Register to view content

DarthHazard Level 1

August 13, 2017, 7:12 pm

23

Write the reason you're deleting this FAQ

Some sites allow users to view its content without having to register or login. This can be a good idea because it allows users to decide whether or not they want to be apart of a certain website, blog or forum based on the content that they can see. But do you think that it would be better to force users to register or login to view the content that you post? That way you can collect statistics and data on who reads your content. Do you allow guests to view and read your content?

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TheArticulate

TheArticulate

Guests can view all of my content that they want, but they have to pay for my services! I don't run a business that operates on written or exclusive content necessarily, so nobody has to subscribe to see my video or photo work. However, when it comes to subscribed content, I immediately think of my local newspaper. They've been struggling in recent years because of declining subscriptions to physical papers, so they're promoting more of an online readership instead. If you read through their website, I think you can read 3 articles a month for free, or something like that before they ask you to subscribe to read more.

Really, it's a clever idea and great way to adapt to changes in readership among their audience. I think it's fine to have subscription-based content as long as you have content that's worth reading. A local or national newspaper definitely has this appeal, but an amateur blog or article writer probably will not have that luxury.

9 years ago

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Cristian

Cristian

Are you talking about gated content? Well, Gated content has its pros and cons but if you ask me, it has more cons than benefits.
Of course, I'm an SEO and anything and any content that isn't visible to search engines are wasted content in my opinion.

We are living in an instant gratification world. People don't want to register to websites to access content, most will just bounce and find some other websites that offer such content freely in the open, those websites will also benefit from all the organic traffic open content can bring.

A mid way solution to both open content and gated content is offering a snippet of content and offer the users to register if he/her want to read more. But this is also stupid unless the niche and subject are so rare that no other alternative exists, few people gonna register to read the rest of the article. Again, this alternative hold little SEO value since only part of the content will be visible to search engines and as far as I know, Google cracked down on such pages a few years ago.

9 years ago

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Tronia

Tronia

I have always allowed everybody to freely read my blog and other websites. I have seen several "register to view content" sites recently and I have to say that I sort of find them annoying. They seem too forceful and when I get the prompt asking me to register to be able to read an article I simply close the website. Why would I bother registering when I can just click on another Google search result and get the content that I am looking for without all the extra hassle? For me personally, the register to view content is a big negative.

9 years ago

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augusta

augusta

I think this sites that intend to get hold of people emails come in the guise of registration so they can harvest the emails and be mailing the users.Because certainly it can't be for statistics because no of visitors is clearly shown on one's dashboard.

I don't intend to email anyone so I don't need to ask users to register before accessing my blogs.

9 years ago

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coolavender

coolavender

Personally, I won't bother registering on websites to view content. It's a big turnoff for me. Hence, I'll never implement that on my own blog. Unless you're offering something really unique like only you can offer, you'd be swallowed alive by the competition if you force potential viewers to register with your site. What statistics do I need to collect from viewers when they sign up? They can easily fake information and provide an email address with fictitious name. Unless there are freebies or benefits for joining, I don't think it's a good idea to force people to register before they are allowed to view content.

9 years ago

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vinaya

vinaya

I will never register on a site to view contents. Since similar contents are available for free on other sites, why should I bother to register. However, if I like the contents on any site and do not want to miss new contents, I will subscribe to that site. I will also consider registering on a certain site, if I want to use the services offered by the site.

9 years ago

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limberg

limberg

There are only a few websites that succeed at things like this:

1. Social media sites - in order for these sites to succeed, there should be lots of members, lots of activity, lots of fun. This would entice others to register to the site.

2. Sites that offer a service in a specific niche. Examples of these are make money online programs. These programs may either be free or paid. In order to get people to register, you must have a very powerful landing page that would be able to entice your visitors.

It will be hard to penetrate the social media industry. Your best bet would be to target specific niches. Good luck.

9 years ago

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overcast

overcast

I like such walled content factories. Due to the adblocker you may find that many sites are losing the revenue. And it would be reasonable to make use of the places which can be blocking the content. So depending on how you choose to show the content, things can be lot different. And as you can see locked content has it;s set of limits in that case too. Depending on how people choose it, it'd be making lot better earning.

9 years ago

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Corzhens

Corzhens

I have seen only one website that is locked to guests that you have to be a member to see the homepage. That site is missing a lot of stray hits because a curious reader has the tendency to go deeper to the inner pages when the main menu looks interesting. But if there is nothing to see then 99% of the guests would turn away. That's what I did, I exited the browser.

