Recently, a reader approached us with an intriguing issue: they wanted to display ads to free users while providing paid subscribers with an ad-free experience on their WordPress site.
As experienced WordPress developers with over a decade of site-building, we recognized that this is a common challenge faced by many website owners.
The good news is that you can easily implement this dual experience in WordPress without compromising site speed or needing to write custom code. We have assisted numerous users in achieving this and have tested various methods ourselves.
In this guide, we will walk you through the steps to create an ad-free experience for your subscribers while still monetizing your content for free users.
We have simplified the process into easy-to-follow steps that anyone can manage, regardless of their technical skills.
Why Offer an Ad-Free Version of Your WordPress Site for Subscribers?
Running ads is one of the simplest ways we’ve discovered to generate income online. However, let’s face it — ads can be distracting when someone simply wants to read, watch, or explore without interruptions.
Many businesses we’ve collaborated with have begun providing an ad-free experience for their paid subscribers. This small benefit significantly enhances reader satisfaction and encourages them to return for more.
Instead of eliminating ads for all users, consider offering a subscription option. This allows readers who prefer a cleaner interface to access an ad-free version, while you continue to generate ad revenue from casual visitors. This approach provides the best of both worlds.
Major platforms are already implementing this strategy. For instance, Tumblr offers subscribers an ad-free feed, and YouTube Premium allows viewers to enjoy content without interruptions. This model has proven successful for creators of all sizes, including those on WordPress.
Other platforms, such as X (formerly Twitter) and Hulu, have adopted similar strategies. This approach fosters stronger customer loyalty while creating additional revenue opportunities.
If you’ve already produced content that resonates with your audience, this can be an effective way to further monetize your efforts. You could even transform your site into a Patreon-like platform, offering benefits such as ad-free access or exclusive content.
For certain businesses, we have successfully implemented this model to remove ads for logged-in users on WordPress, which significantly accelerated our growth in registered users.
This approach is particularly beneficial when selling pay-per-view content and other subscriber-only posts. It helps you cultivate deeper connections with your audience while still earning from casual traffic.
Next, we will guide you through the process of setting up your subscription plan and creating an ad-free experience tailored to your site.
How to Create Ad-Free Subscription Plans in WordPress
One of the simplest methods we’ve discovered for providing ad-free content is through MemberPress. This robust membership plugin allows you to easily restrict content based on user roles.
We have implemented MemberPress on various sites to effectively manage memberships, and it has significantly improved our workflow. There’s no need for coding skills; just install the plugin and start designing your subscription plans.
Reasons to Choose MemberPress:
- User-Friendly Setup:You can set up subscription plans for ad-free content in just a few minutes, without any technical expertise.
- Automated Recurring Payments:It integrates with popular payment processors and manages automatic recurring billing seamlessly.
- Seamless Integration with WordPress:No conflicts with themes or plugins — it integrates smoothly.
- Comprehensive Analytics:You can easily monitor the performance of your ad-free subscriptions.
We utilize MemberPress on our WordPress Video Courses platform. It aids us in managing access, selling courses, and keeping everything organized in the backend.
For a detailed overview of its features, take a look at our MemberPress review.
To begin, install and activate the MemberPress plugin. If you’re unfamiliar with this process, refer to our comprehensive guide on installing a WordPress plugin.
Helpful Tip💡: If you’re starting a membership site from the ground up, be sure to check out our ultimate guide to building a WordPress membership site.
Once the plugin is activated, navigate to MemberPress » Settings and add your payment gateway in the ‘Payments’ tab.
Click the ‘+ Add Payment Method’ button and follow the instructions for your chosen payment service.
MemberPress supports various payment options including PayPal Standard, Stripe, Authorize.net, and even offline payments. We typically prefer Stripe for its speed and reliability.
Next, go to MemberPress » Memberships and click ‘Add New’ to set up your first subscription plan.
Provide a name and a brief description for your plan. Then, select a price and specify whether the subscription is one-time or recurring.
For assistance with recurring billing, consult our guide on accepting recurring payments in WordPress.
Scroll down to the Membership Options section to customize settings such as permissions and pricing display.
In the ‘Advanced’ tab, enable ‘User Roles for this Membership’ to manage who has access.
