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How to gate/restrict content using a paywall might be the most crucial decision a content creator can take. The ideal balance between making content free of charge and making money from it could be a challenge. It is important that people find your content However, you need to create a viable business. Let's discuss the ins and outs of the process of securing content, and address several important queries.
What is an online paywall?
Consider a paywall to be the gate that blocks access to the content. It's as a garden shared with a locked gate. If you have keys to open the gate, they are able to enter the garden whenever they wish, but for those without keys, they must stay within the gate that is locked.
As a garden gate unlocks to let people access an area and a paywall allows access to content, a paywall permits users to gain access to a certain portion of your content (which is also known as gated content). This content may be an email, podcast or blog as well as a course or something similar. the key in this instance is probably a special account or password that grants access to certain individuals. The ability to gain access to a "key" could be obtained through becoming a subscriber of the podcast, purchasing a course, or becoming part of the blog.
What is the reason to use a paywall?
There are two major reasons behind the need to block content behind a paywall. Both are connected to progressing your business:
The content you put the paywall will mean that users will need to pay for access either through creating a subscription for a month or year or making a single purchase such as a lifetime membership or donation. This payment will 'open the gate' and provide access to your website, blog post or podcast. There are many software platforms which can automate the connection between people and content that is paid for.
Gating content allows you to obtain information from your visitors, to develop an understanding of your visitors and to build more lasting relationships. You can use this info to gain a better understanding of your visitors by building an email database and then making changes to the way you interact with your website. As an example, you can ask for a member's preferred language, and then show them content in that language. Of course, you'll need be clear about the fact that you're requesting your personal information with the aim of reaching them according to the GDPR.
What is the reason to why not make use of an online paywall?
As with all decisions that are made, there are pros as well as negatives to restricting content. 'Hiding' content behind paywalls means that it is hidden from the crawling algorithms of Google. If it's not done in a strategic manner it could seriously impact the effectiveness of your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) initiatives, which is the primary way for users to find the site. This is why it's not recommended to gate/restrict all your website's content.
In order to get individuals to be willing to spend money, they need to trust you and that trust is built by someone engaging with your content. Be generous and share some of your most loved and (popular) content publicly and at no cost. This can help gain your the trust of your readers.
Why should you choose to put up the paywall?
There has to have a proper balance between the content that can be given away for free and what to place behind a paywall. The process of finding this balance is about the toughest and most essential thing to do for anyone looking to make money from their work.
Our clients and prospective clients often inquire "How much content do I need to include behind my paywall?" but it's better to think about the type of items should be locked rather than the quantity. To decide which content is appropriate to be locked it is important to consider a couple of important questions:
What is your goal? When creating a post, article or podcast, take note of what is the (primary) objective of that piece of content. Are you seeking to improve your brand visibility, including establishing yourself as a thought leader in your industry? Do you want to make and earn income from your contents? Are you trying to build your database (often known as 'generating leads')? These questions can help you determine what data should be gated or restricted.
Who are your competitors? There's no need to ask anyone to buy things if they could get the same thing for free! If you are researching the content for your next article, find out if any material related to your subject is readily and freely available. You shouldn't be afraid to write new content related to the subject, but as with all content it is important to make sure your audience is gaining an advantage that the others don't have. This might include a first-hand experience, or an unique insight which no one else is able to provide.
Are you bringing sufficient to the value? If your content does not add value for the audience, it shouldn't be gated. It must provide information that isn't found anywhere else, or be provided in a format with a high production value'. Examples of this are longer-length articles like in-depth analysis or ebooks, downloads, etc. are best suited for paywalled/gated content, while shorter content like blog posts of up to 1000 words tend to be better as unlocked/free content.
The location to construct the gate
There's one extra thing to consider when gating content , and that's the amount of the piece itself is required to be secured. Go back to the metaphor of the gate in the garden If you'd like to invite people to visit a special area of your garden (perhaps or a structure within the garden) is it better to let them visit only a tiny portion of the garden to engage them, after which you can show them the location that they require the key for.
It is then possible to 'upsell' a metaphorical ticket for the private space. In this scenario you'd build the 'gate' after guests have had a look around the gardens that are open to public, but it's not directly at the gate to your property.
In the world of digital content, the equivalent is to let the user take a look at a few paragraphs your material before the gate/paywall gets activated. This way the reader is already interested in the tale and more likely to share their personal information or buy an annual subscription to read on.
How do you block content behind a paywall?
There are alternative platforms that could aid you in building the gateway'. Instead of providing an extensive list of options of options, we'll focus on our favorite method of gating content on WordPress. Below are some well-established WordPress plugins to assist you in gating your blog content
If you're interested in learning more, feel free to contact us. Press the red button below to begin chatting with us today!