Using your website to increase customer & employee loyalty

In this week’s newsletter, I’d like to talk to you about the power of gated content…

Hey, 

In a conversation with some fellow web developers this week, we started talking about the kinds of projects we’re working on lately and what we’ve seen change in our industry.

One thing I mentioned is noticing an increased need to create “gated content”. This is either entire pages or parts of pages that hidden behind a login and not visible to public visitors.

There are two primary uses for gating content:

1. Premium Content: Whether it’s saved for only your existing clients or for paid subscribers, a lot of businesses are creating exclusive content.
2. Internal Use: As companies have become more distributed (especially post-COVID), having a online portal to access documents, store training materials, or offer resources makes it more convenient than having to email things back and forth over and over again.

These types of websites used to be fairly complicated (and expensive) to set up due to the complexity of restricting user access. But, thanks to the demand and advancement of technology, even small (and really small) businesses can afford and manage these types of systems.

Here are a few use cases to consider:

• Internal Company Hub: Centralize company documents, policies, and training resources, empowering employees to self-manage and access what they need, thus reducing administrative overhead.
• Exclusive Client Resources: Enhance client engagement with premium content, from articles and videos to early product releases, fostering a sense of exclusivity and loyalty.
• Learning and Development: Offer specialized workshops, webinars, and online courses to both employees and customers, supporting continuous growth and development.
• Rewards and Loyalty: Develop customer loyalty programs that offer tangible rewards, further cementing your relationship with your clientele.

Creating an online portal for your employees not only streamlines access to essential resources and information but also empowers them to self-manage and locate what they need independently. This can significantly reduce administrative burden and encourage a more self-sufficient workforce.

By transforming your website into an exclusive resource hub for clients, you not only enrich their experience with valuable, members-only content but also significantly enhance your brand’s “stickiness”—increasing customer retention and loyalty as they become more invested in your ecosystem, making it less likely for them to seek alternatives.

As we continue to be up against more and more competition — not just for customers, but also for talent — I think these types of systems can be a powerful way to separate ourselves from the competition.

Have you ever had the need for something like this in your business?