Charging monthly subscription fees is a smart move for any business looking to secure a steady income stream. Switching to a subscription model will not only ensure a steady income for you but also make the payment procedure hassle-free for your users. You'll know exactly what's coming in each month, making it easier to plan ahead, budget effectively, and reinvest in your business.

In this article, we'll guide you through setting up automatic recurring charges for your online course. Keep reading to keep your income stream steady so you can focus more on growth.

What Is a Monthly Recurring Charge?

Monthly subscription fees are charges that customers pay regularly, usually each month, to gain access to a product or service. This model ensures that revenue flows into your business at consistent intervals. Subscription-based businesses are becoming more popular because of their perks like steady income, less initial investment, growth opportunities and more!

But how does it actually work?

Simply put, customers sign up once, and their payment method is automatically charged on a recurring basis until they decide to cancel. This automatic renewal keeps the process smooth both for you and your customers.

Benefits of Setting Up Monthly Recurring Charge?

Implementing a monthly recurring fee can seem like an ideal strategy for generating a stable income. When it works well, it can significantly enhance your cash flow. But that's not all that monthly recurring fees can help with. Here are a few key benefits you can enjoy from monthly recurring fees.

Convenience for customers: Customers appreciate the convenience of automatic billing. They don’t have to worry about making manual payments, and you can reduce the risk of late or missed payments.

Opportunities for upselling: A recurring payment model creates opportunities to upsell additional features or services to existing subscribers, further increasing revenue.

Lower customer acquisition costs: Retaining customers through recurring charges is often more cost-effective than acquiring new ones, which will help improve overall profitability.

Scalability and business growth: Monthly subscriptions allow businesses to scale efficiently by acquiring more subscribers without significantly increasing operational costs.

Increased business valuation: Companies with recurring revenue models often have higher valuations, as investors see predictable income as a sign of stability and growth potential.

Best Practices for Setting Up Monthly Recurring Charges

Now that you know how beneficial recurring fees are for your business, it's understandable if you can't wait to set it up! But we'd want you to prepare for success, and that brings us to the best practices. While recurring charging model is super effective, it comes with its challenges too. And being familiar with the best practices will help you ensure the right model for your business.

1. Understand Your Target Audience

Before launching a recurring billing model, it’s crucial to understand your audience’s needs, preferences, and behaviors. Conduct market research to determine what features or services your users value most and their willingness to pay. Customer personas can help you align your offerings with their expectations.

Knowing your audience ensures that your pricing strategy resonates with them and attracts long-term subscribers. On the flip side, if you run a subscription model without understanding your users' needs, you'll end up losing more users than retaining them!

2. Choose the Right Pricing Strategy

Your pricing strategy can make or break your subscription model. Consider different approaches such as:

• Tiered pricing: Offer multiple plans with varying features or limits. This gives customers the flexibility to choose based on their needs.
• Flat rates: Simplify the decision process by charging all customers a fixed monthly fee.
• Usage-based charges: Charge based on how much of your service or product is consumed.

You don't necessarily have to stick to these pricing models. Rather, based on your users and their willingness to pay for your service, you can devise a recurring payment model that works better for your business.

3. Provide Clear and Transparent Terms

Set clear expectations for your customers from the start. Communicate all the details about:

• Billing cycles (e.g., monthly or annual).
• Refund and cancellation policies.
• Any additional or hidden fees.

Credibility is the key to success in the subscription-based business world, and you can't prosper without being transparent about everything. Transparency builds trust and helps avoid disputes or dissatisfaction. Include this information in your terms of service, checkout page, and confirmation emails.

4. Use Reliable Billing Software

A robust and reliable billing system is the backbone of any subscription model. Choose software that automates recurring payments, tracks invoices, and handles failed transactions. Features to look for include:

• Automated reminders for upcoming payments.
• Secure storage of payment information.
• Support for multiple currencies.

The billing software that offers these features will automate your administrative tasks so you can focus more on important tasks like content management, lead generation, and branding.

5. Offer Multiple Payment Options

Flexibility in payment methods can significantly improve your conversion rates. Offer a variety of options, such as credit/debit cards, bank transfers, PayPal, and digital wallets. Additionally, consider supporting global payment methods if you cater to an international audience. The easier you make it for customers to pay, the more likely they are to subscribe and keep paying for your services.

6. Implement a Trial Period or Freemium Model

Many customers hesitate to commit without first experiencing the value of your offering. That's why giving them a taste of your product or service for free is an excellent idea to get them hooked. You can also generate leads while at it.

By providing a free trial or a limited freemium version, you give users a risk-free opportunity to explore your service. Ensure that the trial showcases your best features and makes it easy for users to transition into paid plans once it ends.

7. Make Cancelling Easy

Making it easy for customers to cancel their subscriptions might seem counterintuitive, but it fosters trust and goodwill. If customers feel trapped, they’re more likely to leave negative reviews or avoid returning in the future. A simple cancellation process shows confidence in your product and leaves a positive impression, even if a customer decides to leave.

And as long as your offer provides value, you have nothing to worry about, right?

8. Focus on Customer Support

Exceptional customer support can turn dissatisfied customers into loyal advocates. Ensure your support team is easily accessible and trained to promptly handle billing issues, technical problems, or service-related queries. To cater to different customer preferences, offer multiple support channels, such as live chat, email, and phone.

9. Test and Refine the Model

Your initial subscription model may need adjustments as you gather data and feedback. Periodically test new pricing strategies, feature bundles, or billing frequencies to see what works best. Use A/B testing and customer feedback to refine your offerings and meet market demands.

The more trendy you are, the more fine-tuned pricing models you can develop. These pricing models will help your users choose your product or service over your competitors.

10. Ensure Compliance with Legal and Tax Requirements

Recurring billing involves handling sensitive customer data and complying with various laws. Ensure that your payment systems adhere to data protection regulations like GDPR or CCPA. Be aware of tax implications for subscription services in different regions and implement processes for accurate tax collection and reporting. Partnering with a legal or tax advisor can help you avoid costly mistakes.

Features Needed to Set up Monthly Recurring Charges

Various tools are available on the Internet that offer the features needed to set up monthly recurring fees. But if you don't want to settle for the basics, we've got just the right tool for you.

