How to Name Membership Levels, Tiers or Subscription Plans

Do you want to learn how to name membership levels, tiers or subscription plans on your membership website?

Suppose you find yourself in the process of planning your membership site. In that case, you’re likely considering the benefits you can provide your members and figuring out the appropriate pricing for those advantages.

It’s crucial to recognize that offering multiple membership levels significantly enhances your ability to attract new members, retain their interest, and boost your overall revenue.

However, another important decision awaits you – naming your membership levels. Selecting fitting names for your membership tiers or subscription plans is pivotal in establishing a successful and engaging membership program. These well-crafted names communicate the value of each tier and play a vital role in drawing in and retaining members on your site.

In this article, we will explore everything you need to know on how to name your membership levels.

For those utilizing ProfilePress to create your membership site, this post will guide you in naming your subscription plans. And even if you’re not, you’ll still find plenty of helpful information to help you make a better membership website.

Without further ado, let’s dig in!

What Are Membership Level Names or Tiers?

Membership level names or tiers are labels or titles assigned to different tiers or levels within a membership or subscription program. These names are a crucial aspect of structuring and marketing a membership system, providing a clear hierarchy that reflects the varying levels of access, benefits, and privileges offered to members.

In a membership website, multiple tiers are available to cater to diverse member needs and preferences. Each membership level typically comes with its own set of features, perks, and pricing.

The names assigned to these levels play a vital role in conveying the value associated with each tier, distinguishing between them, and influencing the members’ perceptions.

Why is naming your membership levels important?

Naming your membership levels is crucial for several reasons, as it directly impacts the success and effectiveness of your membership website. Here are some key reasons why the process of naming membership levels is so important:

Communicates Value: Well-crafted membership-level names convey the value associated with each tier. The names should communicate the benefits, features, and privileges members will receive, helping potential members understand what they gain by choosing a specific level.

Boost your brand and identity: Naming your membership levels helps strengthen your brand identity. When you choose names that match your brand’s style, message, and overall theme, you make a unified experience for your members. This, in turn, strengthens the link between your membership site and your brand.

Establishes Hierarchy: Naming creates a clear hierarchy among membership levels. This hierarchy helps members understand the progression from basic to premium levels, making it easier to choose the tier that aligns with their needs and budget.

Attracts and Retains Members: Creative and appealing names can attract potential members. When names resonate with the target audience, they create a positive first impression and increase the likelihood of individuals signing up. Moreover, well-chosen names can contribute to member retention by reinforcing the perceived value of the membership.

Simplifies Marketing and Communication: Memorable and descriptive names simplify marketing efforts and communication. When names clearly communicate the benefits of each level, it becomes easier to convey your membership offerings through various channels, including websites, promotional materials, and social media.

Naming your membership levels is a strategic endeavor that goes beyond mere labeling. It is a powerful tool for conveying value, creating hierarchy, and influencing member behavior. Thoughtful and intentional naming contributes to your membership website’s overall success and sustainability.

Factors to Consider When Naming Membership Levels

When naming membership levels, several factors should be carefully considered to ensure the names effectively communicate value, resonate with your audience, and contribute to the overall success of your membership program. Here are key factors to keep in mind:

Audience Understanding: Consider your target audience’s demographics, preferences, and language. Understanding your members’ characteristics ensures the names resonate with them and make your membership levels more appealing.

Value Proposition: Clearly define each membership level’s unique benefits and features. The names should reflect the distinct value proposition of each tier, helping members easily understand what they gain by choosing a particular level.

Consistency with Branding: Align the names with your brand’s tone, messaging, and overall theme. Consistent branding enhances recognition, trust, and the overall cohesion of your membership program.

Cultural Sensitivity: Be mindful of cultural nuances and potential sensitivities associated with certain words or phrases. Ensure that the names chosen are culturally appropriate and positively received by your diverse audience.

Hierarchy and Progression: Establish a logical hierarchy among membership levels. The names should convey a sense of progression, making it clear which level is basic, intermediate, and premium. This helps members understand the value of each tier.

7 Different Approaches to Naming Membership Levels, Tiers, or Subscription Plans

Naming membership levels, tiers, or subscription plans requires a thoughtful approach to capture the essence of each tier and engage your audience. Here are seven different approaches:

Descriptive Naming

Descriptive naming involves clearly articulating the features or benefits of each membership tier, providing potential members with an immediate understanding of what to expect at each level.

