users can create a support ticket and find help documentation, including an updated help center pop-out that suggests articles based on the current page and allows users to search the entire support center (00:02:22).
• The help center pop-out provides suggested articles for the current page, allows users to search the entire knowledge base, and includes features such as enlarging images and marking articles as helpful or not helpful, with the option to create a support ticket if an article is not helpful (00:02:53).
• Users can create a support ticket from the help center pop-out, which will automatically include their username and the website they are currently working on, and also allows them to include screenshots or upload attachments (00:03:47).
• In the dashboard portal, under “My Account”, there are three key links: “View My Websites”, “View My Tickets”, and “Create a New Ticket”, which allow users to view their websites, tickets, and create new tickets (00:04:16).
• The “View My Tickets” link displays a list of tickets associated with the user’s email address, allowing them to view, reply to, or close tickets, with the option to add attachments to replies coming in a future update (00:04:47).
• The “Create a New Ticket” link allows users to select the website related to the issue from a drop-down menu or choose “not related to a specific website” if the issue is an account question, making it easy to create a new ticket (00:05:38).

Update: Search members by: no top category assigned, profile URL, multiple membership plans (00:05:55)

• The admin area has added new search filters in the search members page, allowing users to search members who have no top or sub-level category assigned to their profile, search members by their profile URL or a portion of the URL, and check multiple membership plans at a single time (00:05:55).
• Users can create smart lists for members who do not have a top-level category assigned, and these lists are dynamic, meaning that once members add top-level categories, they are automatically removed from the list (00:06:04).
• The search function also allows users to search members by their subscriptions or membership plans, and they can now search by multiple plans at once, which can be useful for creating smart lists for higher-tiered plans (00:06:14).
• The search function can be used to find members who have a specific URL or portion of a URL, which can be helpful for finding members who have not completed their profile, as they may have a temporary profile URL generated by the system (00:08:47).
• Members who have not completed their profile may have a URL that includes “pro” and a timestamp, and users can search for these members and create a smart list to reach out to them or remove them from the site (00:09:46).
• The new search member filters can be used to create smart lists for inactive members, such as those who have not verified their email address or have abandoned their profile, and users can email them or bulk delete them if necessary (00:10:07).
• The search function can also be used to find members who have a specific string in their URL, such as “pro 20”, which can be useful for finding test sign-ups or abandoned profiles (00:11:10).
• The new search filters provide more flexibility and options for managing members and creating smart lists, making it easier to manage and clean up the site (00:11:20).

Update: Link to posts from Edit Post Settings (00:11:21)

• A quality of life update is available in the admin area under edit post settings, allowing users to click directly to see the group of posts related to a specific post type (00:11:24).
• The update is located under “my content” and “edit post settings”, and once post settings are set up, users typically do not need to visit this area, but in some cases, they might need to (00:11:33).
• The admin area displays the number of posts under each post type, such as digital products or blog articles, and this information is now clickable, taking users directly to the “manage post” page (00:11:45).
• The clickable link is pre-filtered for the specific post type, such as blog articles, making it easier for users to manage their posts (00:11:59).
• The update was suggested by the Facebook group, and it aims to improve the user experience by providing a more direct and efficient way to manage posts (00:11:52).

Update: Copy & restore Text Labels (00:12:06)

• The ability to copy text label variables and restore default text labels is available, providing a quality of life update (00:12:08).
• The settings and text labels section can be accessed to view system variables, allowing users to copy text labels for use in coding or on a page (00:12:18).
• Copying text labels reduces user errors caused by manual typing, and the copied text label can be pasted into a page or code as needed (00:12:30).
• The default value of a text label can be restored by clicking the sync icon, which will confirm the action and reset the text label (00:12:45).
• After restoring a default text label, changes must be saved, but if the restoration was accidental, refreshing the page without saving changes will revert the text label to its previous state (00:12:52).

Update: View post stats in Mange Posts (00:13:03)

• The update allows users to view more statistics about each post in the Manage Posts area, which is a two-phase update, with phase one being complete, enabling the display of post views, bookmarks, and comments (00:13:03).
• The new feature provides more indicators, such as the count of post views, bookmarks, and comments, if the post has any, and if the user has the Profile Analytics or Bookmark My Favorites add-on (00:13:29).
• Phase two of the update will introduce a sort by option, allowing users to sort their posts by most views, most bookmarks, and most comments, giving them insight into the most popular content on their site (00:14:02).
• The future phases of the update may include the ability to click on comments to see which members bookmarked a specific post, and extending this feature to the Search Members page with the Profile Analytics add-on (00:14:21).
• The Profile Analytics add-on provides valuable data, such as the number of profile views a member has, which can be used as a retention tool to show members the value of their listing (00:14:31).

