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May 14, 2025
If you’re building a membership, content can quickly become your biggest headache.
What should you include?
How much should you include?
How much is too much?
And how do you keep your members engaged without drowning them in your content?
Membership expert Stu McLaren says that overwhelm is the number one reason people cancel.
And we couldn’t agree more.
(By the way, there’s a whole chapter in his book, Predictable Profits, all about this. Grab a free copy on us at freemembershipbook.com - all you have to do is pay shipping!)
Because the truth is, successful memberships aren’t loaded with endless content. The last thing you want to do is dump everything you’ve ever created into a content vault and hope your members can find what they’re looking for.
Good memberships offer the right content, delivered at the right time, exactly when your members need it.
The goal isn’t stuff for the sake of stuff.
It’s about making your members feel confident, supported, and excited to stick around month after month. How you create, structure and deliver your content is an important part of that. A big one.
In this post, we’re breaking down the three types of content every membership site needs to drive content consumption, boost clarity and keep your members coming back for more. And when you do this right, you’ll see higher retention and happier members (meaning more money in your pocket… cha ching!).
Every thriving membership has three essential types of content:
1. Onboarding Content: Make a Great First Impression
When someone joins your membership, they’re full of hope, excitement, and maybe just a little uncertainty.
Your job?
Make them feel confident about their purchase and remove that uncertainty fast!
But first, what’s onboarding content?
It’s the initial material your new members get right after joining. It's designed to help them quickly understand:
- How to use your membership
- What to expect
- What to do next
- How to get an early win
Good onboarding content sets the tone. It makes members feel welcomed, gets rid of overwhelm, and sets them up for long-term success right from the get-go.
These are your next must-have onboarding assets:
Welcome Video
This video sets expectations, shares your vision, and reminds your new member they’re in the right place.
Keep it warm, upbeat, and purpose-driven.
You want them watching it and feeling confident in their purchase, and super excited about what's coming next.
“Start Here” Section
Think of this as a roadmap for your new members.
The goal is to give them one clear next step. Whether it’s watching a video, taking a quiz or downloading their first resource, keep it simple.
Member Profile Setup
Encourage your members to upload a photo and share a few details about themselves.
Real faces result in real connections and a stronger community.
Connection is the foundation for solid retention.
Membership Tour
This is a short walkthrough video showing new members around your membership.
We suggest a simple screen recording.
When your members know where to find stuff, they can make more progress. Plus, it can help to reduce your support tickets, too. Double win!
Quick Tip: Use Membership.io’s AI Screen Recorder to create your membership tour video! It automatically syncs with your content library!
Onboarding Quiz or Assessment
Want to personalize their journey?
A quiz helps you understand where they’re starting from. If you're using Membership.io, you can even automate content delivery based on their answers.
And you can create a personalized content experience.
Most cancellations don’t happen because of a lack of value. They happen because people feel overwhelmed or unsure of what to do next.
Your onboarding process should solve that, right from the start.
2. Core Content: The Foundation of Your Membership
Core content is your foundational material.
It’s the timeless, go-to stuff that every member needs, no matter when they join.
It’s like a baseline.
It doesn’t change often and serves as the compass, helping your members understand the journey ahead and the tools they’ll need along the way.
This could include:
- A structured course or video series
- Resource libraries or templates
- Community rules and onboarding guides
- Your most essential lessons or frameworks
Keep it clean. Keep it focused. The goal is clarity, not content overload.
3. Monthly Content: Keep Members Coming Back
This is the heartbeat of your membership. Well-designed, fresh, timely, and monthly content keeps your members engaged, making progress, and coming back for more.
It doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, less is more when your content helps people take action and see results.
Monthly Content Ideas:
- Live or recorded coaching calls
- Guest expert interviews or masterclasses
- Fresh templates, swipe files, or playbooks
- Member-only challenges or co-working sessions
- Progress check-ins or accountability calls
- Behind-the-scenes breakdowns or case studies
- Exclusive community events (online or in real life)
- Physical product mailers (stickers, merch, goodies!)
- Done-for-you resources or checklists
- Curated content, tools, or news roundups
- “Ask Me Anything” sessions
- New member spotlights or success stories
- Quick action mini-trainings
- Early access to new programs, offers or services
- Content vault drops
- Interactive workshops or bootcamps
- Behind-the-scenes updates
- Pop-up challenges
- Monthly Q&A sessions
- Exclusive member discounts or perks
Choose what fits your membership and your members’ needs. Stay consistent. Your members will appreciate knowing what to expect and when.
Quick Tip: Your monthly content doesn’t need to be flashy. It just needs to help people move forward. We recommend up to 4 pieces per month max!
Final Thoughts: Build With Intention
The right content strategy isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what matters.
Your onboarding content welcomes and guides.
Your core content teaches and empowers.
Your monthly content keeps your members moving forward,
When you focus on these three types of content, you’ll create a membership experience that’s structured, supportive, and genuinely valuable.
