This tutorial uses the following tools:
- $60.00 | Genesis Framework
- $40.00 | Your Choice of Genesis Child Theme, in the example I use: eleven40 Theme
- $49.95 | Genesis Extender Plugin
- $42.00 | Restrict Content Pro
Total: $191.95
1. Install the Restrict Content Pro plugin
- While logged into your WordPress installation, hover over the Plugins menu in the left-hand column and click the Add New link
- Click the Upload link
- Choose the plugin’s zip file you downloaded to your computer
- Click the Install Now button
2. Create Your Register Page
- While logged into your WordPress installation, hover over Pages in the left hand column and click the Add New link
- Give your page a name, for example: Register
- Be sure you’re on the Text tab (tip of the triangle) as opposed to the Visual Tab, then insert the [register_form] shortcode
- Click the Publish button
3. Create Your My Account Page
Step-by-step instructions for creating your My Account Page are located here.
4. Configure the Restrict Content Pro Settings
- Enter your license key to receive automatic updates to the plugin and plugin support from Pippin and his team.
- Your PayPal address for your membership payments to be deposited
- Click the Save Options button
4.1 Messages Tab
- Free Content Message: Displays when a visitor attempts to view free, user only content. The example pictured invites the user to register a free account or login
- Premium Content Message: The example pictured invites the user to visit the Register page for the premium membership.
- Click the Save Options button
4.2 Signup Form Tab
- Choose the page containing the shortcode for your membership
- Choose the page you want successful registrations redirected to upon completing their registration
- jQuery Validation prevents a page reload which, from my experience, is an improved/faster user experience.
- Disable all form styling. Only if you plan to provide all CSS styling for your form.
- Enable reCaptcha? This is to fight spam in your form. Want to use reCaptcha? Step-by-step instructions here.
- If you have setup an SSL certificate for your site and are using it on the form page, then check this box. If not, ignore. FYI: SSL is not required to accept PayPal standard payments.
- Check this box if you do not want memberships to automatically renew.
- Click the Save Options button
4.3 Emails Tab
- Email sent to subscribers when their subscription becomes active
- Email sent to subscribers when they cancel their subscription
- Email sent to subscribers when their subscription epires
- Email sent to subscribers letting them know their subscription will expire soon. Use the dropdown to choose when subscribers will be notified. IE: 1 day or 1 week before expiration, etc
- Email sent to subscribers when they signup for a Free Subscription
- Email sent to subscribers when they signup for a Free Trial
- Check this box if you do NOT want to be emailed as new users signup
- Click the Save Options button
4.4 Misc Tab
- Hide all premium posts (posts/pages where the Paid Only checkbox is checked) from users
- Page you want non-subscribers redirected to when they try to access a premium post or page
- When subscribers login, do you want them redirected to a specific page of your choosing?
- If yes to #3, choose the page to send users. For example: My Account Page
- Check this if you’d like to prevent multiple users from logging into the same account at the same time.
- Click the Save Options button
5. Create Your Subscription Level(s)
Subscription levels allow you to setup different membership packages. For example, you could have one package that grants members access to your premium content for one month, and another that grants users access for an entire year. There is no limit to the number of packages you can create. You can also create “Trial” packages; these grant users premium access for a limited period of time, and can be completely free.
- The Name of the Subscription Level
- The Description of the membership Level
- Access Level, I typically leave this to the default
- Duration of the Subscription. In your choice of days, months, or years
- Price of the Subscription
- Signup Fee for the subscriptions. You can make this a negative number to give a discount on the first payment of a recurring subscription.
- Status must be set to Active for members to be able to signup
- WordPress User Role given to the subscriber after signup.
- Click the Add Membership Level button
6. Payments Menu
While logged into your WordPress installation, in the Left-Hand Column hover over the Restrict Menu and then click the Payments link.
This is where your payments will be logged as they come in. I point it out because its a menu I tend to view often.
7. Add Content
While logged into your WordPress installation, hover over the Posts (or it works the same for Pages) then click the Add New link
- Give your Post or Page a title
- Enter the content for your post or page
- Restrict this to Paid Users only? If yes, toggle the checkbox on
- Display the Post Excerpt for non logged in users? If you want to display the message you setup under Settings –> Messages tab, leave this unchecked.
- Hide the excerpt of this Post/Page from your RSS feed? To hide it, toggle the checkbox on
- Restrict viewing of this content based on Access Level of user, I leave this as default
- Restrict viewing of this content based on Restrict Content Pro Subscription levels
- Restrict viewing of this content based on WordPress User Level(s)
- Click the Update button
Note 1: To hide this content from logged-out users, but allow free and paid, set the User Level to “Subscriber“.
Note 2: Access level (6), subscription level (7), and user level (8) can all be combined to require the user meet all three specifications.
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