Are you an online educator or digital creator who launched online memberships?
Well, launching a membership business is not difficult.
But you might make mistakes.
If you ever launched a membership and seen members drop off within weeks, it's time to refine your strategy.
Most B2B sellers and creators make mistakes when implementing memberships model in their business. They often involve overcomplicating structures or missing crucial elements that members actually value. The result is confused members who struggle to find their place within your community.
Avoiding common membership pitfalls requires understanding what different types of members actually need from you. When you prevent these issues early, members feel valued and stay engaged much longer.
In this article, you’ll know what the most common mistakes are and exactly how to design memberships that members love!
But before that, if you are not sure how to start and grow a membership business? Learn here!
10 Mistakes to Avoid When Running A Membership Business
Here are some of the common membership mistakes that you should avoid:
Mistake 1: Overcomplicating Membership Plan Names
Imagine you are selling digital products or services. Courses. Communities. eBooks. Coaching. Or anything else. If you are selling them in a bundle, that's where membership comes into play.
The key here is to keep things simple.
Bundle multiple products and services into different tiers.
Keep the name as simple as possible. Yeah, that's all.
Just look at the screenshot from Product Management Institute. They are offering three plans. Simple. All individual plans show exactly what it offers.
That's it!
Unfortunately, the opposite thing happens whenever many course creators offer membership plans. They go for fancy, confusing membership titles and benefits.
They hardly impress anybody but fairly confuse everyone.
These lengthy titles create barriers instead of making membership options feel welcoming. Potential members feel confused or intimidated by what should be simple choices. They hesitate to join altogether when faced with complicated jargon.
It feels like walking into a restaurant with a menu you cannot understand. You are more likely to leave than ask for a translation.
Here's what you should do:
Keep your membership names simple, clear, and instantly recognizable to your audience.
Choose names that mirror actual job titles your audience uses on LinkedIn or their business cards.
Test your membership names with real people before launching them.
Remove friction by helping people choose the right membership level quickly.
Mistake 2: Pricing Without Value Mapping
You set membership prices based on what sounds fair in your head. But here's where things get tricky for your membership success. Many creators price all membership tiers equally or use random pricing numbers. That ignores a reality that different roles have completely different budgets.
Different roles have different value expectations from your membership content. A manager might pay more for strategic content and leadership tools willingly. A mechanic values hands-on tutorials that solve real problems they face daily. When pricing does not match perceived value, potential members feel overcharged completely. They also become suspicious about the quality you are actually offering.
The membership tier setup error involves ignoring what each role needs. When your members see your prices, they want to know the value matches what they will pay.
For example, show exact pricing and note down the benefits in simple words. Display your value proposition directly like this:
Here's how to align your pricing with actual value:
Research what different roles typically spend on professional development or resources.
Price your mechanic tier lower with practical content they desperately need.
Charge managers more, but give them strategic insights that justify investment.
Ensure prices feel fair according to the value mapping you actually provide.
Test your pricing with potential customers to determine alignment with perceptions.
Mistake 3: Not Offering Free Content
One of the most overlooked membership mistakes is forgetting about free valuable resources. Universal content isn't optional; it's the foundation of member satisfaction. Many content creators isolate their content, completely focusing too much. That's why successful platforms always include shared resources for everyone.
If your basic resources are locked behind specific tiers, it's normal that members will leave. You could have amazing role-specific content, but if people cannot access essentials, what's the point?
Offer universal resources that remain accessible for all.
Think about it from their perspective when they join your membership. What do they need regardless of their specific role or tier? How can you make essential information available to everyone who joins? Don't make them hunt for basic contact information or guidelines. Don't restrict fundamental resources that everyone should have access to. Just make it universally available.
Also consider cross-role content to be the umbrella under which all your content for specific roles resides. This helps create goodwill, and every member feels appreciated from the outset.
Some points you need to keep in mind:
Universal Resources: Templates, FAQs, and onboarding guides should benefit all members regardless.
Shared Library: Every member can find essential documents without worrying about restrictions.
Basic Information: Contact details, community guidelines, and foundational training should be universally available.
It's worth taking the time to review what content should be available to everyone. With free resources, you can capture the attention of your traffic and build a healthy email list.
Mistake 4: Not Keeping Upgrade/Downgrade Path
Your role-based membership tiers must offer an easy route for people to switch between them. Many creators lock members into their original role without providing clear membership upgrade or downgrade options. This creates frustration when someone's career changes because they can't adjust their membership role accordingly.
Members feel trapped when they want to access different roles’ content but can't switch smoothly. Without flexible role switching options, you can lose members who would otherwise stay and adjust their plans.
