Day 14 of 30: Conversion and Balance in Freemium Communities [#3 of 3]

Day 14 of 30: Conversion and Balance in Freemium Communities [#3 of 3]

In the final installment on freemium communities, I want to talk about managing both free and paid versions within a freemium community (yes, that happens). I'll also cover strategies for converting freemium members into paid members.

When it comes to maintaining both versions of the community, it's essential to consider the allocation of time and attention. 

The introduction of a paid element to community  often leads to a shift in focus. The expectations and demands of paid members may take priority. 

⏰ Be intentional about how much effort you invest into the paid side. Make sure it won't detract from the growth and sustainability of the free community. 

You can do this by:

1️⃣ Having separate cadence of work (different days or times of day)

2️⃣ Using different mediums for messaging (newsletter vs posts).

3️⃣ Activating members with different names / calls to action (how are they different). 

Most importantly, try to avoid the same geography. You don't want the talk for the Haves and the HaveNots happening all the time in the same space. It's distracting. 

♻ Converting Freemium to Paid

The ideal structure is an upsell opportunity that showcases the additional value and benefits of the paid version that doesn't leave the regular members behind. 

Tactics that Work: 

1️⃣ Content with a "bonus" for the paid folks

2️⃣ A course that is a deep-dive on a specific topic for members who want to learn more.

3️⃣Regular meetups / check-ins to support members who need more than just the information

🔍Observe and Design

It's tempting to build directly out of the gate what you believe people will need. 

The challenge here is that you really don't know what it is the people want, not just generally but also as a consequence of the experience inside your community.

At this point you should collect community questions, community feedback, and observe what people are talking about. 

What are the topics? When do they talk about them and how do they talk about them? 

This is why a freemium community is so important because it is an opportunity to make sure that you as the builder are walking the right path to monetizing on something that people want. 

Tactics to Consider: 

1️⃣ Have an FAQ page or "Ask a Question" section to capture these ideas. 

2️⃣ Onboarding and quarterly surveys will make sure you see what your members want and when they want it.

3️⃣ Internal landing pages for all ideas. Don't build until you have the interest. Go one step further (if you need to) to email the registered folks for more details.  

We still don't hit the build button until we know people are going to make the leap.

Done right, a freemium community can generate leads, create value for everyone, and be a foundational part of your community success.

This post was part of my 30-day community series I ran on Twitter/X. Follow me for instant updates. Explore this site to learn more about community. You can work with me to accelerate your community growth.