WishList Member is an excellent tool for organizing and maximizing a monthly subscription model, thanks to its comprehensive features explicitly designed for membership site management. Here are the key features that make WishList Member particularly suited to this goal:

Flexible Membership Levels

WishList Member allows you to create unlimited membership levels, offering you the flexibility to tailor your subscription offerings. You can set different access levels, prices, and durations to cater to diverse customer needs. This feature lets you gradually release content to members over time, which can help maintain member engagement and reduce churn.

Seamless Payment Integrations

WishList Member integrates with various payment gateways, including PayPal, Stripe, and others, facilitating the easy setup of recurring payments. Members can easily upgrade or downgrade their subscriptions based on their needs, which enhances user experience and satisfaction.

Content Protection

You can protect your content at various levels – categories, files, posts, and pages – ensuring that only the right membership levels can access premium content. On top of that, it offers a preview of premium content to non-members to entice them to subscribe, improving conversion rates.

Integrations with Other Tools

Integration with popular email marketing tools like MailChimp, ConvertKit, and ActiveCampaign allows you to send targeted communication, from welcome emails to payment reminders. Plus, you can also enjoy Integration with analytics tools, which help you understand member behavior and refine your marketing strategies.

Automated Admin Functions

Set up auto-renewals to ensure uninterrupted access for users and reduce manual administrative work. Automate the cancellation process, making it easy for users to manage their subscriptions and for you to maintain accurate records.

How To Set Up Monthly Recurring Charges Using WishList Member: 3 Easy Steps

Setting up recurring charges with a WishList member is easier than anything else. It allows you to set the whole procedure on autopilot, allowing you to focus more on other important things. Let's see how you can set up monthly recurring charges with just a few steps.

Step 1: Download and Install WishList Member

First, go to WishList Member plans and choose the perfect plan for you. Then, go to your WordPress dashboard and click on Plugins. On the next page, click on Add New Plugin.

Then, hit the Upload Plugin button and choose the zip file you downloaded from the WishList Member website. 

Step 2: Set Up Your Membership Levels

• Go to WishList Member on your WordPress dashboard.
• Navigate to Setup and then choose Levels.
• Here, you can create new membership levels or edit existing ones, setting the terms for access but not the billing directly.

2. Integrate with a Payment Gateway

• Within WishList Member, go to Setup and select Integrations.
• Click on the Payment Providers tab.
• Choose from supported payment gateways such as PayPal, Stripe, or others that facilitate recurring payments. You must set up these services outside of WishList Member to handle the billing and subscription logic.

3. Configure the Payment Gateway for Recurring Payments:

• Follow the specific instructions for your chosen payment gateway to enable recurring billing.
• Link these settings back to the membership levels you have configured in WishList Member to ensure that payments are processed according to the membership terms.

Before going live, test the payment process thoroughly to confirm that the recurring billing functions as expected and that user access is not disrupted. And there you have it! With WishList Member, you facilitate easier payments while optimizing your membership site for continuous growth and member satisfaction.

Which Integrated Payment Platform Should You Use?

Choosing the best integration for managing subscription payments depends on several factors, including your specific business needs, the geographical location of your customers, and the specific features you require.

Here’s a breakdown of some popular integrations and what makes each potentially the best option for different scenarios:

1. Stripe:
   • Best for: Ease of use, modern API, and comprehensive feature set.
   • Features: Supports recurring payments, automatic card updates, and handles multiple currencies. Stripe is renowned for its robust security, straightforward pricing, and excellent customer experience.
     
2. PayPal:
   • Best for: Wide acceptance and trust among consumers.
   • Features: Offers PayPal Standard and PayPal Express Checkout, both of which support recurring payments. It's particularly useful if you have a broad customer base that prefers PayPal as a payment method.
     
3. Authorize.net:
   • Best for: Businesses needing a reliable and secure payment gateway.
   • Features: Supports recurring payments and includes advanced fraud detection services. It’s a great choice if security is a high priority for your business.
     
4. Infusionsoft by Keap:
   • Best for: Businesses that require both payment processing and CRM capabilities.
   • Features: Offers robust CRM tools alongside recurring payment support, making it ideal for businesses looking to manage customer relationships and payments within a single platform.
     
5. ThriveCart:
   • Best for: Maximizing conversions through optimized checkout processes.
   • Features: While primarily a cart solution, ThriveCart offers strong support for subscription management, affiliate marketing, and upselling capabilities.
     
6. ClickBank:
   • Best for: Businesses that also want to leverage an affiliate network.
   • Features: Supports recurring billing and provides access to an extensive affiliate network to help drive sales and increase visibility.

Marketing Strategies for Your Monthly Recurring Charge Model

When it comes to subscription marketing, attracting new subscribers is just the first step. The real challenge lies in increasing retention and reducing churn. Here are some effective strategies that can help:

1. Offer Incentives for Advance Payments

Encourage your customers to commit to your brand long-term by offering annual subscription options. This not only ensures their continued engagement but also provides your business with a stable revenue base.

You can also consider offering a discount or a free month to encourage upfront payment for the year. Highlight the value of these plans through direct comparisons, showing customers the benefits and savings they gain, similar to what Fabfitfun does with their annual subscriptions.

2. Create a Sense of Exclusivity

Create a subscription model with limited spots to enhance the exclusivity and allure of your service. For example, the Coca-Cola Insiders Club offered exclusive access to new products and swag for a limited number of members, and due to high demand, it filled up quickly. Provide special discounts or exclusive products to members only, enhancing the perceived value of the subscription.

3. Leverage Referrals

Happy customers are the best advocates for your brand. Encourage them to refer friends and family in exchange for rewards, free courses, ebooks, etc. This referral scheme will get more people to sign up for your recurring subscription, boosting the overall growth of your business.

4. Reward Long-term Loyalty

Regularly acknowledge and reward your loyal customers. Whether through discounts, special offers, or freebies, make sure the rewards are meaningful. For example, if a user has been subscribed to your service for over a couple of years, you can give them a certain percentage off on their renewal.

Is Monthly Recurring Charge the Ultimate Solution for Your Business?

To wrap up, we’ve covered essential strategies and best practices for effectively setting up and managing monthly subscription fees. Utilizing these techniques can help stabilize your revenue, enhance member engagement, and ensure your business thrives in the competitive online landscape.

