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Published – Jun 02, 2024
Wix stands as a highly recognized general-purpose website construction tool available today, with its widespread adoption primarily attributed to its user-friendly interface and budget-conscious pricing models.
As the digital knowledge sector experiences significant expansion, an increasing number of individuals are exploring opportunities to market educational programs online and develop membership-based platforms, leading many to question if Wix is a suitable choice for these specific endeavors.
My definitive professional judgment is that you should refrain from utilizing the Wix platform for hosting your membership communities or your web-based educational courses.
The membership site creation tool within Wix is notably rudimentary, and it is deficient in several crucial functionalities that are essential for the establishment and successful operation of a membership site. Moreover, significantly superior alternative solutions are readily accessible in the current market.
Therefore, let us embark on a more detailed examination of the specific features that Wix is lacking, and gain a clearer understanding of why it does not represent the optimal platform for constructing your membership-based website.
Towards the conclusion, I will also present some viable Wix membership site alternatives that you might consider integrating into your business operations strategy.
The sole membership site functionalities that the Wix platform provides involve the capacity to incorporate a designated members’ section into your website, fashion pages exclusive to members, and manage payment transactions.
There are no readily available pre-designed templates for the members’ area or for your content-specific pages. Consequently, you are compelled to conceptualize and construct every element from the very beginning, a process that necessitates a considerable investment of time and dedicated effort.
What this further implies is that you personally must oversee aspects such as the overall end-user experience and ensuring mobile device responsiveness, which can prove to be quite challenging for an ordinary creator without extensive technical expertise.
Presently, the Wix editing interface is not particularly intuitive for users and is not ideally suited for the task of designing member-exclusive areas, which unfortunately exacerbates the existing complexities even further.
An additional complication is that the fundamental Wix platform only permits the creation of a basic members’ section; for any other functionalities, you will be required to locate and integrate an application (akin to an extension) from the Wix App Marketplace.
Although the selection of applications genuinely beneficial for a membership website is not extensive, there are a handful that you will inevitably employ if you decide to establish a membership site using Wix.
For instance, the Wix app store features a Pricing Plans application, which enables you to establish various subscription tiers and distinct access privileges for your membership site’s different levels of engagement.
Although enhancing your Wix membership site with applications might initially appear straightforward, a significant challenge arises because many of these so-called “apps” are not genuinely integrated applications. This distinction means you will often be embedding IFrames rather than incorporating true, native functionality into your website platform.
IFrames are widely recognized for introducing potential complications related to data security, overall user experience, and can even negatively impact search engine optimization performance. This reality is likely a contributing factor to the generally low user satisfaction ratings observed for many of these available applications.
In summary, the process of developing a membership site within the Wix ecosystem is considerably less than ideal. It entails a substantial amount of superfluous labor and often feels more like implementing a temporary fix rather than utilizing a robust, core feature set.
As previously mentioned, Wix only enables the creation of a highly rudimentary membership site that essentially places your existing content behind a paywall, offering little beyond this basic function. The platform lacks an integrated learning management system (LMS), and consequently, you cannot develop fully-featured online courses.
You will not find any pre-designed templates for essential elements like the course player interface, the curriculum outline page, individual lesson pages, or similar components; every aspect, including site navigation, must be constructed manually from the ground up.
Furthermore, because Wix does not allow you to formally define an “online course” as a distinct product type, there is no straightforward method for restricting access to course materials exclusively to paying members. You would be required to individually secure each content page, one by one.
Given that online courses represent one of the most prevalent formats for delivering content within membership sites, this particular limitation constitutes a very significant disadvantage for potential users of the platform.
Additionally, you might desire to offer online courses to your audience as separate, standalone products, a capability that, once again, is not feasible within the Wix environment due to these inherent constraints.
Conversely, the premier online course platforms merely necessitate that you upload your content into their systems and arrange it in the correct sequence; they then manage all other technical aspects on your behalf seamlessly.
One of the most substantial drawbacks associated with a Wix-based membership site is the absence of support for the most crucial tools designed to foster member engagement and enhance learning experiences.