This approach eliminates ambiguity and ensures members can easily discern the differences between various levels, facilitating a straightforward decision-making process. Clarity in naming is especially essential when you have diverse features or benefits to offer across different tiers.

Example

Basic Membership: This entry-level tier provides fundamental access to essential features, catering to those seeking a straightforward, budget-friendly option.

Premium Subscription: Positioned as a mid-tier option, the “Premium Subscription” offers an upgraded set of benefits beyond the basic level, appealing to members looking for a more enhanced experience.

Elite Access: Reserved for the top tier, the “Elite Access” membership delivers exclusive privileges and premium benefits, attracting members seeking the highest level of service and perks.

Incorporating a descriptive approach ensures that your membership levels are informative and serve as a practical tool for attracting and retaining members who align with the specific benefits offered at each tier.

Price/Term-Based Naming

When adopting a price or term-based naming, simplicity and transparency are key. This method is often employed when membership plans offer the same access and features, with the primary distinction being the payment term. This approach is straightforward and easily understood by potential subscribers.

Common Options:

• Daily
• Weekly
• Monthly
• Quarterly
• Annual/Annually
• Lifetime
• X months (e.g., one month, three months, six months, etc.)

Ensure that plans within the same category offer identical access and features to avoid confusion based on anything other than price or term.

The price/term-based naming approach might lack the creativity of other approaches. Still, its simplicity and clarity make it an effective choice for those aiming to provide straightforward options to their audience.

Metaphorical Naming

In metaphorical naming, each tier is likened to a concept, symbol, or precious metal embodying the membership level’s essence. This simplifies the decision-making process for potential members and evokes a sense of exclusivity and adventure.

Examples:

Silver Level: The metaphor of “silver” suggests a level of value and quality. This tier might be positioned as an entry point with valuable benefits for those just starting their exploration.

Gold Level: The metaphor of “Gold” conveys a premium and highly valued status. This tier could be positioned as a mid-level membership with enhanced benefits, attracting those seeking a more substantial experience.

Platinum Level: The metaphor “Platinum” signifies the highest level of quality and exclusivity. This tier may be marketed as the pinnacle, offering elite benefits for those who want to lead the way.

Expanding on this Approach

Choosing Metaphors: Consider metaphors that align with your brand and resonate with your target audience. For a fitness-focused membership, metaphors related to strength or endurance might be appropriate, while a travel-oriented program could use metaphors linked to exploration.

Creating a Story: Develop a narrative around the metaphors to create a cohesive and engaging story for your membership levels. This story should highlight the journey or progression members can expect within your program.

Visual Elements: Integrate visual elements that complement the metaphorical names. Design logos or graphics representing the chosen metaphors, reinforcing the theme, and creating a visually cohesive brand identity.

Consistency Across Communication: Maintain consistency in your communication, ensuring that the metaphorical names are reflected in marketing materials, website content, and other communication channels. This consistency reinforces the narrative and strengthens the association between the names and the benefits of each tier.

By adopting the metaphorical naming approach, you create an engaging and memorable membership experience and provide your audience with a clear understanding of each tier’s value. This approach can be particularly effective in capturing the imagination of potential members and fostering a sense of connection with your brand.

User Type-Based Naming

User Type-Based Naming is a classification method where each membership level caters to a distinct category of users. This ensures that the benefits and features align precisely with the needs and preferences of the targeted user group. This approach simplifies decision-making for potential members and enhances their overall experience.

Common examples include:

• Individual
• Student
• Family.

If you sell to both individuals and businesses, you could use a structure like this:

• Individual
• Team
• Enterprise

The User Type-Based Naming Approach is a powerful strategy for membership-level differentiation. By catering to specific user types, you enhance clarity, relevance, and user engagement, ultimately creating a more user-friendly and appealing subscription experience.

Skill or Expertise Naming

One compelling approach is to frame membership levels as distinct skill or expertise levels. This adds a dynamic and engaging element to your subscription model and allows members to identify with their proficiency within your community.

The idea is to convey a sense of progression and growth by framing membership levels as different levels of expertise or skill. This approach encourages members to perceive their subscription as a journey of development and improvement.

Example

Novice Tier: The entry-level membership is perfect for those just starting their journey. It offers foundational benefits and serves as a warm welcome to newcomers.

Explorer Level: Positioned as an intermediate tier, this level caters to members who have explored the basics and are ready for more advanced features and exclusive perks.