To fix this mistake, you should do the following:
Let people switch roles easily through a simple process like moving from mechanic to manager.
Create clear pathways that allow members to transition between different roles based on their career changes.
Ensure that switching roles is intuitive with clear buttons and simple steps that any person can follow.
Provide smooth transitions without penalizing the member for moving up or into a different position. This flexible approach creates a longer engagement of members as they can adapt their role according to their needs.
Well, if you are already using a membership platform that lets you create membership tiers and run a site-wide membership business, then you are in safe hands.
However, if you think you are feeling limited with membership features on your current platform, then you can consider a complete all-in-one membership platform.
EzyCourse is an all-in-one online platform to run an online membership business as a creator. The platform comes with a plethora of features that will be extremely beneficial for you.
As it is a course platform, you can bundle your courses and products together to create comprehensive membership packages on your site. Its modern membership systems allow you to offer true tier-based experiences with seamless upgrade and downgrade options. This approach enables you to upsell higher tiers as your customers can move between levels whenever needed.
You can create different membership plans with distinct pricing and add various products to each specific plan level. You can also organize your plans into groups to build a structured tier-based membership system. Adding multiple plans to one group lets customers upgrade or downgrade between plans within that group.
Consider creating Basic, Pro, and Elite plans, all grouped together for maximum flexibility and choice.
When customers purchase any plan, they can upgrade or downgrade to other plans from their dashboard. You can structure your tiers logically with Basic as the entry level, Pro as the mid-tier, and Elite as the highest tier.
This tiered approach maximizes customer lifetime value while giving members control over their membership experience.
Mistake 5: Not Tracking Engagement Per Role
It's easy to fall into the trap of launching role-based memberships without tracking. But if your different roles aren't engaging as expected, you're missing insights. Analytics are key. You need to make sure that you actually measure how roles interact. Think about it: would you drive blindfolded without knowing the road?
EzyCourse comes with analytics tools to measure each role's engagement with your content effectively.
Track which courses your hands-on learners complete and which ones they leave early. Analyze which files or templates your members frequently use to solve real problems and which ones they skip or overlook.
It's also important to remember that engagement patterns can change over time. What mechanics loved in your content a year ago might not work. That's why it's crucial to check analytics regularly and adapt accordingly.
Don't be afraid to experiment with different tracking methods or dashboard setups. Always keep your role-specific insights in mind when making content decisions. If you want to maintain and grow your membership site, you need data. Think of your separate analytics dashboards as starting points for understanding behavior. This will help you create targeted content and keep members engaged.
Mistake 6: Not Using Site-Wide Membership Features
Site-wide membership feature restricts access to premium content across the entire website to members only.
Many creators miss the opportunity to turn their entire site into a Netflix-like membership experience by not enabling site-wide membership functionality. As a result, visitors can access content without becoming paying members, reducing your monetization potential.
Without site-wide membership, you lose chances to convert casual browsers into committed subscribers. You essentially give away premium value that should generate recurring revenue for your business.
How to Fix:
If you start with EzyCourse, it will enable site-wide membership to transform your platform into an exclusive hub that requires membership access.
Use site-wide membership features to create exclusivity that motivates people to join your membership.
Set up automatic redirects so anyone attempting to purchase gets directed to your membership signup page.
Choose a compelling landing page that showcases your membership value and encourages visitors to subscribe immediately.
Configure your site settings to make premium content accessible only to paying members across your platform.
Test different redirect pages to find which one converts visitors into members most effectively.
See how to create a membership site with EzyCourse:
Mistake 7: Ignoring Mobile Experience for Members
It is a grave mistake if you design your membership platform perfectly for desktop users, but completely ignore mobile experience optimization. Many creators design their memberships with only large screen appearances in mind and never check how they function on mobile. This alienates the increasingly larger group of users who only access content via mobile devices.
Mobile users are unable to browse, consume content, and manage their accounts on the platform without mobile-optimization options. Poor mobile experiences cause members to leave your platform in disappointment. Your membership implementation should work seamlessly across all devices from day one.
Ask yourself this: would you stay subscribed to something unusable on your phone? Obviously not. So make your mobile experience a top priority always! You need to focus on some key areas right now.
Mobile First Design: Your members expect mobile access that actually works properly today.
Responsive Content: Make sure videos, documents, and other interactive elements are optimized to load quickly on small screens.
Listen to Mobile Feedback: What struggles do members face accessing content on devices? Use their input to guide your mobile implementation strategy for better results.
You should avoid making mobile experience become an afterthought during your membership implementation process. Dedicate time each week to test content access on phones. Your mobile members will appreciate the smooth experience you provide them.
