A step-by-step guide to setting up the Membership block so you can sell subscription access directly from your UniLink page.
- The Membership block lets you sell monthly, yearly, or lifetime subscriptions directly from your UniLink page — no separate website needed.
- Add it from the Dashboard block picker, then connect your Stripe account and configure your tiers.
- The most important setting is the member benefits list — clear, specific benefits drive conversions more than anything else.
- Common gotcha: forgetting to enable the Membership app before adding the block; you'll see an empty or broken block if the app isn't active.
What the Membership block does
The Membership block is a self-contained subscription sales unit you embed on your UniLink page. It displays one or more membership tiers — each with its own price, billing interval, and list of member benefits — and an enrollment button that triggers a Stripe checkout. When a visitor clicks to join, they pay through Stripe and are automatically added to your member roster in the UniLink CRM.
Beyond the checkout flow, the block integrates with UniLink's gated content system. Once a visitor subscribes to a tier, they gain access to any content on your page that you've toggled to members-only — blocks, links, or media that are hidden from non-members. This makes the Membership block useful not just as a sales widget but as the access control layer for an entire members-only section of your page.
You can configure multiple tiers on a single Membership block — for example, a free tier with basic access, a paid monthly tier with full content, and a lifetime tier for one-time buyers. Each tier can have its own name, price, billing interval (monthly, yearly, or lifetime), and benefits list. The block also handles the cancellation flow natively: members can manage and cancel their subscriptions through a self-service portal without needing to contact you.
How to add the Membership block
- Enable the Membership app: In your UniLink Dashboard, go to Apps and make sure the Membership app is toggled on. The block won't function correctly without the app active.
- Connect Stripe: In the Membership app settings, connect your Stripe account if you haven't already. UniLink uses Stripe for all subscription billing, so this step is required before you can accept payments.
- Open the page editor: Navigate to the page where you want to add the block and open the editor.
- Add the Membership block: Click the "+" button to open the block picker, scroll to or search for "Membership," and click to add it to your page.
- Configure your first tier: In the block settings panel, click "Add tier." Enter the tier name, set the price and billing interval, and add your member benefits as individual line items.
- Set the enrollment button text: Edit the default button label to something specific, like "Join the Community" or "Get Monthly Access," rather than leaving it as the generic default.
- Configure gated content (optional): For any block or link on your page that should be members-only, open its settings and toggle the member-only visibility option. Select which tier grants access.
- Publish the page: Save and publish. The Membership block is now live and accepting subscriptions.
Key settings to configure
| Setting | What it does | Recommended value |
|---|---|---|
| Tier name | The label displayed on the block for each tier | Something descriptive and outcome-focused, e.g., "Monthly Coaching" not "Tier 1" |
| Billing interval | How often the subscriber is charged: monthly, yearly, or one-time lifetime | Offer at least two intervals (monthly + yearly) to capture both buyer types; yearly reduces churn |
| Member benefits list | Bullet-point list of what the member gets with this tier | 3–6 specific, concrete benefits; avoid vague phrases like "exclusive content" |
| Enrollment button label | The CTA text on the button that triggers checkout | Action-oriented and tier-specific, e.g., "Join Monthly" or "Get Lifetime Access" |
| Member-only content toggle | Hides a block or link from non-members until they subscribe | Use sparingly — gate your highest-value content, not everything, to avoid frustrating new visitors |
| Featured tier highlight | Visually emphasizes one tier as the recommended option | Mark your best-value tier (usually yearly) as featured to guide conversion |
Best practices for the Membership block
Position the Membership block strategically on your page — it should not be the first thing visitors see. Lead with content that establishes your value: a short bio or intro, a few example links, or a content preview. Once a visitor understands who you are and what they'd be getting, they're in a far better position to evaluate the membership offer. Placing the Membership block mid-page, after the value-building content, typically converts better than placing it at the top.