But it's ultimately your call, and we hope our blog has helped you understand whether monthly recurring fees will be a great fit for your business. If you decide to try a recurring fee-based model, don't forget to try WishList Member.

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How does it,

• Track your course progress?
• Design the content in an appealing way?
• Protect the content?
• Take the payment?

On top of these, it also provides a certificate as soon as you complete an online course. Doing all these manually would have been… “Impossible,”

But that's where WordPress LMS plugins come in, making it possible to run everything smoothly.

These tools can help you effortlessly design interactive online course platforms. They can also help you accept recurring payments and manage multi-level subscriptions. 

In this blog, we’ll talk in detail about WordPress LMS plugins and how you can get started with your LMS journey. 

The Benefits of WordPress LMS Plugins 

WordPress LMS plugins offer loads of benefits and make running an online learning platform way easier than it seems. Maybe that’s why so many people are now joining the online teaching trend.

Thanks to the LMS plugins, all the possible mammoth tasks will be simplified for you. Here are the key benefits of WordPress LMS plugins. 

User-Friendly Interface: These plugins are designed to be intuitive, allowing even those with minimal technical skills to create and manage courses easily.

Customizability: Various themes and plugins allow you to customize your online learning platform to match your brand and educational needs.

Cost-Effective: WordPress LMS plugins often cost a fraction of the cost of other LMS solutions, making them affordable for small – to medium-sized educational businesses.

Scalability: WordPress LMS plugins can scale with you as your student base grows, providing the necessary tools to handle increased traffic and content.

Integration Capabilities: These plugins can integrate with various third-party tools, such as payment gateways, CRM systems, and marketing automation platforms, enhancing functionality.

Content Management: They offer robust content management systems, allowing you to organize courses, lessons, and quizzes efficiently.

Analytics and Reporting: Most plugins provide comprehensive analytics and reporting features, helping you track student progress and improve course effectiveness.

Mobile Responsiveness: Many WordPress LMS plugins are designed to be mobile-friendly, ensuring students can access courses on various devices.

Community Building: These plugins often include features for forums, discussion boards, and social sharing, fostering a sense of community among learners.

Support and Documentation: Extensive support and documentation are available, making it easier to troubleshoot issues and maximize the potential of the LMS.

Things to Consider Before Finalizing Your WordPress LMS Plugin

Since there are many options available in the WordPress LMS plugins category, you need to be thoughtful before making the final decision. While most LMS plugins are great in one way or another, you need to find the one that fits your needs. 

That’s why we have done the research and compiled a list of the things you must consider to find the right plugin for you. 

Features and Functionality

To run an LMS platform smoothly, you’ll need a lot of support, and by support, we mean features. The number of features your chosen plugin offers is often the determining factor for many.

Features like course creation tools, multimedia support, quizzes, and student progress tracking are necessary for any LMS platform. In this competitive market, it's impossible to stand out in the competitive LMS market. Some WordPress LMS plugins offer even more advanced features.

Think about the features you’ll need to make your dreams a reality and check which LMS offers them all. Remember to consider functionality factors like integration capabilities, scalability, and mobile responsiveness as well to create a user-friendly LMS platform.

Ease of Use

If you choose a platform that’s so difficult to navigate that it makes you wonder whether learning to code would have been easier, you are already on the wrong path. 

The plugin should be easy to navigate and set up for you and for the students to go through the lessons. If users don’t find your platform easy to use, they’ll choose another platform in the blink of an eye. 

So, you need to choose an LMS plugin that’ll help you build courses that make the students not blink at all. Features like easy setup, a clean, intuitive interface, and drag-and-drop course builders are a must. 

Pricing and Budget

While many LMS plugins offer the facility to accommodate unlimited courses and students, some charge more as the number grows. You don’t want to end up having to pay more as your number grows. 

That’s why it's very important to be wise about your budget and which plugin will be the best value for money. Select a plugin that’s comparatively cheaper but offers the features you want. Also, make sure you don’t need to pay any extra as you host more courses or take on more students. 

Integration Capabilities

While your LMS plugin will offer all the features and functionalities needed to run the platform, you’ll often need more than that. How about a registration form? Or maybe contacting new users through emails? 

That’s where integration facilities come into play. 

Integration facilities with different payment gateways, CRM systems, email service providers, and tracking software can uplift your course marketing and tracking effort. This integration ensures a smooth workflow and enhances the functionality of your platform.  

Scalability

Consider the future growth of your online learning platform. The tool you choose should be able to handle an increasing number of users and courses without compromising performance. Look for plugins known for their scalability and check user reviews or case studies demonstrating their capability to grow your business.

If your LMS plugin can’t accommodate the constant growth in numbers, you’ll have to switch to another platform. And we are not getting into the casualties that’ll come with it. So, when you finalize a plugin, consider it for a long period. 

Working with the same platform will help your team members run the operational tasks smoothly. 

Reviews 

Looking out for reviews before finalizing the decision is helpful to ensure you are not making a wrong decision. You can check out reviews on the plugin's website, social media handles and even on some other niche websites. 

While going through the reviews, check what the existing users appreciate. If the existing users already appreciate the features you need, you can be more confident in your decision. 

Customer Support and Community 

Good customer support is vital for resolving issues quickly and effectively. Check if the plugin offers multiple support channels like email, live chat, or forums. A strong user community can also be a valuable resource for tips, troubleshooting, and shared experiences. Ensure there is robust support and an active community to rely on when needed.

If necessary, hire experts who can use the plugin you have selected. They can customize the platform and web pages so you can solely focus on the course materials. 

Security and Updates

Your LMS plugin must prioritize security to protect student data and course content. Regular updates are essential to fix bugs, enhance features, and improve security. Investigate the plugin’s update history and security measures. 

Ensure the WordPress LMS plugin you are going with offers regular updates. You’ll feel more confident storing your premium content and student’s information on their storage. 

4 Best WordPress LMS Plugins in 2024

Given the huge number of WordPress LMS plugins available, it might be confusing for you to select the best one as a beginner. Needless to say, keep the factors we mentioned in mind while making your decision. 

Yet, to narrow down the list for you, we’ve selected 4 of the bests in business. Let’s check them out. 