Want to go the extra mile?
Well, EzyCourse offers a fully branded, white-label mobile app. Interestingly, if you get started with a selected plan, you will get a custom mobile app for free. With this, you can attract more audience towards your membership business.
👉Get Your Custom Mobile App—Built FREE
Mistake 8: Poor Onboarding Process for New Members
Suppose, you've implemented the awesome membership system and people are joining. You're feeling pretty good about your setup and initial member response. But the reality is different: if you don't have solid onboarding, satisfaction drops. It's just like hosting a dinner party without greeting guests or showing them around. People will feel lost and want to leave your membership quickly.
You can avoid this mistake by learning from others who struggled initially. A structured onboarding process is your roadmap for helping new members succeed.
Members are paying for access to valuable content and community experiences. If you're just letting them figure everything out alone, they get confused. The excitement fades quickly and members start questioning their investment in you. Many membership creators have experienced this frustration when they skipped proper planning.
Without proper onboarding, several problems emerge for your new members:
Confusion about navigation: Members don't know where to find important content.
Missed opportunities: You're not highlighting the best features that members need.
Early cancellations: People get frustrated trying to understand everything without proper guidance.
So, take the time to develop a comprehensive onboarding sequence for all members. Create a structured welcome sequence that guides new members through your platform step by step. Using EzyCourse, you can send them automated emails explaining how to access content, navigate features, and maximize their membership value effectively. This investment will create satisfied members.
Mistake 9: Lack of Community Building Features
A lack of community-building features can create isolation among your members. Many creators treat memberships like individual transactions without fostering connections between members who share similar interests. This isolated approach makes members feel lonely and reduces their emotional investment in your platform. Without community features, members have no reason to stay engaged beyond consuming your content alone.
Your members crave meaningful interactions with each other beyond just consuming content. You might focus solely on delivering materials, but people need social engagement. Community features transform isolated subscribers into a thriving, connected membership base.
The most successful membership implementations prioritize member relationships and foster genuine connections. Your membership will only thrive if it creates spaces for people interaction. Instead of assuming content is enough, build social environments for meaningful engagement.
Creating exit surveys and understanding why members leave helps improve community strategies. This insight can help you develop better connection approaches and retain members.
You need to create discussion forums where members share experiences daily. These spaces allow people to connect and learn from one another. Develop social groups or chat channels for subscribers to build networks easily. These connections help members make meaningful relationships with others in your community.
With EzyCourse, you can host regular live events such as webinars, Q&As, or virtual meetups regularly. These gatherings connect your members in real time and create shared experiences. Celebrate member achievements publicly to create positive energy and encourage participation.
What specific features would keep your members more engaged with each other? Which community elements would solve their connection needs most effectively today? After using the information, you will find the perfect community balance through experimentation and member feedback. Try different approaches and keep the ones that generate genuine engagement. Building authentic connections will strengthen your membership base and create lasting loyalty.
Mistake 10: Inconsistent Content Delivery Schedule
You launch your membership platform with enthusiasm, but fail to maintain a consistent content delivery schedule. Then your members often find long gaps between new releases when they expect regular updates and fresh content. This unpredictability frustrates paying members who feel they're not getting ongoing value for their investment.
Moreover, abandoning the consistent delivery that made your membership successful creates problems. After all, regular content is what attracted your initial members originally. If you change content delivery schedules too much, you risk frustrating members completely.
Imagine a favorite TV show that randomly changes air times without notice. Some viewers will adapt, but others will feel confused and stop watching.
Remember these things:
Don't exclude your content commitments: Remember what publishing schedule you promised when members joined. What regular value were you offering that made them invest originally? Never forget the delivery promises you made initially.
Small schedule modifications are better: If you require to adjust timing, announce your members clearly beforehand. This gives them opportunity to prepare for changes and offers useful insights.
Give attention to your member preferences: Survey your subscribers again and again about content timing and delivery frequency. They will tell you what scheduling works and what creates problems.
Content delivery requires a careful balancing act between consistency and occasional improvements. You want to maintain reliable schedules while enhancing your delivery approach. Never be afraid to improve processes, but always honor your commitments. Remember what made your membership implementation successful when you first started.
Avoid Membership Mistakes to Boost Your Revenue
Your membership platform succeeds when you keep it simple, clear, data-driven, and focused on member value. Remember that avoiding membership mistakes starts with understanding your members' real needs and pain points. You should regularly review your membership structure to ensure it delivers genuine value to everyone.
Fix these membership mistakes without delay and transform your membership platform into something members truly love.
Want to create a hassle-free membership website? Try EzyCourse now and enjoy advanced membership features at an affordable price.