If you're offering multiple tiers, keep the number manageable. Two or three tiers is the sweet spot. More than three creates decision paralysis — visitors spend time comparing options instead of committing. If you have a free tier, include it: it lowers the barrier to entry and lets you move people from free to paid over time. A common pattern is free (basic access), monthly (full access), and yearly (full access at a discount) — three options that cover the full range of buyer intent without overwhelming anyone.
Use the gated content feature deliberately. The goal of gating is to demonstrate the value of membership, not to hide everything. A good approach: keep your top-level page mostly open so new visitors can see what you're about, and gate only the specific high-value items — a private video, a premium download, a members-only booking link. This creates a clear "preview vs. member" distinction without making your public page feel sparse or locked down.
Review your Stripe payouts and membership analytics monthly. UniLink's CRM tracks active subscribers, cancellations, and revenue by tier. Watch your monthly churn rate closely in the first few months — a high churn rate usually signals that the actual member experience isn't living up to what the benefits list promised. Fix the experience before spending more effort driving traffic to the block.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
| Mistake | Why it happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Block shows as empty or broken | Membership app not enabled before adding the block | Go to Dashboard → Apps, enable the Membership app, then reload the page editor |
| Checkout button does nothing | Stripe account not connected or connection expired | Go to Membership app settings → Stripe, reconnect your account, then test checkout in a private browser window |
| Members can't see gated content after subscribing | Gated content is assigned to a different tier than the one the member subscribed to | Check each gated block's tier assignment in its settings panel; make sure it matches the tier the member is on |
| Low conversion despite good traffic | Vague benefits list or no visual hierarchy between tiers | Rewrite benefits as specific outcomes; mark one tier as "Featured" to reduce decision paralysis |
| Yearly pricing not showing | Billing interval was left on monthly-only when adding the tier | Edit the tier settings, add a second entry for the yearly interval with the discounted annual price |
When to use the Membership block
- You have recurring value to deliver — ongoing content, coaching sessions, community updates, or a premium newsletter
- You want to sell subscriptions without a separate website or third-party platform
- You have at least some existing audience who already trusts you and knows your work
- You want to gate specific content sections for paying members only
- You're a coach, creator, educator, or community manager with a repeatable program format
When to use something else
- You're selling a one-time product or service — use a Product or Store block instead
- You're running a free community with no paid tier — use a Link block to point to Discord, Slack, or a Facebook Group
- You need advanced course hosting with structured lessons and progress tracking — a dedicated LMS (e.g., Teachable, Kajabi) may be more appropriate alongside UniLink
- You have no existing audience yet — build your audience first; a Membership block with zero traffic will have zero conversions
Frequently asked questions
Does UniLink take a cut of my membership revenue?
UniLink charges no additional transaction fees on membership revenue beyond Stripe's standard processing fees (typically 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction). Your subscription revenue goes directly to your connected Stripe account. UniLink plan fees are separate and not percentage-based.
Can I offer a free trial before charging?
Yes. In the tier settings, you can configure a free trial period (e.g., 7 or 14 days) before the first charge. The visitor enters their payment details at enrollment but isn't charged until the trial ends. This is useful for reducing friction on higher-priced tiers.
What happens when a member cancels?
When a member cancels, they retain access until the end of their current billing period. After that, UniLink automatically removes their member status and re-hides any gated content. The cancellation is handled entirely through Stripe; you don't need to manually update anything.
Can I have more than one Membership block on the same page?
You can add multiple Membership blocks to a page, but it's generally not recommended. Multiple blocks create confusion about which offer to choose. A better approach is to use a single Membership block with multiple tiers configured within it, which keeps the comparison clear and the decision flow simple.
- Enable the Membership app before adding the block — the block won't work without the app active.
- The member benefits list is your highest-leverage setting; write specific outcomes, not vague category names.
- Offer monthly and yearly billing intervals to capture both buyer types and reduce churn with annual commitments.
- Gate your best content, not all your content — a mostly open page with a few premium-access items converts better than a fully locked page.
- Two or three tiers is the sweet spot; more than three creates decision paralysis and hurts conversion.
Ready to get started? Create your free UniLink page and add your first Membership block today.