WishList Member

WishList Member is a powerful WordPress membership plugin designed to help you build and manage a successful online learning platform. It provides various features that make creating and maintaining your LMS easier than eating a piece of cake. 

It comes with a lot of useful features that can ensure you make the most out of your online courses. To name some of the features of WishList Member: 

• Create unlimited membership levels and manage them easily.
• Restrict access based on membership levels.
• Schedule the release of your course content over time.
• Supports various payment gateways like PayPal and Stripe.
• Connect with services like MailChimp, AWeber, and GetResponse.
• Detailed reports on students' activity, transactions, and content consumption.
• Easy set-up procedure that requires only a few clicks
• Points, quizzes, leaderboards and more gamification elements
• Enhance engagement with badges and certificates.

WishList Member pricing starts at $149/year for a single site license, making it an affordable option for those beginning with an LMS platform. Higher-tier plans are available for those needing more features and support.

MemberPress

MemberPress is one of the most popular WordPress membership plugins, helping thousands of membership and LMS sites grow. 

It offers extensive access control, content dripping, and seamless integration with various payment gateways, making it ideal for monetizing your courses and providing a structured learning experience.

But that’s not all that makes MemberPress unique. You can:

• Define and manage detailed access rules to protect your content, creating multiple membership tiers quickly.
• Schedule the release of course content over time, ensuring learners stay engaged and progress steadily.
• Supports numerous payment gateways, including PayPal and Stripe, for streamlined transactions.
• Get comprehensive reports on memberships, transactions, and learner progress, giving you insights to improve your courses.
• Set up this LMS tool very quickly within a few clicks.  
• Gamify your content to keep the users more engaged.

You can get started with MemberPress for as low as $179.50/Year. And to enjoy all the pro benefits, you’ll have to pay $499.50/Year.

MemberMouse

MemberMouse is a versatile and powerful WordPress plugin designed to help you create and manage membership sites. Using this LMS, you can protect your content, manage flexible membership levels, and integrate with other useful tools. 

Here’s what this plugin has to offer:

• Easy-to-use interface for setting up and managing memberships.
• Advanced content protection to control access to your courses.
• Integration with popular payment gateways like Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.net.
• Flexible membership options, including free, trial, and paid memberships.
• Detailed reporting to track member activity and engagement.

You can get started with MemberMouse for $399/year. But, to access more features and a larger member base, the cost can increase to $2399/year.

AccessAlly

AccessAlly is a comprehensive LMS plugin for WordPress that combines membership management, course creation, and marketing automation. In addition to these features, this LMS provides an impressive community-building feature that most LMSs lack. 

To name some of the AccessAlly features:

• Create interactive and multimedia-rich courses with ease.
• Offer a variety of membership levels and subscription plans.
• Robust community features, including forums and member directories, to foster engagement and interaction.
• Seamless integration with CRM systems like Infusionsoft and ActiveCampaign.
• Advanced reporting and analytics to monitor learner progress and course effectiveness.

AccessAlly pricing starts at $99/month, with additional features and capabilities available at higher tiers.

WishList Member + Its Add-Ons = Best WordPress LMS Plugin Experience 

If we must declare a winner among the WordPress LMS plugins we’ve mentioned, we’ll go with the WishList Member. And before you ask why, let’s just say that the pre-installed add-ons take this plugin ahead of the competitors. 

On top of the basic features, here’s what WishList Member ad-ons bring to the table. 

Badges: This feature allows your members to earn different badges based on various actions throughout the platform. These badges can be displayed on the member's account in multiple combinations, encouraging engagement and motivation.

Points: This add-on does precisely what badges do but shows numbers instead. Points can be redeemed for access to protected content and higher membership levels, promoting active participation and rewarding progress.

CourseCure Courses: This add-on acts as a magic wand to organize and make your LMS courses more easily navigable. Your members progress through courses by working through a set of modules and lessons, which can be customized and restricted to selected members, ensuring a structured learning experience.

Quizzes: This tool helps you set up creative quizzes between your lessons or modules. Based on their quiz performance, members can be redirected to a page, added to, or removed from a membership level, enhancing learning assessment and personalization.

Campaign Refinery Integration: This allows WishList Members to add contacts to Campaign Refinery via tags, facilitating targeted email marketing and better member engagement through automated campaigns.

Zoom Integration: This add-on connects the WordPress site to a Zoom account, allowing you to take one-on-one sessions when necessary. It can also help you host live classes. 

Social Login: The social login add-on makes the login process smooth for your users. They can forget the headache of entering a username and password and rely on their Google or Social media accounts. 

Take Advantage of WordPress LMS Plugins To Build Your Dream LMS Platform

Creating a learning management system (LMS) might seem daunting, but with the right tools and guidance, it can be easy peasy lemon squeezy. We hope you found this blog helpful in learning about WordPress LMS plugins and which one might be right for you. 

Keep the factors we have mentioned in this blog in mind when selecting an LMS plugin for your courses. Don't let the fear of complexity hold you back; try out WishList Member and see how it can simplify and enhance your LMS creation process. Migrating to this LMS from other platforms is comparatively easier, too. 

If you’ve enjoyed this blog, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on  Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn for more expert advice and tips to maximize your online course’s potential.

A well-structured curriculum will help you provide a clear roadmap to your students. If the curriculum is easily understandable, it will benefit both the students and the course instructors.

However, you need to know the right strategies and have the right tools to create the best curriculum for your students. 

That’s why in this blog, we’ll talk about the best strategies for building a curriculum and what tools you might need. 

Understanding the Basics of Building a Course Curriculum

The curriculum is a course's fundamental blueprint. It shows teachers and students how to reach certain educational goals. A course curriculum has various fundamental aspects, such as learning goals, content, teaching methods, and interactive content. 

Course content refers to the material that will be covered, while instructional methods detail the approaches and techniques teachers will use to facilitate learning. Knowing these details helps students decide whether a course is the right one. 

But how exactly does a well-built curriculum help the students?

Well, your LMS can benefit from a well-structured curriculum in many ways. To name a few:

• Streamlines the educational process for your students by providing clear milestones and learning paths, enhancing learning efficiency.
• Keeps the students actively involved and motivated through interactive elements and diverse teaching methods, improving engagement.
• Allows continuous assessment and feedback, helping your students monitor their progress and areas for improvement.
• Adapts to different learning styles and paces, ensuring all students find the course accessible and challenging.
• Aligns course objectives with industry standards and career expectations, making your students more competitive in the job market.