Update: Draggable homepage sections (00:14:55)

• The ability to drag homepage sections has been introduced as a quality of life update, allowing for easier configuration of the homepage layout (00:14:55).
• This feature is located in the design settings under the homepage section, where additional sections of the homepage can be managed, such as the hero section and streamed content (00:15:07).
• Previously, rearranging sections on the homepage required manual movement of each section one by one, but now sections can be easily dragged and dropped to a new position (00:15:26).
• The new feature enables users to move sections, such as newest blog articles or streaming members, to any position on the homepage, including the top or bottom spot (00:15:51).
• To use this feature, users can simply drag and drop the sections to the desired position, save the changes, and refresh the homepage to see the updated layout (00:16:00).
• This update allows for quicker configuration of the homepage and provides more flexibility in managing the layout and content of the additional sections (00:16:27).

Coming Soon: Better design for newsletters & stats (00:16:32)

• There are some cool items that are coming soon, including better designs for newsletters and statistics, which have been previously mentioned (00:16:32)
• These upcoming items are expected to improve the presentation of newsletters, as well as the way statistics are presented for campaigns that are sent (00:16:34)
• The new designs will enhance the overall experience of creating and sending campaigns, by providing a better layout for newsletters and a more effective way of displaying statistics (00:16:36)

Coming Soon: Additional custom content on homepage (00:16:42)

• The home page will have additional custom content options, allowing for more flexibility in designing the page (00:16:42).
• Currently, there is only one option for custom home page content, but this will be increased to five options, enabling the addition of custom content in multiple sections (00:16:50).
• The five custom content options will allow for a variety of modules to be added to the home page, including stream events and stream coupons, as well as additional custom content sections (00:16:57).
• The ability to have up to five custom content modules on the home page will provide more opportunities for customization and flexibility in the page’s design (00:17:09).
• Work is ongoing to continue improving the functionality of the home page, including Google page integration (00:17:14).

Coming Soon: Google Pagespeed (response time + images) (00:17:16)

• Work is ongoing to implement Google PageSpeed Tools updates, with the first round completed in May, which involved organizing and delivering JavaScript and CSS more efficiently (00:17:16).
• The current focus of the Google PageSpeed updates is on improving two key areas: reducing initial response times, which is the time it takes for sites to load, and enhancing the overall loading process (00:17:29).
• Additionally, efforts are being made to defer image loading using a technique called lazy load, which is expected to significantly improve scores across all sites (00:17:33).
• The combination of reducing response times and implementing lazy load for images is anticipated to dramatically improve Google PageSpeed scores, which is a development that is being looked forward to (00:17:37).

Coming Soon: Exclude Smart Lists when sending newsletters (00:17:44)

• The ability to exclude smart lists when sending newsletters is being added, providing more control over the contacts receiving an email (00:17:44).
• Currently, it is possible to choose smart lists to include when sending newsletters, and there is also an option to exclude newsletters, giving a bit more granular control (00:17:48).
• The improvement to the workflow for sending newsletters will allow for more precise management of email recipients, enhancing the overall process (00:17:59).

Coming Soon: Improve workflow or matching member leads (00:18:00)

• The topic of improving workflow or matching member leads is being covered, specifically focusing on matching member leads (00:18:01).
• The discussion is ongoing, with the subject of matching member leads being the main point of attention, as indicated by the mention of matching member leads (00:18:02).

Coming Soon: Ongoing updates to make things more awesome :) (00:18:03)

• Ongoing updates are being pushed to make the product more awesome, with thanks given to users for their suggestions, especially those in the Facebook group, which are helping to shape the product (00:18:04).
• The updates are a result of user feedback and suggestions, and users are encouraged to ask questions or provide comments about these updates (00:18:17).
• A user named Colette had submitted a ticket about half an hour prior to the discussion and found the timing of the update discussion to be perfect (00:18:38).
• Colette’s question or comment about the updates was invited, and she was greeted by Jason, who was doing great and thanked her for her participation (00:18:29).

Suggestion to be able to search members by sub-sub category in the admin area (00:18:45)

• The search function in the admin panel currently allows searching by top category and sub-category, but not by sub-sub-category, which is a limitation when trying to search for specific members, such as all builders, and create a smart list (00:18:45).
• The current system only populates sub-level categories after selecting a top-level category, making it logical to also populate sub-sub-level categories after selecting a sub-level category (00:19:14).
• The system does support sub-sub-levels, and adding the ability to search by sub-sub-category would be a useful feature, with Colette suggesting this improvement and Jason noting it as a potential update for an upcoming push (00:19:26).
• Jason appreciates Colette’s suggestion and thanks her for contributing to the discussion, which includes various lab updates and suggestions from participants (00:19:36).