Master Plan: The pinnacle of expertise within your community. This level provides access to all advanced features, privileges, and exclusive content, catering to members who have mastered the intricacies of your offerings.

Real-World Application

Consider a fitness-oriented membership platform:

• Novice Tier: Basic workout plans and access to introductory fitness content.
• Explorer Level: Intermediate workouts, personalized coaching, and access to exclusive fitness challenges.
• Master Plan: Advanced training programs, one-on-one sessions with fitness experts, and VIP access to fitness events.

Or for a language-learning subscription:

• Novice Tier: Basic language lessons and interactive quizzes.
• Explorer Level: Intermediate language modules, live conversation sessions, and access to cultural immersion content.
• Master Plan: Advanced language courses, personalized language coaching, and exclusive access to language exchange events.

By framing membership levels as skill or expertise levels, you provide tangible value to your members and create a narrative that encourages ongoing engagement and progression within your subscription community.

Content Delivery Naming

One approach to consider is “Content Delivery Naming,” which involves structuring your membership tiers based on the kind and quantity of content accessible to subscribers. This approach is particularly prevalent in content-driven platforms such as streaming services, educational platforms, and other digital content providers.

This approach recognizes that not all subscribers have the same preferences or needs and offers a tiered system to cater to diverse interests.

Example

Netflix employs the Content Delivery Naming approach by offering multiple membership levels that grant access to different content libraries, streaming quality, and the number of screens that can simultaneously stream content.

This Naming approach is an effective strategy for platforms where the variety and volume of content play a pivotal role in attracting and retaining subscribers. By offering diverse levels of content access, you empower your audience to choose the membership tier that aligns with their preferences and enhances their overall experience with your platform.

Supporters Naming

This approach is ideal if your online membership or subscription model is built around the concept of patronage, where individuals sign up to support and contribute to your content or cause.

Popularized by platforms like Patreon or Facebook Subscription Groups, supporters can choose different levels of financial support. This model provides a unique opportunity to infuse creativity into naming the supporter levels.

One example of this comes from the Smarter Every Day Patreon account:

These six membership levels have interesting names like Cat Flipper, Thinker and Doer, Gentleman/Lady Scholar, Prince Rupert’s Drop, Backwards Bicycle Rider, and Researcher Assistant. These names are fun and creative and match the audience’s interests.

This example showcases the creativity and relevance that can be achieved when aligning membership-level names with your patronage model. By choosing names that resonate with your supporters and reflect the nature of your content or cause, you can enhance the engagement and loyalty of your members who act as patrons.

Note: This approach is particularly effective when your members play a significant role in supporting your endeavors, making them more likely to connect with creatively named supporter levels.

How do you test your membership levels, tiers, or subscription plan names?

Before finalizing the names for your membership levels, it’s imperative to test them to ensure that they effectively resonate with your audience, communicate value, and contribute to the success of your membership program.

Here’s how to test your membership-level names:

Create a Test Group: Select a representative group of your target audience to participate in the testing process. This group should reflect the diversity and preferences of your broader membership base.

Survey and Feedback: Design a survey to gather feedback on the proposed membership-level names. Use open-ended questions to encourage participants to share their thoughts on the clarity, appeal, and understanding of each name.

A/B Testing: Implement A/B testing by presenting different sets of membership-level names to separate groups within your audience. Monitor each set’s engagement, conversion rates, and member feedback to identify which names perform better.

Social Media Polls: Leverage your social media channels to conduct polls or quizzes featuring the proposed membership-level names. Analyze the responses and comments to gauge public sentiment.

Testing your membership level names allows you to refine and optimize your approach based on user feedback. By engaging with your audience through various testing methods, you can ensure that the chosen names align with their preferences, making the membership experience more appealing and accessible.

Wrap Up

We’ve shared a wealth of information in this article, and we hope you’ve enjoyed learning how to name your membership levels, tiers, or subscription plans. As you walk away, we trust you’ve gathered ideas to implement on your site.

Feel free to mix and match the suggested approaches based on your brand identity, target audience, and the nature of your subscription service. The ultimate goal is to create names that resonate with your customers, clearly communicate the value proposition of each tier, and make the subscription options memorable and enticing.

For those still in the early stages of planning your membership community, we offer additional guides to assist with the technical details of running a membership site. Check out these posts to get started:

• How to Create a WordPress Membership Site & Accept Payments
• How to Create a Video Membership Site in WordPress
• Best WordPress Membership Plugins for Creating a Membership Site
• And many more

We wish you the very best on your membership journey!