Best Practices of Building a Course Curriculum

Given how beneficial well-structured curriculums are, there’s no option but to create one for your LMS to ensure more growth for your students and platform. But, you might feel overwhelmed about where to start and what to keep in order to build the best curriculum. 

To make your job easy, we've compiled a list of things you must consider while creating the course curriculum. Here’s what we've found. 

Analyze Learner Needs

When building courses or curriculums, the first thing you should focus on is analyzing learner needs. The better you know your learners, the more precisely your curriculum will align with their expectations. 

As a result, the learning process will be easier for the students. On top of that, overall engagement and course completion will skyrocket, making your lMS a more successful platform. But that’s not going to happen overnight. 

If you don’t know what your students want or what might benefit them, here’s what you can do to learn more about their needs. 

• Conduct surveys and feedback sessions to gather direct input from students about their preferences and challenges.
• Analyze course performance data to identify patterns in engagement and areas of difficulty.
• Organize focus groups with diverse students to gain deeper qualitative insights.
• Review industry trends and job market requirements to align curriculum with real-world expectations.
• Implement trial periods for new courses to gather preliminary feedback and make adjustments before full launch.

Define Learning Objectives and Outcomes

Being able to understand the learning objectives and outcomes is a really important factor for the students who are considering joining your course. It helps the students determine how this course is going to help them. 

That’s why you need to state SMART objectives in your curriculum. And by smart, we mean specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. If each course curriculum is set considering the student's benefits, you’ll see better engagement from your students. 

Here’s something you can do to make your learning objectives and outcomes more clear: 

• Use the SMART framework to create specific and measurable objectives.
• Develop objectives that reflect both knowledge acquisition and skill development.
• Ensure objectives are aligned with broader educational goals or standards.

Choose the Right Content and Materials

If your course curriculum does not have the right content and materials, it will be difficult for the students to learn. Your content needs to be informative, relevant, and accurate to ensure student engagement. 

Just having the right content in your curriculum is often not enough! That’s where materials come in. Say you teach about video editing. If your course curriculum has a section where students can easily download the necessary tools, it’ll make their job easier. 

Here are some tips on how to choose the right content and materials for your course curriculum: 

• Evaluate content for accuracy, relevance, and engagement potential.
• Incorporate a variety of materials, including textbooks, digital resources, and interactive tools.
• Regularly update materials to reflect the latest information and educational practices.

Design the Course Structure

Creating an appealing course structure means organizing activities and material in a way that makes sense and helps students learn easily. You should also focus on ensuring that students have a variety of learning experiences to keep them interested and involved.

Here are some things you can keep in mind while designing the structure: 

• Plan modules that logically progress from simple to complex topics.
• Ensure each module builds on the knowledge of the previous one.
• Balance theoretical content with practical activities to enhance learning.

Incorporation of Interacting Materials 

Regardless of the great content in your course curriculum, students will get bored if there’s a lack of interactive materials. Also, learners getting bored is by no means a good sign for any LMS. 

But that can easily be prevented if your curriculum includes the right elements, such as quizzes, badges, points, etc., to give the students a break from the long, dreadful learning materials. 

Apart from these, here are a couple of ideas that might be helpful in order to make your course curriculum more interactive. 

• Implement active learning strategies like problem-based learning and case studies.
• Use technology to create interactive and collaborative learning environments.

Implement Assessment and Feedback Mechanisms

While online courses offer many benefits, they lack one thing and one thing only. That’s the personal one-to-one feedback and instant assessments. Lately, with the right tools in place, you can implement instant assessments and feedback for your learners.

These feedbacks and assessments help students clear each module with full confidence, without questions or confusion. Not sure how you can implement this in your curriculum? 

Well, here are some ideas: 

• Develop a variety of assessment methods to cater to different learning styles.
• Use formative assessments for ongoing feedback during the course.
• Incorporate peer and self-assessment opportunities to foster reflective learning practices.

Building a Curriculum for Your LMS Using WishList Member: 4 Easy Steps 

Needless to say, by now, you already know how important building a curriculum is to ensure student success. Yet, many online tutors struggle with building the perfect curriculum as their LMS platform cannot do what they want. 

That’s where WishList Member comes in. 

This WordPress plugin can help you build a course just the way you want, with as many modules, course sections, and interactive materials as you want. And that’s not it. This plugin will help you accept recurring course payments in different ways as well. 

But before we get into making money, let’s build a course curriculum for your students. 

Step 1: Download and Install WishList Member

First thing first, go to WishList Member plans and choose the perfect plan for you. Then, go to your WordPress dashboard and click on Plugins. On the next page, click on Add New Plugin.

Then, hit the Upload Plugin button and choose the zip file you downloaded from the WishList Member website. 

Step 2: Activate The Necessary Add-ons

Having multiple add-ons for various purposes is the reason why WishList Member is able to offer so many different features. And that’s why you should check out and actiavete the necessary add-ons for you. 

To do that, click on Add-ons from the WishList Member menu and simply activate the ones you want. If not anything, make sure to activate the Coursecure Courses, Points, Badges, and Quizzes add-ons. 

Step 3: Create Course Curriculum structure

Once you've activated the necessary add-ons, it’s time to create the curriculum structure for your course. WishList Member lets you create as many modules as you want with the help of the CourseCure Courses add-on. 

Go back to the WordPress homepage and click on the Courses option from the CourseCure menu. Give a suitable title and click Apply.

On the next page, you’ll be able to add as many modules and lessons as you want to your courses. 

You can even design each lesson using the drag-and-drop builder WishList Member offers. Play around with all the tools until your curriculum looks exactly how you want it. 

Step 4: Add Interactive Materials

A course curriculum is never 100% ready until you add interactive materials to your course. And this is where WishList Member Shines. Let’s start by adding quizzes. You can either go to the Quizes menu and add quizzes. 

Or add quizzes as you build your curriculum. 

Then, you've the option to set up points for your users to receive after successfully completing a certain task. This can be completing a module, quiz, or maybe a comment. 

Here are the triggers based on which you can give out points. 