Tip of the Week: The Fundamental 4 – Tips to Effectively Run Your Membership Website (00:19:45)

• The fundamental 4 tips are being discussed to help effectively run a membership website, with the goal of providing simple solutions to common problems that may be hindering a website’s success (00:19:46).
• Many websites are successful, but some struggle to get off the ground, and it is hoped that by addressing the basics and providing ideas, both new and established websites can benefit from the discussion (00:20:00).
• The conversation aims to help website owners, regardless of their website’s current level of success, by providing ideas and solutions that can be implemented into their website management (00:20:20).
• The discussion is intended to be helpful for all website owners, whether their website is new or has been online for a while, and is expected to provide some interesting ideas and solutions for managing a website (00:20:27).

Don’t Spin Your Wheels… (00:20:36)

• Some websites never seem to get off the ground, but the majority of sites do, and common issues with unsuccessful websites include perpetual development, overthinking features, and ineffective communication of benefits, which can be addressed to change the outcome in the future (00:20:36).
• Perpetual development can be a hindrance to launching a website, as it can lead to a never-ending loop of iterations and changes, and while having a perfect website is a good goal, it’s not always necessary for the initial launch (00:21:01).
• Overthinking website features or benefits to include in membership plans can also be an issue, but having a solid foundation with the basics is sufficient for launching, and early feedback from users can help improve the website (00:21:20).
• Ineffective communication of benefits and features to the target demographic can also be a problem, and understanding the needs of prospective members and effectively messaging the value of the website is crucial for success (00:21:50).
• A lack of marketing can also be a simple reason why members are not signing up, and addressing this issue can help increase visibility and attract more users (00:22:40).
• Launching a website with the basic groundwork done and gathering early feedback from users can help identify areas for improvement and make necessary changes, and aiming for 80% completion can help complete tasks quicker and move forward with the project (00:22:50).
• Editing and cutting back can help achieve the initial version of a task or project, and launching is the most important step, so it’s essential to prioritize progress over perfection and not be afraid of an 80% complete version (00:23:28).

The Value of Early Member Feedback (00:23:44)

• The value of early member feedback is an important topic that has been previously discussed, and a link to a previous tip of the week on this subject is available, which explains why every membership program needs a beta launch (00:23:44).
• A beta launch is beneficial for membership programs, and the benefits of having one are explored in more detail, including how to actually roll one out (00:23:56).
• For those who are just starting out with their website, a previous webinar provides a great resource that dives into the benefits of a beta launch and offers guidance on how to get started with one (00:24:12).

Think of Your Website as a Business – The Fundamental 4 (00:24:18)

• A simple change in mindset can be beneficial for a website that has not yet taken off, and treating the website as a business can be the key to generating revenue (00:24:18).
• The Fundamental Four are essential for effectively running a membership website, which includes bringing awareness to the product, convincing prospects to buy, converting them into members, and delivering on their expectations to maintain them as paying members (00:24:32).
• The four key steps to effectively run a membership website are: bringing awareness to the product, convincing prospects to buy, converting them into members, and delivering on their expectations to maintain them as paying members (00:24:35).
• Adopting a business mindset is crucial for growing a website, and the goal is to generate revenue by effectively implementing the Fundamental Four (00:24:58).

