Squarespace Member Areas FAQ
Since the launch of Squarespace’s new membership product this week a lot of questions are already coming in and I’ve started collecting them in this post. Feel free to ask more questions in the comments and I will try and answer them. If you want a more in-depth conversation about your particular situation or business, I offer Ask Me Anything sessions just for that purpose! You get one hour of my undivided attention and expert guidance.
Member Areas – Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does it work with 7.0?
Yes! Member Areas works with both 7.0 and 7.1! Right now the only difference is that 7.1 has advanced navigation options, otherwise it’s all the same.
2. Can I upload videos to a Member Area?
No. You still have to host the videos elsewhere and embed them. I like Vimeo because of their excellent privacy and embedding feature, but any 3rd party host works that has privacy options and integrates with Squarespace.
3. Are documents and files protected by the Member Area?
Not right now. When you upload a file to Squarespace it is stored and accessible outside the Member Area. For PDF's I recommend to use a PDF password and share that inside your Member Area. Not sure about other file types though.
4. Can I trial Member Areas before I pay?
Yes! You can use Member Areas with any website plan, the only difference is the transaction fee that Squarespace charges when someone purchases your member area. If you anticipate to sell a lot, then a higher plan with a lower fee may make more sense.
5. Can I use discounts?
Yes, you can have Member Area specific discounts.
6. Can I have a Discussion Forum?
No. You could use a blog and the comment feature but for a discussion forum I recommend a Facebook group, Slack or Mighty Networks.
7. Can I manually add members, or transfer members from another platform?
Unfortunately not. Every member has to create an account on your website and join the Member Area. What you could do is offer a 100% discount code for existing members of paid Member Areas, or make the Member Area free until everyone has moved over and before you start selling it publically.
8. Can I have one Member Area and sell access to it with multiple products?
Yes! You can use pricing plans that contain multiple Member Area products.
9. Can I sell bundles with multiple Member Areas?
Yes! You can use pricing plans that contain multiple Member Area products.
10. Can I offer payment plans?
Yes.
11. What is the difference between Member Areas in 7.0 and 7.1?
Right now the only difference is the navigation. In 7.1 you have the option to replace the main website navigation with the Member Area navigation once a member is logged in.
12. How is this better than the page password?
The page password can absolutely work, I've been using it for years. But Member Areas are definitely better because members can create their own password so you don't have to worry about changing the password for everyone if someone leaves a Member Area, or dealing with lost passwords. With a Member Area everything is controlled through the customer account which is especially great for subscriptions because if someone cancels a subscription they automatically lose access to the Member Area.
13. I like the look of Member Areas in 7.1, how do I switch to 7.1?
You can migrate your website to 7.1 via the dashboard. Here is a help article taking you through the steps.
14. Which is the best template for Member Areas?
One important aspect of Member Areas is user navigation, i.e., making it easy for your members to navigate the content.
In 7.0, this can be done by using a sidebar; they are great for listing all of your Member Area pages. Either use a template that comes with a sidebar (like Bedford) or use the fabulous sidebar plugin (affiliate link).
In 7.1, you get the nice Member Area navigation, and it doesn't matter which 'template' you choose, as 7.1 only has one template. What you see in the ‘template’ store are just different design iterations of the same template.
15. Can I remove a member?
Yes! You can easily remove access to a Member Area via a member's Profile.
16. Can I use a 3rd party Email Marketing service with Member Areas?
Member Areas integrates seamlessly with Squarespace Campaigns and cannot be connected to another email service.
17. How many Member Areas can I have?
Right now, up to 10.