9 years ago

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PinkTurtle

PinkTurtle

I don't like sites that do this. When I realize it, I immediately lose interest in it and get out of there. I generally like to look at the content on it before I register and the fact that I can see it makes me wonder why should I register here if I don't even know if their content is any good.

9 years ago

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ballyhara

ballyhara

Those sites are really annoying to me. But, I guess it all depends on the type of information they offer too. Good news is, we can find lots of sites, blogs, forums, with same information for free and without registration, everywhere! Usually sites that ask for registration are the ones you have to pay, and generally those sites have very particular or important information. My own opinion? I don't do registration, because I know I can get information for free, and I find it annoying.

9 years ago

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kgord

kgord

I think it should always be free to view content, if you like what a website has to offer you can sign up later, but it is important to be able to view the content first so you know if you want to belong to the site or not. I think it is not really smart for sites to make you register to view what their offerings are first.

9 years ago

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Pixie06

Pixie06

I think forcing someone to register to allow him to view the contents on a site is not a good thing actually. Many times if I come across such types of websites I prefer not to register. I would love to know all about site before registering.

9 years ago

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JoeMilford

JoeMilford

Guests definitely have access to a lot of free content at my sites, but the products I sell, mainly eBooks, have to be purchased. I try to show a little of the eBook content to whet the appetites of those who frequent the site, and then, if they want the rest of the materials, they have to make a purchase. In other words, I try to give them access to partial content and then leave them on a bit of a cliffhanger so that they will potentially by the full product at full price.

9 years ago

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overcast

overcast

You have a membership site? Interesting. How do you have managed to setup this workflow. Using any plugin or CMS for this?. I wanted to build something like that. But based on what I have found so far, I think it'd be interesting to setup a site make user to register on such site for viewing content. Do share about your site if you can.

9 years ago

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JoeMilford

JoeMilford

overcast,
When I say "guests", I just mean people who visit my blog where I advertise my books--sorry for the confusion there. so, basically, I "blog" snippets and then try to entice people to buy the finished "blogs" in collections or anthologies of the work where they can read the entire finished pieces--does that make sense?

9 years ago

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overcast

overcast

Yes. That does make sense. I got the impression that the blog guests here means members. And it was kind of like felt as membership site. And it does sound like content is under pay wall. It'd be interesting to see how that works in that case. Now I see what you mean. No problem.

9 years ago

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JoeMilford

JoeMilford

overcast,
Actually, though, now that you have posted and responded here, I am thinking about some sort of membership site for a side project idea that I am working on. I am still new to the terminology of this business, so I did not mean to mislead you with my vocabulary--sorry about that.

9 years ago

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clara1993

clara1993

No, on some of my blogs guests don't have to subscribe to view contents, because some contents are to promote certain products and they contain affiliate links to buy those products, So what really matters for me is for them to click on that link and buy that product,
However I still encourage them to subscribe for more letters.

9 years ago

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Soulwatcher

Soulwatcher

I would never require someone to register to view content. Because whenever I come across a website like that I leave right away. There is no way that I am going sign up to a website to view content that I can view for free without signing up to a website on another website. I think webmasters that have those kind of websites think too highly of themselves.

9 years ago

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vhinz

vhinz

Having readers to register is a way of collecting and building emails. Remember that emails are very important in an online business. If you have the emails of the people visited your website, you have a way of connecting with them in the future if you have a plan to promote your business. There is a possibility that you'll turn your readers into potential customers if you have their emails. Through their emails you can send them updates on your contents and you could also send them promotions about the product/service that you want to sell. But if you don't have a plan of monetize whatever you are currently posting on your website, then there's no need to capture the emails of your readers.

9 years ago

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TimothyAlex

TimothyAlex

Even when it is a major media outlet, I never register to view content. I tend to be completely turned off when websites use this tactic to increase subscribers or capture contact information. There is a place for members only content, but in most cases, it is not worth it.

9 years ago

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Corzhens

Corzhens

It is obvious that a site is soliciting members or subscribers when the content is locked for visitor viewing. I don’t remember registering in a site just to see what’s inside even if that site was referred by a friend. But I understand when some boards in a forum are locked for the VIP or for the members only because they give preference to their members although majority of the contents are open to visitors.

8 years ago

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