1. Bring Awareness to Your Product (00:25:03)

• Bringing awareness to a product involves targeting the right group of people and getting out in front of them, rather than waiting for them to find the product, and this can be achieved by targeting them on social media, such as LinkedIn for professionals or Instagram for designers, (00:25:04).
• Different industries and target demographics tend to spend the majority of their time in one area online, so getting into that space and getting out in front of them can be a huge benefit, and this can be done by joining a specific group of people on Facebook or attending a trade show or conference, (00:25:06).
• Some industries work better on a local level, not necessarily online, so attending a trade show or conference, or joining a local event, can be an effective way to spread the word and bring new members in, as seen in the example of Corey Barnes, (00:25:08).
• Demonstrating authority in an industry can be done by sharing ideas, solutions, advice, and helpful pieces of content online, which can build trust with people who may not be aware of the product or website, (00:25:09).
• Connecting with influential industry leaders, such as influencers, can be an effective way to bring awareness to a product, especially if the website is brand new and doesn’t have much social proof, and it’s better to start with smaller influencers who are more approachable and hungry for traction, (00:25:12).
• Sharing ideas and inspiration can be a more effective way to attract people than trying to sell to them, and connecting with influential industry leaders who are up and coming can be a better way to get a foot in the door and work together, (00:25:14).
• Building trust with people by providing valuable information for free can be an easy way to hook them in and get them to sign up for a membership plan, and demonstrating authority in an industry can be done by focusing on sharing ideas and being a beacon of information, (00:25:15).
• Influential industry leaders who are not A-listers can be more approachable and responsive to messages, and connecting with them can be a better way to gain traction and grow, (00:25:17).
• Corey Barnes’ approach of spreading the word about his membership community both online and in person was effective in bringing new members in and forming a strong sense of community, (00:25:18).
• Joining a specific group of people on Facebook or attending a local event can be an effective way to get out in front of the target demographic and bring awareness to a product, (00:25:21).
• Sharing valuable information and demonstrating authority in an industry can be done by sharing ideas, solutions, and advice, and this can be an effective way to build trust and attract people to a product or website, (00:25:22).

2. Convince Prospects to Buy (00:28:51)

• To convince prospective members to buy, they need to know that they will see results and that their money will be worth something, which can be achieved by addressing their concerns and doubts, and providing social proof, such as reviews and testimonials from existing members (00:28:52).
• Providing social proof can be done by sprinkling testimonials and case studies throughout the website, such as on the pricing page, checkout pages, or sign-up pages, to show that the solution or product is working for other people similar to them (00:29:30).
• Live demos or video tutorials can also be used to provide social proof, such as recording the screen to show how the website works and what is offered within the membership community, which can help build trust and credibility (00:30:05).
• Comparing features and benefits to competitors can also be an effective way to attract members, by highlighting what sets the membership community apart and what benefits it offers that others do not (00:30:38).
• Offering consultations can also be a way to attract members, especially for moderately priced membership plans or for target demographics such as professionals, by providing a 15-30 minute phone consultation to discuss the benefits and solutions offered by the membership community (00:31:02).
• Building a community is also important, as people want to be part of something bigger than themselves, and this can be achieved by creating a community on Facebook or other platforms, where like-minded individuals can connect and share ideas (00:31:41).
• Ultimately, the goal is to cultivate a sense of fear of missing out (FOMO) among prospective members, by understanding what the target demographic is looking for and providing a sense of urgency and exclusivity around the membership community (00:32:06).
• Demographic wants and needs should be considered when providing solutions, and it should be made clear what they will be missing out on if they don’t join the membership community (00:32:19).
• Listing off numerous features can be overwhelming and lose the focus on the benefits of joining, so it’s essential to explain how the specific access or information will improve their lives or businesses (00:32:35).
• Testimonials and case studies can be used to show how others are thriving and benefiting from the solution, which is a form of social proof that can help convince prospects to buy (00:33:09).
• A comparison chart can be used to compare the features and pricing of different solutions, such as Wild Apricot, which has a comparison chart that includes their competitors (00:33:33).
• Using a comparison chart or checklist can be an effective way to show the benefits of a solution, but it’s essential to focus on the value it provides to the community rather than just comparing features (00:34:20).
• Wild Apricot has a comparison chart that includes their competitors, which can be seen as a form of flattery, and it’s possible to use this type of chart to show the benefits of a solution in a similar way (00:33:47).

3. Convert Prospects Into Members (00:34:39)

• To convert prospects into members, it is essential to make the signup process as seamless, easy, and fast as possible, reducing sign up friction by not asking for too much information upfront, allowing them to create their account and add information later (00:34:53).
• Offering a limited number of membership plans, such as three, including a free general user one and two premium plans, can help avoid confusion and make it easier for prospects to compare features and benefits (00:36:15).
• Implementing special early bird pricing or benefits can incentivize people to sign up, and making this offer time-limited can create a sense of FOMO, encouraging them to join quickly (00:36:35).
• Utilizing a Online chat feature on the website, such as Facebook Messenger or Live Chat, can provide an opportunity to interact with prospective members, answer questions, and initiate conversations, helping to build trust and get off on the right foot with new members (00:37:32).
• By implementing these strategies, it is possible to convert prospects into members, and then focus on ensuring they fill out their profiles and understand what to expect after signing up (00:38:31).

