Member Categories: Now integrated with Profile Questions and Paid Access

[Eric Suesz]

Read all about how to Integrate Member Categories with Profile Questions in the Help Center.

Two requests we've heard about the new member categories feature are to a) add the ability to tie categories into Profile Questions so members can automatically be placed into categories upon sign-up, and b) tie this into Paid Access. We're happy to report that we've completed the work for both of these. If you've thought member categories might be a nice-to-have feature, these changes may turn it into a must-have feature.

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Automatically add new members to categories

Most Network Creators ask their members a few profile questions when they sign up. Now, you can use a multiple-choice question to automatically slot members into a custom-made member category:

• You'll find the option to assign members to categories only when you use multiple-choice Profile Questions.
• You can assign a member to only one category, so one "single-answer" multiple-choice profile question can be used for this purpose.
• Create a question and match up the answers you've specified with the categories you've created. New members are automatically added to those categories.
• You can easily add or remove answer choices. You can also drag and drop the answer choices into the order you prefer.
• You can assign members to categories using up to 10 multiple-choice answers. The first 10 you've indicated will be used. You can always reorder these by dragging and dropping them.
• Want to use a Profile Question you've been asking for the past two years to put people into new categories? Not a problem. You can retroactively assign members to new categories you've created based on the answers they've given in the past.

A few things to keep in mind

• One person, one category: Members can only be in one category at a time (the most recent category they were assigned to, whether that was manually or automatically).
• More robust messaging: You can use member categories to message your categories directly, so this gives you a more powerful way to filter members for messaging purposes.
• Simpler might be better: You have the flexibility to keep changing these details, but too much revision of category designations might confuse members if they are continually moved to new categories. Of course, it's all up to you, but we recommend picking a few categories and sticking with them.
• New Profile Questions & Old Members: If you want to create a new profile question and tie it into member categories, existing members will need to edit their profile question list. They can do this from their Settings page.
• Adopt this when you're ready: Not sure how you want to use this yet? This is an optional features, so you can always add this later if you're not ready to jump in.

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Member Categories + Paid Access

The other big request we've heard from Network Creators is to tie the new member categories into the Paid Access optional add-on. We knew that would be a big request, and we're happy to report that this second round of improvements now supports Paid Access. We've added two different ways to encourage your members to sign up for special membership designations and badges.

Fixed-price paywall integration

Use Member Categories in conjunction with a fixed-price paywall to assign paying members who pay to a custom-made category. For example: You want members who pay to subscribe for access to a special VIP Group to be identified with a special VIP badge. You can simply assign those paying members to a custom-made category.

Donation paywall integration

Use Member Categories in conjuntion with a donation paywall to encourage members to give more to achieve a higher level of prestige. You do this by setting a threshold for payment that puts one (higher-paying) class of membership on a pedestal. For example: Gold members = $20/year donation; everyone who contributes below that amount = Silver member; all non-paying members = a non-paying category (you can simply use the "default member" designation for non-paying members if you choose).

We hope you will find a lot of new uses for Member Categories using these two new ways to extend the feature. Let us know how you plan to use it!

[Eric Suesz]

This isn't the basis of a reputation system, David, or a way to restrict or reward access. I think that would need to be a different project altogether. 

[Garfield Creator]

Might just have to start some new networks to make the best use of this for new sign ups. Great update. Smart move addressing the needs of paid access users. :-)

[Tatay Ash]

When I save the changes, it gives this error message -- 

We're sorry, we are having an issue with this page. Follow this link to the main page.
If you get this message again, please let us know.

Eric or anyone, please!

[Eric Suesz]

Can you shoot us a ticket, Tatay? We can assign someone to look at this closely. If you can include the URL where this happened, that would be ideal. Thanks!

[Tatay Ash]

Thanks Eric. I have filed a support ticket and this is the ticket or ref number: ref:_00D80cCLt._50040IvUZx:ref

Thanks in advance for any assistance you can extend to resolve this issue.

God bless!

[soaringeagle]

glitch in the donation maybe

it seems ;ike if they donated 0.00 it ads em to suporters

i got  it set to

standard donation 2.95 every 3 months

if donate 5.95 they are vip suporters

anything under that regular suporters

all others members

however people who did not donate are being added to the suporters group

[soaringeagle]

ok it looks like it moves all active subscriptions wether donated or not

it should diferentiate between those who donated 0.00 and received a free subscription and those who donarte anything from 1.00 to 5.95 as supporters

and 5.95 and above as vip suporters

can you fix that

[soaringeagle]

odd ok looking over new joins 1 does not have the suporters badge

and looking her up in subscriptions it says no subscription like she didnt choose 0.00 just somehow bypassed the paywall?

(her email addresss looks suspicios as in possible spammer too)

how was the paywall bipased?

[SweetPotato]

Great work. Love it.
What happens in this scenario:

Currently, I have a multiple choice question on sign up that allows members to pick more than one answer. This has always served as my way of categorising members. Putting aside the fact that ideally I'd like members to be in more than one category, how can I now tie this question to categories ?

On the paid access, I don't really see why people would pay to have a badge on their avatar, or am I missing something?
SP

[soaringeagle]

they pay cause4 they appreciate the site the badge just recognizes they paid..just your way of saying thanks and an extra thnks for those who gave a lil more

[SweetPotato]

so the suggestion is not that they pay for the badge, rather that this simply recognises that they pay for something. got it. :-)

[Eric Suesz]

Well, to be honest, this was one thing I immediately thought of, too, SweetPotato: that people would want to pay for the badge, for levels of prestige based on their payment amount. After throwing that idea around with people here at Ning, I think I changed my mind and now see the payment part as really a back-end detail that NCs care about more than members (unless it's a very unique type of network).

The donation model makes sense for trumpeting the people who paid more (like you see with NPR style pledge drive levels of donation: tote bag, t-shirt, travel bag, etc.), but I'm not sure the straight paid access model is great for badges indicating amount paid. But, who knows. I'm interested in seeing how people really use it.