Now that your students can earn points, how are they going to spend those? They can redeem badges, free courses, etc., using the points. 

You can create badges anyway to give out to students upon completion of certain activities. To do that, click on badges, then hit the + sign.

You can give out badges based on the following triggers. 

Now that your course curriculum contains enough interactive elements, you’re more likely to receive better engagement and course completion. 

Make Your Students’ Life Easy With Well Structured Course Curriculums! 

We hope you found this blog helpful and enlightening about the steps you need to follow to create the best course curriculum for your students. Always consider your learners' opinions and what might be beneficial for them while creating your course curriculum. 

If you feel like your current LMS is limiting your creative freedom when it comes to building a curriculum, give WishList Member a try. This plugin can help you create course curriculums that are actually beneficial for the students. 

Don’t forget to reach out to us if you've any questions or would like to share any ideas that we should include in this blog.

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This is where blog hopping comes in. Blog hopping is an innovative way to build community around your blog, attract new readers, and collaborate with other bloggers. 

A blog hop is an event where multiple bloggers write posts on a common theme and link to each other's blogs, creating a loop for readers to follow from one blog to the next. And if you can host one of these events, your backlinking game can change for the better. 

But if you don’t understand the concept and what to consider before creating a blog hop, this blog is for you. We’ll talk about blog hopping, how it works, and how you can host one. 

What is a Blog Hop?

Blog hops are events where multiple bloggers write posts on the same theme and link to each other's blogs, creating a continuous loop for readers to follow from one blog to the next. As all the bloggers work as a community, this process benefits all participants. 

This collaborative effort helps increase visibility and engagement for all participating blogs and exposes each participating blogger to other audiences. But that’s not the only reason everyone joins a blog hop. 

There are various objectives of a blog hop. To name a few:

• Attract new readers by tapping into the audiences of participating blogs.
• Foster a sense of community among bloggers and readers.
• Showcase diverse perspectives on a specific theme or topic.
• Improve search engine optimization through increased backlinks.

If you can fulfill these objectives properly, you will enjoy a number of benefits. Here are some: 

• Expanded audience reach and increased blog traffic.
• Enhanced engagement with readers through comments and shares.
• Strengthened relationships and networks within the blogging community.
• Improved SEO with additional backlinks from participating blogs.
• Opportunity to showcase your expertise and establish authority in your niche.
• Potential for collaborative opportunities and future partnerships with other bloggers.

How Does a Blog Hop Work?

Even though the concept of blog hop sounds easy, it involves a number of key steps. First thing first, you’ll have to choose a theme over which your website has great authority. Then you’ll have to recruit bloggers who are interested in the same topic as well for your event. 

Then, each blogger will write a blog based on that theme and link to the other participants. To make the most of this process, everyone can promote the blogs through social media, email newsletters, etc. 

Still not really clear about how it works? 

Well, imagine you're hosting a blog hop on the “Healthy Summer Recipes” theme. You've done your research, reached out to 10 or 15 bloggers in this niche, and they agreed to join your blog hop. 

Now, each writer will write a post featuring their favorite healthy summer recipe and include links to other bloggers' blogs in the event. A reader starts at one blog, reads the recipe, and follows the link to the next blog, continuing through the loop until they’ve visited all the blogs. 

This increases traffic and engagement for each blog while providing readers with a variety of new recipes to try.

How to Host a Blog Hop: Step-by-Step Process 

Hosting a blog hop is as beneficial as it is challenging. There are various steps that you’ll have to perform in order to execute a successful blog hop event. Now, don't be afraid if you don’t know which step to perform after what, or where to begin. 

We have done the research and compiled a list of steps you need to follow. By following these steps, you can host a successful blog hop event. 

Step 1: Planning Everything

Organizing a blog hop event requires a lot of planning and research. You have to find a topic in which you've established authority, then find the right bloggers to invite to your event. We can divide the planning into three categories: 

1. Choosing a Theme: Select a theme that aligns with your blog’s niche and your audience's interest. This will help you to host a blog hop full of content that might be beneficial for your users.
2. Setting Objectives: Knowing the objective of your event will help many bloggers decide to participate. Objectives include increasing blog traffic, fostering community engagement, or showcasing diverse perspectives on a specific topic.
3. Timeline Creation: Develop a schedule that outlines key milestones, such as participant recruitment, promotion periods, and the event date. Allow enough time for each phase to ensure smooth execution.

Step 2: Recruit the Right Bloggers/Brands

Once you've prepared your plan, it’s time to find the right bloggers for your event. You can do this by looking at the bloggers' audience, geography, age, etc. If you find any bloggers with a similar audience, you can reach out to them with your proposal. 

Here are the only two jobs you need to perform in order to find the best bloggers for your event:

1. Select Your Participants: Choose bloggers who align with your theme and have an engaged audience. Reach out to them with a clear explanation of the blog hop’s theme, objectives, and timeline.
2. Communicate and Coordinate: Use email or social media groups to keep participants informed and coordinated. Provide guidelines on content creation, link sharing, and publishing schedules.

Step 3: Promote Your Blog Hop Event As Many Ways As You Can

As soon as you decide to host a blog hop, start creating buzz about it on social media, your website, and other platforms. The more you can promote your event, the better quality of bloggers you’ll be able to attract. 

Here are some tips on how you can promote your blog hop event: 

1. Marketing Strategies: Use blog posts, social media, and email newsletters to create buzz around your blog hop. Share teasers, participant announcements, and reminders to keep your audience engaged.
2. Social Media and Email Campaigning: To build anticipation, create a series of posts and emails leading up to the event. Use engaging visuals and compelling copy to attract attention.
3. Host a Giveaway: Use the RafflePress plugin to host a giveaway. This encourages shares and likes, increasing engagement and reach. Offer attractive prizes that are relevant to your theme to entice participation.

Step 4: Executing The Event

Now that you've created the hype and the bloggers are ready to participate, it’s time to execute the event. Ensure all participants publish their posts simultaneously and the links work correctly. 

Once everything is up and running, monitor the event closely to address any technical issues.

Step 5: Follow-up with The Participants

Once you've successfully hosted your event, track various metrics to determine which bloggers had the most traffic. Look for metrics like page views, shares, comments, etc. 

