Starting a member pay site

[nickbaer]

For the past 10 years, I have been producing content that has been sold by 3rd party resellers. From VOD, to clips, DVDs, to my books - printed, eBook, ePub.

Now in my old age, I want to actually create my first member pay site. Not for VOD or video clips, so as not to make my video portal partners nervous, but for my BOOKS. eBooks and ePubs.

AND, not for downloads, but for my readers to read on-line, via the web with embedded eBook and ePub viewers, through their member bookshelf.

I think this idea fits a primitive definition of cloud computing. I think consumers have several computing devices, on their desktop, carry case, and in their pockets, that the concept of downloading files is to burdensome.

Which device to download to? How to transfer from one device to another? Why download, why not just view?

That opens up webmaster affiliate opportunities since I process with CCBill... and I am adding 1-2 more billers (per the on-going conversation of CCBill high scrub rate).

Since you pioneers have evolved member pay sites over the past 10 years, what is the current trend in technology for member user/pass creation and validation, security, geo security, IP security?

[HunkyLuke]

Nick, congrats on making the decision to go the paysite route.

For your affiliate system, are you using your IPSP's free built-in affiliate systems (ie, ccbill, epoch, etc) or a third party one (like NATS or MPA)? How you decide here will affect how you setup geotargeting and member user/pass management, as well as affiliate management if you plan on opening your program up to affiliates.

If you are using your IPSP's system, then the simplest thing is to use their systems for member and affiliate management. I actually think they will set up the htaccess and cgi scripts for you if you give them your FTP info when signing up a new site, so its a pretty easy way of going. You may also want to use their geotargeting functionality to offer surfers rates in their own currency and language. Otherwise, if you go with NATS you have the option of using your IPSPs systems or using the built-in systems in NATS for user management, affiliates and geotargeting. Going with a MPA/NATS type solution will cost you $99 to 150/mo, but it does give you more functionality and control. It may be something to look at upgrading to later, once you get established too.

For member user/pass validation and anti-hacking security, I highly recommend strongbox. There is also proxypass and pennywize as options there, but I believe strongbox is the most affordable with a one time charge, plus IMHO the best product out there.

You may also want to look at setting up a CMS to make your membership site easier for your members to use and for you to manage. AWIZ is a good basic CMS that is affordable. You can also look at a free system like the wordpress one, joomla, etc...I really don't know what is available and/or what is good with the free ones as I have not used them. Maybe others can make recommendations???

[Lee]

Nick,

Ebook stuff in a 'members' situation sells exceptionally well, id suggest you definitely give it a shot, we're currently working on turning all of our non-adult ebooks into formats for the Kindle, iPad and several other devices.

As far as IP logging, hit Ray up at StrongBox, he has a lot of information/knowledge to share about that, i found him an invaluable source when i started my first sites years ago.

Regards,

Lee

[Lee]

Oh and on the subject of a CMS for an ebook members site... Dont bother, use simple hand coded HTML, thats what i found works best and it also cuts back on the technical and resource aspect of running the sites, after all, once your ebook is written, you really arent going to be going back and changing it... Stick with simple html is my advice instead of a CMS... It really isnt needed for ebooks.

Regards,

Lee

[nickbaer]

I wrote all of my sites by hand (PHP/SQL/HTML) because they are catalog sites, listing my videos, DVDs and Books and where consumers can view/download/purchase from other portals (AEBN, HotMovies, XTube, DogGone). So I've never used a packaged CMS - I just borrowed on a theme from someone else's catalog site in 2004.

So I'm OK with writing this new eBook library member site.

I've been selling on Kindle for a year, and Nook for 3 months. An iPad is a Kindle and Nook, as is a smartphone, but don't require you to download to view. So I want to take these first steps at "cloud" providing.

Kindle and Nook don't do "adult" images - sexual activities. I'm now capturing still frames from my videos and making books out of them. Most of the images available from Rainbow Content and the few remaining content resellers, are more "adult" than "art". So I need to do more on my own, beyond what Kindle and Nook TOS allow.

This will allow me to make (more) books from my new and existing video content that I shoot, as well as buy content from other producers.

http://www.NickBaerGallery.com Tthe Massage titles in the new releases, and in View Themes, and the Blow title in the "Erotic" section, are stills from video.

My other concern will be pricing. Not sure that a recurring monthly membership in the video paysite analogy is valid, since I don't want consumers to pay $24.95 to view for 300 of my books for a month, and then never come back. Because it is"cloud", not download, once they pick a title to "own", they need to be able to come back and view for life.

And add more.

One step at a time.