4. Deliver On Expectations (00:38:37)

• Delivering on expectations is crucial to keep new members signed up and happy on the website, and this can be achieved by setting expectations from the initial visit to long after they sign up and purchase a membership plan (00:38:37).
• Having introductory and training videos can help facilitate delivering on expectations, especially for community-generated content, and a quick screen recording can be embedded in the member dashboard to guide them on publishing content (00:39:20).
• Creating custom thank you pages and emails after somebody purchases a membership plan can also help deliver on expectations, and the default welcome email template should be customized to make it more applicable and appealing to the target audience (00:39:54).
• Being proactive and addressing initial concerns or questions from new members can save potential cancellations and make them happy, and showing appreciation through offers like free upgrades can demonstrate care and value for the members (00:40:48).
• Under-promising and over-delivering is a good strategy, and taking care of basic elements like setting expectations, providing training, and showing appreciation can effectively run a membership website (00:41:46).

BONUS: Daily Tasks to Keep Your Website Growing (00:42:14)

• A bonus section discusses five daily tasks that membership website owners need to take in order to keep their website growing, which was previously covered in a webinar and provided as a great tip of the week with a five-item list of weekly tasks to maintain a pulse on the website and keep the community active (00:42:14).
• The four fundamental tasks for membership website owners include bringing awareness to the product, convincing prospects to buy, converting prospects into members by reducing friction and making the decision-making process easy for them, and delivering on expectations to give them a satisfactory experience after joining the community (00:42:51).
• The webinar aims to address common questions from membership website owners, such as daily tasks to keep their website growing, and provides valuable information for owners to check out and learn from (00:42:44).
• After discussing the daily tasks, the session moves on to a question-and-answer segment where attendees, such as Brian, can ask questions and provide feedback, including requests for future updates, which can be discussed and demonstrated using the admin section of the website (00:43:16).
• The question-and-answer segment allows attendees to interact with the hosts and provide input on potential future updates and features, which can help improve the overall experience for membership website owners and their communities (00:43:19).

Suggestion to automatically generate a secure password when manually creating a new member account from the admin area (00:43:46)

• A suggestion was made to automatically generate a secure password when manually creating a new member account from the admin area, similar to the option available when creating a new administrator account, which has a “generate password” feature (00:43:47).
• The suggestion was well-received, with appreciation expressed for the idea of having this feature when creating new member accounts in the admin area (00:44:05).
• The discussion took place during a webinar, where multiple suggestions were shared, and the participants, including William, were engaging with the presenter and sharing their thoughts and questions (00:44:28).

When would it be necessary to use the ‘Show Widgets’ feature when editing the website? (00:44:40)

• The ‘Show Widgets’ feature is a tool that allows administrators to access and customize certain parts of a website, particularly useful for developers and web designers, and can be accessed by clicking on the ‘Visit Website’ link and then using the system’s knowledge that the user is an administrator to display the feature (00:45:03).
• The ‘Show Widgets’ module displays the code logic that makes a particular area of the page render in a specific way, allowing for customization, but it is not necessary for everyone and is generally recommended for those who cannot find what they are looking for in the design settings or edit post settings (00:45:36).
• If a user is unable to find a specific setting or option, it is recommended to first try the design settings or edit post settings, and if that does not work, to email the support team or ask in the Facebook group for assistance before attempting to use the ‘Show Widgets’ feature (00:45:48).
• The ‘Show Widgets’ feature is not typically necessary for most users, and it is generally more efficient to use the design settings or edit post settings to control the default areas of the site, with the web page builder being used to build out custom pages (00:46:06).
• The discussion also mentions William and Terry, who have questions and comments, but the main topic is the ‘Show Widgets’ feature and its appropriate use (00:46:22).

Suggestion to allow parent member accounts to limit the functionalities of their sub-accounts (00:46:43)

• When a parent account creates a sub-account, the sub-account has the same publishing permissions as the parent account, except for the ability to publish further sub-accounts, and there is a suggestion to allow parent member accounts to limit the functionalities of their sub-accounts (00:46:43).
• The suggested feature would enable parent accounts to give sub-accounts different publishing permissions, allowing them to limit publishing permissions and add no more permissions than the parent account has themselves (00:47:06).
• This feature would be useful in scenarios where a parent account wants to restrict certain abilities, such as making blog posts, from their sub-accounts (00:47:28).
• The suggestion has been noted and will be brought up to the team to discuss possible implementation (00:47:38).
• The conversation will continue in the Facebook group, and the next webinar will take place in two weeks, where further discussions and questions can be addressed (00:48:05).
• The webinar concluded with appreciation for the great questions and suggestions, and the hosts thanked the attendees for joining and looked forward to the next webinar (00:48:25).