You can choose any WordPress user role you prefer; for this guide, we will select the Subscriber role.
Click ‘Publish’ to save your changes. You can repeat this process to create multiple plans, each with its own set of rules and access controls.
Create a Pricing Page to Display Subscription Plans
Now let’s create a pricing page that showcases your subscription plans side by side. Navigate to MemberPress » Groups and click ‘Add New’.
Assign a title to the page, which will also serve as the page URL.
In the ‘Group Options’ section, select the membership plans you want to highlight on the page.
Click the ‘+’ button to add plans and use drag-and-drop functionality to arrange them in your desired order.
MemberPress also offers pre-designed templates for your pricing table. You can customize the design or add custom CSS to align with your branding.
Once you’re finished, click ‘Publish’ and visit the page to see your pricing table in action.
Next, we will demonstrate how to add and manage ads on your WordPress site.
Inserting Ads on Your WordPress Website
The simplest way to manage ads on your website is by using the AdSanity plugin, which is the top ad management plugin for WordPress.
With this plugin, you can effortlessly add and manage banner advertisements on your WordPress site. It also includes a ‘User Role Ad Visibility’ feature that allows you to hide ads from specific user roles within WordPress.
To get started, install and activate the AdSanity plugin. For detailed instructions, refer to our guide on installing a WordPress plugin.
Once the plugin is activated, navigate to the AdSanity » Settings section and select the ‘Licenses’ tab.
Then, input your license key and click the ‘Activate License’ button. You can easily locate the license key in your account area.
Remember to click the ‘Save Changes’ button once you have completed this step.
Afterward, go to AdSanity » Create Ad in your WordPress dashboard to set up your advertisement.
AdSanity allows you to create various types of ads. You can create self-hosted ads by manually adding banners and graphics.
Alternatively, you can also incorporate ads from external networks like Google AdSense. The plugin enables you to schedule ads, specify a display timeframe, or run them continuously.
When you’re finished, click the ‘Publish’ button.
You can now place your ads anywhere on your website using the AdSanity widget block or shortcodes.
The sidebar of your website is an excellent location for displaying banner ads. This placement enhances ad visibility and can lead to increased click-through rates.
To get started, navigate toAppearance » Widgetsin the WordPress admin dashboard. Then, click the ‘+’ icon to add the ‘AdSanity Single Ad’ widget block.
After adding the widget, click the ‘Update’ button to display ads in your website’s sidebar or any other widget-ready area.
For further information, please refer to our comprehensive guide on selling ads on your WordPress blog.
How to Conceal Ads for Subscribers in WordPress
You can hide ads for your subscribers in WordPress by utilizing the AdSanity User Role Ad Visibility add-on.
First, navigate toAdSanity » Add-Onsin your WordPress admin panel.
Then, scroll down to find the User Role Ad Visibility add-on and click the ‘More Info’ button.
You can now subscribe to the add-on on the AdSanity website. Just click the ‘Checkout’ button to complete your purchase.
Next, download and install the add-on on your website. If you require assistance, please consult our guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.
Once the add-on is activated, go toAdSanity » SettingsAccess your WordPress dashboard and navigate to the Licenses tab.
Enter the license key under the ‘AdSanity User Role Ad Visibility’ section and click the ‘Activate License’ button.
You can locate the license key in your AdSanity account. After entering the key, remember to click the ‘Save Changes’ button.
Next, navigate to the ‘Add-Ons’ tab within the AdSanity Settings.
In this section, you can choose to hide ads from specific user roles on your website.
For example, select the ‘Subscriber’ role so that users with a paid membership will not see ads on your site.
After making your selections, click the ‘Save Changes’ button.
Additional Resources
Users frequently inquire about various methods to monetize their WordPress content. Here are some valuable resources to help diversify your website’s income sources:
- The Definitive Guide to Affiliate Marketing for Beginners
- How to Build Trust and Generate Income Through Ethical Affiliate Marketing
- Top 7 Profitable Blogging Niches That Are Easy to Monetize
- How to Successfully Raise Funds with Crowdfunding on WordPress (2 Simple Methods)
We trust this article has guided you in creating an ad-free WordPress experience for your subscribers. Additionally, check out our comprehensive guide on launching an online store and explore our expert recommendations for essential WordPress plugins for your business.
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