Hirst

Before I identify who should be considering setting up a subscription website, it would be a good idea to define exactly what a subscription website is.

There are two inter-changeable terms; a subscription website and membership website. Most people don't differentiate between the two.

A subscription or membership website is a site which has a password protected member area. Visitors to the site have to register their details and usually make a payment before being issued with a password. The password gives them access to a member-only content. The content is usually text articles, but it can be applications, digital downloads or streamed video and audio clips.

In the traditional print world the subscription website can be compared to a specialist newsletter or magazine. But the internet has some major advantages over print. There are almost zero distribution costs, they can attract a global audience, they can be run from anywhere in the world, content can be archived in a searchable format and most importantly members are able to interact with one another creating a strong sense of community.

These advantages open up subscription websites to a huge number of individuals and organisations who otherwise would not be able to cost effectively sell subscriptions and distribute their information. A site with as few as 500 members can provide a good income for the editor.

Examples of individuals and groups who should consider the online subscription website opportunity are:

Authors

Publishers

Consultants

Celebrities

Marketing Experts

Musicians

Hobbyists

Public Speakers

Personal Coaches

Sports Coaches

Business Owners

Program and Course Developers

Teachers/ Trainers

Directors/Producers

Talent Agents

Fan Clubs

Associations/Societies

Songwriters

Writers/Journalists/Editors

Church Groups

Sports Clubs

Charities

Alumni Associations

If you consider that there are over 50 million active blogs on the internet, many of these have a strong and loyal followings......... but they are making very little money from advertising. These are ideal candidates to convert to a subscription website so that they can start earning a proper living from their expertise.

Remember everybody has knowledge and expertise that is valuable to somebody.

Miles Galliford is the co-founder of SubHub www.subhub.com . He has been on the board of many successful internet companies since 1998. SubHub provides everything that an individual or organisation needs, from the technology platform to the know-how, to setup, run and grow a successful subscription website business. To read more articles about subscription website publishing, please visit www.subhub.com .