Two such frequently utilized functionalities are scheduled content release (content dripping) and sequential content access (content locking), both of which are notably unsupported by the Wix platform at this present time.
Therefore, if your intention is to produce a large volume of content and then make it available to your members according to a predetermined release schedule, you will find yourself unable to accomplish this within the Wix ecosystem.
Similarly, should you aim to establish structured learning pathways within your membership, wherein your users are obligated to consume content in a specific, predefined order, this too is not a capability offered by Wix.
Beyond these limitations, there are several other features that would be exceptionally important for you if you are developing an online course, yet these are entirely absent from the Wix platform’s offerings.
For instance, you are unable to create interactive quizzes and assignments within your courses, nor can you issue completion certificates to your students upon their successful program finalization through the platform.
Consequently, if your objective extends beyond merely persuading users to purchase your membership or online courses, and also includes ensuring that they genuinely interact with your content and derive tangible benefits from it, you will likely find this deficiency in learning and engagement features to be a critical, insurmountable issue.
Videos are overwhelmingly the most favored method for delivering content online, and the positive aspect is that Wix does permit you to host and distribute videos directly through its platform without external services.
Nevertheless, there are a couple of notable problems associated with Wix’s video features that render them less than ideal for premium offerings such as online courses and membership sites requiring robust performance.
The primary concern is that it imposes a restriction on the total volume of video content you are permitted to store and deliver via the Wix platform infrastructure.
The Business Basic ($23 per month) and the Business Unlimited ($27 per month) subscription tiers allow for the storage of merely five and ten hours of video material, respectively. This capacity will prove insufficient for the majority of video content creators and their needs.
Wix’s highest package, the Business VIP plan (at $49 per month), provides you with unlimited video duration; however, it comes with an overall storage capacity limit of 50 gigabytes. Now, this particular limit should be more than adequate for your needs when you are initially starting out, but as your membership base expands and content grows, you will inevitably require greater storage space.
Another significant issue with Wix videos, and a particularly major one, pertains to the recurrent problems experienced with video delivery and consistent playback performance. When you visit the Wix Video page within their application marketplace, you will encounter numerous complaints from creators detailing how their users frequently face difficulties and interruptions while attempting to watch video content.
Presently, you always have the option to utilize dedicated video hosting services such as Vimeo and Wistia for managing and distributing your exclusive membership video content.
However, it is crucial to remember that in such cases, you will incur separate expenses for video hosting services, and you will also need to manually embed these videos onto your Wix membership pages. This process can be quite time-consuming and potentially lead to significant administrative complexities.
Contrast this situation with any contemporary online course platform (for example, Thinkific), and you will find that they all typically provide unlimited video hosting capacity as an integral component of their standard subscription packages.
Moreover, these specialized platforms leverage the advanced capabilities of established, reputable video hosting providers rather than attempting to host videos using in-house solutions. This approach results in a consistently smooth and uninterrupted video viewing experience for all your valued members.
Thus far, our discussion has primarily centered on the deficiencies of Wix membership sites from the perspective of a content creator. However, even when considering the end-user experience, Wix presents a multitude of significant drawbacks and limitations.
Initially, Wix does not maintain a record of members’ individual progress within the content. Consequently, your members will be unable to ascertain which materials they have already viewed, the extent of their completion, and similar vital tracking information.
This deficiency also signifies that the system cannot recall where users last left off in their learning journey, and as a result, you are unable to automatically direct them to the subsequent lessons within your course structure.
Secondly, several crucial features, including the capability to incorporate quizzes, issue certificates, and other similar interactive elements, are conspicuously absent from the platform. This absence can unfortunately lead to diminished engagement levels within your membership community.
Thirdly, there are persistent issues with particular functionalities within the Wix ecosystem. For instance, a considerable number of users frequently report difficulties with video playback. Similarly, many users encounter problems when attempting to purchase a pricing plan or subscription.