As a result, you’ll have an idea of whom to invite to your next blog hop. You’ll also understand whose blog hop events are worth joining. Keep up the bond by connecting on various social media platforms and through follow-up emails. 

Monetizing Your Blog with WishList Member

Once you've hosted the blog hop event, you'll likely see increased engagement on your blog posts and website. Why not leverage this success by monetizing your blog further?

While some of your blog posts can remain accessible to all visitors, you can restrict access to certain pages for members only. You might also consider implementing a pay-per-post policy, where users pay a fee to view specific content. Or how about creating an ad-free version of your site for regular visitors who want an undisrupted experience?

You can achieve all of this with WishList Member, a WordPress plugin designed for managing memberships and subscriptions. Here’s what you can do with WishList Member.

Create Content that Only Paid Members Can Access 

Once you've gained popularity, you’ll have more and more traffic coming to your website. This is your chance to make money from the blogs you have on your website. Using the WishList Member content protection feature, you can set up rules about who can view your certain posts. 

You can create various membership levels and, based on those, set up who can view your certain posts, pages, etc. 

Or, you can make any page a pay-per-post page. 

Multiple Ways to Accept Payments

Now, how are you going to accept the payments?

Well, WishList Member lets you accept payments in multiple ways. 

You can integrate this plugin with popular payment providers like Stripe, PayPal, and more. In fact, WishList Member boasts the most payment integrations of all membership plugins. This means you can accept payments from around the world more easily.

80+ Integrations to Make Your Job Easy

And the integration options don't end there. WishList Member supports 80+ integrations with apps and other plugins that can help your blog thrive.

• Email service providers like Active Campaign to help you automate communication with your new members
• SEO tools like All in One SEO (AIOSEO)
• Easy analytics tracking tools like MonsterInsights
• Page builders like Elementor

And how's about this for monetizing your blog even further:

• Affiliate link optimizing tools like Pretty Links and ThirstyAffiliates, packed with features to help boost conversions from your affiliate links.

Start Planning Your Blog Hop Event Today!

Blog hops can be the ultimate solution for you if you're struggling with acquiring new users, low traffic, low backlinks, etc. We hope this blog was helpful in familiarizing you with blog hops and how you can host one. 

Remember to implement the steps we mentioned while hosting your blog hop. Be careful about whom you invite to your blog hop, and keep regular communication with them. You can always take advantage of WishList Members later if you decide to make money from your blogs. 

Have you ever hosted or joined any blog hop before? Share your experience in the comments. And if you liked the blog, don’t forget to Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn. Plus, get notified about feature updates, upgrades, and more when you subscribe to our newsletter!

Since the dramatic boom in 2020, the demand for online courses has been on the up and up. Now, everyone from post-grads to lifelong learners is signing up to expand their skill set or find a new hobby.

And thanks to the amazing features of learning management systems (LMS), almost any form of learning can now be taught online.

While features are almost the same in every LMS, why don’t they see equal conversion, user acquisition, and customer retention for their company? 

There might be a few reasons behind this, but guess which is the most crucial one?

–– Bad user experience. 

No matter how good your LMS system is or how advanced the features are, it all comes down to whether users can effortlessly navigate through them. If they can’t, all your efforts will always go in vain. 

That’s why we’ll talk about how you can improve the LMS user experience for your users. Keep reading to learn about the best practices and what you need to do. 

Importance of Improved LMS User Experience

improving your Learning Management System (LMS) user experience is important for making students and teachers more efficient and comfortable. 

A well-designed LMS can attract students, make navigation easier, and ensure users can quickly find the necessary tools. 

By putting user experience first, you can get the most out of your LMS, leading to better learning results and higher user satisfaction rates.

Here are a few reasons why you should not overlook the importance of improved LMS user experience:

Increased Engagement ????

An easy-to-use and appealing interface makes people want to engage with your LMS more often, as they find navigating through the content, quizzes, and settings easier. 

Better Accessibility ????

Less complicated browsing and well organized content make it easier for everyone to access educational materials from your website easily. 

Higher Retention Rates ????

If users have a good experience, they are more likely to keep using your LMS. As a result, the number of people who drop out will decrease. As a bonus, you might even see a rise in students brought in by existing users. 

Improved Efficiency ⚡

Streamlined methods and resources that are easy to get to save time for both students and teachers, letting them focus more on the lessons themselves.

Better Learning Outcomes ????

When users can easily connect with the LMS, they are more likely to really engage with the material, which helps them understand and remember it better.

Best Practices for Improved LMS User Experience

So now that you’re aware of all the reasons to improve user experience in your online course, it’s time to learn about the best practices. We’ve compiled a list of the best practices to help you make positive and impactful changes to your LMS. 

1. Social Login

When did you last enter your username and password anywhere to log in to any website? 

If you’re having a hard time remembering when, you’re not alone.  

More and more people are getting used to one click social logins. Social login streamlines the login process by allowing users to sign in using their existing social media accounts. 

This generation of users wants social login features everywhere, including their LMS accounts. 

Simplifying the registration process can lead to higher enrollment rates and more engagement for your LMS. 

2. Gamification

Who doesn’t love a bit of competition? Especially while learning something new. And that psychology works really well in order to create engagement among your users. But what exactly is LMS gamification?

Well, simply, it’s adding elements to your LMS so your users get a sense of achievement as they pass each stage or complete a lesson. These elements can be points, badges, leaderboards, etc. 

This approach can lead to improved retention and a more enjoyable learning experience. 

3. Progress Tracking

Climbing a hill is easier when you can look back and see how far you've come – and the same applies to completing a course! 

You must provide progress-tracking facilities to encourage users to learn more from your LMS site. Visual indicators such as progress bars, completion percentages, and milestones can be some of the most efficient ways to track progress. 

This transparency boosts confidence and encourages continued effort towards completing the course.

4. Mobile-Friendliness

.Give your students the opportunity to chip away at their module at the bus stop, in a queue, at the salon, or anywhere that’s away from their desk with a mobile-responsive design. 

Over 70% of LMS users are more interested in learning from their mobile devices than from their computers. 

So, it’s safe to assume that a large portion of your user base is also accessing your platform from mobile devices. 

Having a mobile-responsive design is essential to accommodate their expectation. 

To keep the mobile users coming back to your LMS, you must ensure a fantastic experience for them.If your users feel comfortable navigating through your LMS regardless of what device they are using, you will automatically become their go-to choice. 

