I created a website called PlatformShark.com. Inside Platform Shark are videos that help you learn how to use WordPress.

To do that, I needed a membership site. Below are the steps that I took using the WordPress Simple Membership Plugin.

Registering for an account

Next, they will see the payment button:

After payment is completed, the user will move from the “Premium” list to the “WordPress Access.”

The next screen you will see is a congrats page:

 

Once someone clicks the link, they will go to their premium content.

If you try and go directly to that link without having access you will see:

Setting everything up in WordPress

Install each of these plugins:

Simple Membership

Simple Membership After Login Redirection

Simple Membership Form Shortcode

Simple Membership Miscellaneous Shortcodes Addon

How to Apply Partial or Section Protection

Go into After Login Redirection

Tick “enable redirect to last page:”

Create Two Membership Levels

Set up one called “Premium Access.” This level registers you as a user to the site:

Set up one called “WordPress Access.” This user will get access to your protected (or “gated”) content:

Create a Payment Button

Create your pay page:

These are the settings for a PayPal Smart Checkout button:

To learn how to get your PayPal API details, click here. For a direct link to the PayPal REST API Application page, clicking here.

Create your “congrats page”

Protect (or “gate”)  your content

Tick the box at the bottom of a page for the membership level you want to give access:

If someone visits this page without being a member, they will see this page:

Login Steps

Create a login page:

A user will put in their username and password and be directed to the “after redirect” setting you customized here:

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Wrap up

This is a stellar plugin if you are just getting started with a membership site. If you want to offer different programs, you can just add those buttons and people will get added to a new membership level.

Once you are ready to setup up a level, there are plenty of other membership sites. Some recommendations are ARMemberPlugin.com, CosmoLabs, and Restricted Content Pro.