Offering free or discounted limited access to your content is a powerful way to increase conversions and boost your revenue. One way to do this is by setting up a paywall that allows customers to preview some of your course material, but requires them to purchase the full course to unlock all of the valuable content.
In this article, we’ll show you how to create a paywall for your course and modules. This strategy not only provides potential customers with a taste of your course, but also entices them to make the investment to unlock all the valuable lessons you have to offer.
In this article:
- Power of the paywall
- How is my course content protected?
- How to set up a paywall for your course
- Managing your paywall
- Marketing with a course paywall
- Best practices
Power of the paywall
Setting up a paywall for your course content allows you to offer a sneak peek at what’s inside while still encouraging people to purchase the full course. A paywall is like a gateway: it gives potential customers the opportunity to experience a portion of your content, but they’ll need to purchase the full course to access the rest.
This method not only helps you convert free users into paying customers, but it also allows you to create a sense of urgency and exclusivity. With this approach, you can:
- Increase Conversions: Offering a preview of your course helps build trust and demonstrates the value of your content. When customers see how much value you provide in just a preview, they’re more likely to buy the full course.
- Leverage Lead Magnets: By offering a free or discounted portion of your course content as a lead magnet, you can capture potential customers’ interest and lead them down the sales funnel to purchasing the full course.
- Enhance Accessibility: With a paywall, customers have the flexibility to access a portion of the content at no cost before deciding whether to make a full purchase.
How is my course content protected?
Kajabi takes the security of your business seriously. That is why we have built-in protective measures to ensure that your course content is only accessible to the customers who have purchased your content or have a log-in to access your content.
Here’s how Kajabi keeps your course content safe:
Paywall Obscures Content: Course content is hidden behind the paywall and remains secure before it’s rendered on-page.
Content Protection: If a user tries to bypass the paywall or inspect the page’s code using technical methods, they won’t be able to view any content.
Restricted Content Includes:
- Videos and audios
- Written lesson content
- Comments
- Downloads
Course Progress Integrity: We also disable actions like marking lessons as complete or favoriting, ensuring your course progress data stays accurate.
These protective measures ensure your content stays secure and is only accessible to those who have purchased or been granted access.
How to set up a paywall for your course
Setting up a paywall for your course content is simple. Follow these steps to start offering exclusive access to your content and increase conversions.
Existing courses
- Open the Products tab from your Dashboard.
- Click Courses.
- Select the course you wish to update.
- Navigate to Settings.
- Toggle on Add a paywall to this course
- (optional) Change the title of the offer to reflect the paywall addition.
- Choose the Offer you wish to display to members with limited access when they try to access paywalled content.
- Save your changes:
New courses
- Open the Products tab from your Dashboard.
- Click Courses.
- Then, click + New course.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to begin creating your course.
- In the Pricing page, enable the course paywall:
Important Reminders:
- Update your themes for the ability to customize how members experience the paywall. If you choose not to update your themes, the default pop-up will be shown once a member hits the paywall:
- A “limited access product” is created to support the paywall and enable the flexibility you know and love from offers. This does not count as a product, nor will it show up in your product listings
- Course modules placed below the paywall in a limited-access product won’t display a lock icon, but clicking on them will trigger the paywall pop-up.
- Remember to add the offer attached to your limited-access product to a landing page or funnel!
Managing your paywall
Move your paywall from within your course outline to customize your customer's access to your course.
- Open the Products tab from your Dashboard.
- Click Courses.
- Select the course with the paywall enabled.
- Hover your mouse over the paywall indicator.
- Then, drag and drop it to your desired location:
Marketing with a course paywall
Using a paywall as a lead magnet is an effective strategy for driving new customers to your course. Here’s how you can use your paywall to capture interest and convert visitors into paying customers:
- Offer a Preview Module or Lesson: Allow potential customers to access the first module or a specific lesson in your course for free. This gives them a taste of the value you provide without giving away everything.
- Create a Sneak Peek Video: Provide a sneak peek video or webinar that introduces your course content. After the preview, prompt users to unlock the rest of the course by purchasing.
- Set Up a Limited-Time Discount: Create urgency by offering a limited-time discount for users who decide to purchase the full course after accessing the preview content. This can drive conversions and encourage users to take action quickly.
Best practices
To get the most out of your paywall, follow these best practices to ensure you’re creating a compelling offer that encourages users to make a purchase:
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Provide Value in the Preview: Make sure the content you offer for free gives users enough value that they’re eager to see more. A high-quality, informative preview will increase the likelihood that visitors will want to purchase the full course.
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Use Clear Calls to Action: Include prominent calls to action (CTAs) in your paywalled content, encouraging users to purchase the full course to unlock all the material. Make sure the process to purchase and unlock the rest of the content is easy to navigate. You can even add a personalized video to your paywall to build trust with your audience.
- Add a Video: Add a personalized video to your paywall content to build trust with your audience.
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Offer Bonuses or Incentives: To further entice users, consider offering bonuses for those who unlock the full course, such as downloadable resources, exclusive webinars, or one-on-one consultations.
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Limit Access to Content: You can create a paywall within your course, giving customers access to a few modules at a time. After each section, prompt them to purchase the next part of the course.
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Test and Optimize: Continuously test your paywall settings to optimize your conversion rates. Analyze which content performs best and adjust your paywall offers accordingly to maximize sales.
Creating exclusive access to your course content with a paywall is an effective way to drive conversions and increase accessibility to your course material. By offering a preview of your content, you can capture interest, build trust, and lead potential customers to purchase the full course.
With a well-crafted paywall strategy, you can increase the perceived value of your course and convert free users into loyal, paying customers. Start implementing a paywall today and watch your course content become even more profitable and accessible!
This article provides a structured approach to creating a paywall for course content, along with actionable steps and best practices for boosting conversions and offering exclusive access to valuable lessons. Please vote below and let us know if you found this article helpful. We value your feedback. Thanks for being the best part of Kajabi!