5. Use of White Space

The importance of white space in any form of design or written content is hard to overestimate. 

White space can increase readability and lessen the cognitive load significantly. And since your users are primarily learners and spend quite a bit of time on the web pages, you must ensure proper white spacing. 

It’ll help to declutter the interface and allow your users to focus on the content without feeling overwhelmed. 

Overall, proper use of white space will make your LMS content look visually appealing and make navigation easier for the users. 

6. Personalized Resource Hub

Giving each one of your LMS members a personalized experience is the cherry on the cake . 

But when it comes to LMS user experience, personalization doesn’t mean addressing them by name and remembering their birthdays – it’s about carving out space for them to easily access materials and lessons. 

For example, you could create a post for each member that only they can access. From there give them easy access to videos, key resources, shortcuts to lessons, anything that will make their navigation easier.

7. Interactive Content 

In this world of short attention spans, you have no option but to be interactive with your content. While you may be full of ideas, what if your LMS is your ultimate obstacle?

You want to develop interactive content like quizzes, videos, etc. But the LMS you use doesn’t support all forms of content. 

You’ll start losing users gradually as they’ll get bored of your content and move to somewhere else where more interactive content is offered. 

Improve LMS User Experience with WishList Member

Now that you know the best practices of improving LMS user experience, it’s time to start implementing them.

Though it’s not exactly rocket science, we understand if you feel overwhelmed about how to get started. 

That’s why we have an easy solution for you – a solution that can not only help you implement the best practices but also make your job easier. Now, what’s that solution? 

WishList Member

It is the ultimate customizable WordPress LMS plugin with extended features for running a membership website. Unlike most other learning management systems, this one doesn’t limit you to a few common features. 

Rather, it has the exact features to attract new users to your business and keep them engaged with an interactive user experience. 

One Tap Social Media Login for Easier Access 

This feature is as simple as it sounds, but most LMSs don’t have it yet. But the wait is over for WishList Member users. 

WishList Member allows you to set up social login via the following social media accounts: Google, Facebook, Twitter, and WordPress.

It makes coming back to your platform effortless for your members, keeping their experience frictionless from the very start. 

Intuitive Course Builder

All WishList Member plans include access to the CourseCure Courses add-on. This add-on enables you to create unlimited courses with an intuitive builder.

Break your course into easily digestible lessons and modules, and use WordPress's Gutenberg editor to add videos and interactive elements into each lesson.

Room for Gamification to Create More Engagement

As long as you make your users feel that learning is fun, they’ll keep coming back to your website. And with WishList Member, there are excellent scopes for LMS gamification. 

Let’s start with none other than the most engaging points and badges add-ons. With these add-ons, your users can earn points upon completing actions on your course such as finishing a lesson, module, or completing a quiz. You can also award points for engagement across your site such as commenting in a forum or leaving a comment.

To give your students a more visual and tangible sense of achievement by awarding badges. You can set up badges for joining a level, completing a course, earning a certain number of points, and more!

Badges and points give your users a sense of accomplishment and keeps them coming back for more. As a result, your overall retention rate goes up. 

Progress Tracking Feature to Keep Users in the Loop 

When learning something, it's essential to keep track of progress. WishList Member lets your users do this effortlessly.

As your learners complete lessons, they'll get an overview of their progress within both the module and the overall course. Best of all, this requires zero setup on your part – it's built right into every course built with WishList Member.

Here you can see the Course Progress bar for a birds eye view of overall progress…

and here you can see the Module Progress bar visible from within each lesson…

Optimized for All Devices

WishList Member makes all of your content easily accessible regardless of what devices your users are using. The main differentiator that makes this LMS more user-friendly is the enhanced customizing feature. 

That’s where WishList Member is on another level. WishList Member Courses and Quizzes are fully mobile-responsive.

Since you can customize almost everything with the help of built-in integration, you don’t need to follow any specific rules strictly. You can better cater to all sorts of audiences according to their likings. 

Create Private, Personalized Pages for Each Student

Remember that personalized resource hub we mentioned earlier? WishList Member's Trigger and Actions feature you can automatically create a pay–per-post specially for each learner as they sign up for membership on your site!

First create a pay-per-post to serve as a template, filled with relevant resources for your course and each membership level.

You could, for example, embed an appointment booking form with JotForm for VIP members, include exclusive downloadable content tailored to their membership level.

The possibilities are limitless. Just think about how you can leverage this unique feature to create a standout user experience for your learners.

Integration Facilities to Take Advantage of Other Tools 

No one is the best at everything, but when you the option to get help from the bests as well, you are unstoppable. WishList Members have this psychology behind and guess how many tools they have integration with? 

Over 80 in-built integrations + 1000s more possibilities with Zapier. 

Yes, you saw the number right. And the things you can do with such integration facilities are unimaginable. 

You want to set up an easier payment method? Well, you have over 20 options to choose from. 
What about sending emails? 20+ providers to choose from. 

Last but not least, 27 other tools have also been added to the integration pipeline including:

• Divi and Elementor page builder plugins
• Easy Affiliate program plugin
• MonsterInsights analytics plugin
• EasyWebinar
• Slack
• And more.

All this just so you don’t have to look elsewhere while using WishList Member. It truly is the all-in-one solution for your LMS needs and beyond. 

Start Improving Your LMS User Experience Today 

When you ensure a better LMS user experience, you’re not doing the users a favor, you’re doing your brand a favor as well. The better user experience you can provide, the more people you’ll be able to retain. 

By implementing best practices such as social login, gamification, progress tracking, interactive content, etc., you can create a more engaging, accessible, and efficient learning environment. 

If you are having difficulties exploring various features due to the LMS you use, maybe it’s time to upgrade to a new one. An LMS that is easy to migrate into and has all the features you need can be an excellent choice. 

Given its features, WishList Member can be an excellent option for you. Its integration capabilities will be the cherry on top for ensuring the ultimate LMS experience for your users. Find the best WishList Member plan for you and get started today.

Got any tips or ideas on how to improve LMS user experience? We'd love to hear them. Share them with the WishList Member community in the comments section below.

And don't forget to follow us on  Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn for more expert advice and tips to maximize your online course’s potential.