Lastly, Wix’s member checkout procedure is not optimally designed for conversions. To enroll in your membership, a user is required to first establish an account before they are permitted to complete a purchase, a process flow that is generally not conducive to maximizing conversion rates.
Therefore, the entire membership journey from an end-user’s viewpoint, commencing from the completion of the checkout process all the way through to accessing and consuming content within your membership, is demonstrably suboptimal and in need of improvement.
Pricing often serves as a decisive factor for numerous creators, and upon initial inspection, Wix’s pricing structure may appear quite accessible and notably inexpensive when compared to other widely recognized online membership platforms available in the market.
Nevertheless, there are several crucial considerations you must take into account before finalizing your decision regarding the affordability of a Wix membership site and its associated pricing implications for your specific needs.
To begin with, if your intention is to establish a paid membership site, it will be necessary for you to subscribe to their Business & Ecommerce Plans (which commence at $23 per month) rather than opting for the standard Website Plans.
The other critical factor you need to evaluate is the allocated amount of video storage capacity that you receive with these particular plans. For the majority of creators who extensively utilize video content within their membership sites, they will ultimately require the Business VIP Plan, which is priced at $49 per month.
Furthermore, you will likely incur expenses for supplementary tools and services to make up for the functionalities that are notably absent within the standard Wix platform offering.
As an illustration, Wix does not inherently support features for generating promotional coupons or for managing affiliate marketing programs effectively. Consequently, in all probability, you will find it necessary to employ an external checkout platform, such as ThriveCart, to facilitate the sale of your membership subscriptions.
However, it is important to acknowledge that even if you opt for the Business VIP plan and also invest in various third-party tools, you will still face challenges in creating a truly comprehensive, fully-featured membership site and in delivering an exceptional experience to your valued members.
Therefore, it is generally not a worthwhile investment of your valuable time and financial resources to endeavor to construct a membership site using Wix. You will be significantly better served by utilizing a specialized membership site platform, and that is precisely what I aim to assist you in selecting in the subsequent section.
The market offers a wide array of diverse membership website construction tools, and determining the most suitable one will genuinely hinge upon your unique and specific operational requirements and objectives.
Nevertheless, I have compiled a list featuring three of the most highly-regarded membership site platforms currently available, and it is probable that one of these options will effectively cater to the needs of your business.
Kajabi is a comprehensive, self-contained hosted platform that empowers you to establish and manage your entire membership site or online course-based business entirely within a singular, integrated system, streamlining your operations.
Regarding the creation and engagement aspects of memberships, the platform provides an extensive range of features, including an intuitive course development tool, built-in support for hosting various content types, several aesthetically pleasing course player themes, dedicated iOS/Android mobile applications, interactive quizzes and assignments, a community-building feature, and more.
Nevertheless, what truly elevates Kajabi as a distinguished membership solution is its capacity not merely to enable you to produce and present content to your members with professional polish, but also its provision for overseeing your complete sales and marketing activities directly within the platform.
Consequently, you gain the ability to construct a website, operate a blog, design marketing funnels, automate your email marketing endeavors, vend your membership subscriptions, and additionally manage your own affiliate program effectively.
Concerning the investment, Kajabi’s foundational Basic Plan is offered at $149 per month, and their more comprehensive Growth Plan is priced at $199 per month. Thus, Kajabi’s pricing tiers are positioned at a somewhat premium level.
However, if your ambition is to establish your entire business infrastructure upon a singular, cohesive platform, Kajabi provides an extensive array of features that comprehensively address all your membership site necessities, and in such an instance, the platform is undoubtedly worthy of careful evaluation.
Should you wish to investigate Kajabi more thoroughly, it is advisable to consult this comprehensive Kajabi evaluation. This resource discusses all its functionalities, advantages, and disadvantages, and will assist you in determining whether it aligns as the appropriate platform for your specific requirements.
Another widely recognized alternative to a Wix membership site is Thinkific. It stands as one of the most prominent online course creation platforms that can also be effectively utilized for establishing and managing membership-based websites.
In terms of course development capabilities, you are provided with an array of features, including unrestricted video hosting capacity, a user-friendly drag-and-drop course construction interface, an aesthetically pleasing course player design, sophisticated quizzing options, issuance of certificates, assignment functionalities, prerequisite lesson settings, and more.
Beyond the scope of online courses, you also possess the ability to create customized content pages specifically for your membership, as well as establish a distinct, standalone community area dedicated to fostering interaction among your members.
Now, in contrast to Kajabi, Thinkific primarily dedicates its focus solely to the fundamental functionalities that are essential for you to establish and operate a membership site successfully.
Therefore, while it indeed provides an assortment of membership site features that are conspicuously absent in Wix’s offerings, it is certainly not positioned as a comprehensive, all-encompassing membership platform solution.
That being acknowledged, it does enable you to construct your distinctive brand website, and it also furnishes the indispensable selling utilities required for your membership, such as payment processing capabilities, a dedicated checkout page, affiliate marketing tools, and other similar essentials.
Regarding its pricing structure, Thinkific operates on a freemium basis. The entry-level Basic plan commences at $49 per month, whereas the more advanced Pro Plan is available for $99 per month for users.
Thinkific presents the most accessible pricing for newcomers among all the platforms competing in this particular market segment. In point of fact, it stands as the sole major platform currently offering a genuinely complimentary plan option.
Podia represents an additional well-regarded membership site solution that distinguishes itself among competitors due to its remarkable straightforwardness and user-friendly nature.
Podia empowers users to construct online educational courses using videos, audio segments, PDF documents, written content, quizzes, and similar elements, all presented through an attractively structured course playback interface.
The platform additionally supports a dedicated “Membership” product classification, which facilitates the generation of independent content updates for your subscribers, separate from standard online educational programs.
Regarding your sales and promotional activities, the platform provides you with comprehensive autonomy in determining your membership’s financial structure. Additionally, it incorporates an affiliate promotional system and fundamental automated email communication capabilities.
Presently, Podia’s fee structure is also quite attractively positioned. It features two distinct subscription levels: the entry tier costs $39 each month, offering capabilities to develop online courses exclusively, while the higher tier, at $99 monthly, allows for the creation of both courses and comprehensive membership programs.
If you desire to gain more comprehensive knowledge about this particular platform, it is recommended that you explore this detailed Podia platform analysis for further insights.
In this analysis, we have extensively discussed the reasons why I do not advocate for using Wix as your primary membership site platform. I trust that you now possess a lucid understanding of what this platform offers and its inherent limitations.
Wix is deficient in the most fundamental features required for membership site creation, and therefore, you would be better served by opting for one of the specialized platforms that were previously highlighted and examined in this discussion.
The initial alternative involves selecting a comprehensive, all-in-one platform such as Kajabi. Adopting this approach allows you to entirely bypass Wix and utilize Kajabi not only for your membership programs and courses but also for your website, blog, and marketing funnels.
The subsequent alternative is to continue utilizing Wix for your primary website and blog presence, and then integrate a dedicated, standalone membership platform like Thinkific or Podia for your specific membership and course delivery needs.
I sincerely hope that you found this guide to be beneficial, and should you have any inquiries regarding any of these platforms, please do not hesitate to share them in the comments section provided below for further discussion.
Daniel NicFounder, SellingOnliceCoursesGuide.comis an entrepreneur and digital education specialist who founded sellingonlinecoursesguide.com, a platform dedicated to helping creators and educators successfully navigate the online course marketplace. Through his website, he shares insights and strategies for developing, marketing, and monetizing online educational content. His work focuses on empowering course creators to build sustainable online businesses while effectively sharing their knowledge with students worldwide.
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Copyright © 2024 by SellCoursesOnline
Daniel Nic is an entrepreneur and digital education specialist who founded sellingonlinecoursesguide.com, a platform dedicated to helping creators and educators successfully navigate the online course marketplace. Through his website, he shares insights and strategies for developing, marketing, and monetizing online educational content. His work focuses on empowering course creators to build sustainable online businesses while effectively sharing their knowledge with students worldwide.
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