Membership Machine Show | Membership | WordPress | Community | Marketing

About Membership Machine Show | Membership | WordPress | Community | Marketing

The Membership Machine Show for advice, tips, and insight on planning, running, and growing a thriving membership or community website on WordPress. Plus, we discuss the leading digital marketing and automation using WordPress or other online platforms. The show's regular hosts are Jonathan Denwood and Kurt von Ahnen.

Publisher

Jonathan Denwood & Kurt von Ahnen

Category

business · education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

14 Aug 2023

Latest episode

9 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

148 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   9 Oct 2026

   #188 - The Membership Machine Show: Why Creators Are Leaving Skool at the End of 2026

   Why are creators leaving Skool in 2026? Discover the real reasons behind the mass exodus and which platforms creators are switching to. In this insightful video, we explore why creators are leaving Skool as 2026 ends. We examine shifting dynamics across content-creation platforms, the impact of policy changes, and emerging alternatives attracting talent. Discover the trends influencing this migration and what it means for the future of digital content. Tune in to understand the landscape and why creators are making this pivotal shift. ---------------------- Sponsors of The Show ------------------- Jetpack - https://f0k0.short.gy/97gIS8 Ninja Forms - https://f0k0.short.gy/97gIS8 WP-Rollover - https://f0k0.short.gy/97gIS8 LifterLMS - https://f0k0.short.gy/97gIS8 ---------------- ------------------ ------------------ ------------------ Jonathan Denwood & Kurt von Ahnen Jonathan Denwood https://www.wp-tonic.com https://manananomas.com ---------------- ------------------ ------------------ ------------------ ▬▬ LEARN FROM US ▬▬ ► Our course is" Are You Looking To Build Your Membership Website Quickly And EASILY On WordPress?" https://www.wp-tonic.com/course/ ▬▬ LET'S CONNECT ▬▬ ► Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/wptonic ► Podcast "The Membership Machine Show." | "The WP-Tonic Show" | "The David Quald SEO Show" https://f0k0.short.gy/9AO3tG https://f0k0.short.gy/oF9q9f https://f0k0.short.gy/mLDLvv ► X (Twitter) https://x.com/wptonic_com ▬▬ SPECIAL DEALS ON THE TOOLS WE USE TO BUILD (ONLINE COURSES) ▬▬ https://f0k0.short.gy/97gIS8 ▬▬ ABOUT THIS CHANNEL ▬▬ We discuss everything related to building a successful membership/community website in 2024, from the right technology to up-to-date digital marketing techniques. //CONTACT: For business inquiries ONLY, please use this email: jonathan@wp-tonic.com ----------------------------- ------------------------------- ----------------------------- #1 - Growth Boost | made Skool pay-to-play. Skool used to give most communities some free reach through discovery and search. Now it takes at least 30% and up to 70% of sales from those channels. That includes people who already found you on YouTube and just searched your name inside Skool. People call this paying twice: once for the platform and again for the traffic. It only applies to Skool-driven leads: If a user joins your community through your own direct email invite, a social media link, or an external website, Skool only deducts standard processing fees (either the 10% Hobby fee or the 2.9% Pro fee). The 30% to 70% cut strictly applies to members categorized under the "Skool network" traffic source. #2 - Skool used to give most communities some free reach through discovery and search. Now it takes at least 30% and up to 70% of sales from those channels. That includes people who already found you on YouTube and just searched your name inside Skool. He calls this paying twice: once for the platform and again for the traffic. #3 - Only a few communities get boosted. People estimate Boost picks up only about 1–2% of communities. Those tend to be the ones already earning the most, trending, or converting best. Smaller or look-alike communities get little or nothing. #4 - The number of communities is falling. Skool went from close to 200,000 communities to about 156,000, a loss of at least 30,000 in recent months. He calls it a steady decline, and says many owners now see Skool as "just a platform." #5 - Without its network, Skool is just another platform. The main draw was the built-in audience, not the fea...

2. 

   28 Sept 2026

   #187 - The Membership Machine Show:How To Create a Successful Training Platform for Your Organization in 2026

   #187 - The Membership Machine Show:How To Create a Successful Training Platform for Your Organization in 2026 How To Create a Successful Training Platform for Your Organization in 2026 Learn how to create a successful training platform for your organization in 2026 with proven strategies, tools, and expert tips. Start building today. In this informative show, we explore the essential steps to build a successful training platform tailored for your organization in 2026. Discover innovative tools, strategies, and best practices to engage employees and strengthen skills development. Whether you're a leader or an HR professional, this guide will equip you to build a learning culture. ---------------------- Sponsors of The Show ------------------- Jetpack - https://f0k0.short.gy/97gIS8 Ninja Forms - https://f0k0.short.gy/97gIS8 WP-Rollover - https://f0k0.short.gy/97gIS8 LifterLMS - https://f0k0.short.gy/97gIS8 ---------------- ------------------ ------------------ ------------------ Jonathan Denwood & Kurt von Ahnen Jonathan Denwood https://www.wp-tonic.com https://manananomas.com ---------------- ------------------ ------------------ ------------------ ▬▬ LEARN FROM US ▬▬ ► Our course is" Are You Looking To Build Your Membership Website Quickly And EASILY On WordPress?" https://www.wp-tonic.com/course/ ▬▬ LET'S CONNECT ▬▬ ► Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/wptonic ► Podcast "The Membership Machine Show." | "The WP-Tonic Show" | "The David Quald SEO Show" https://f0k0.short.gy/9AO3tG https://f0k0.short.gy/oF9q9f https://f0k0.short.gy/mLDLvv ► X (Twitter) https://x.com/wptonic_com ▬▬ SPECIAL DEALS ON THE TOOLS WE USE TO BUILD (ONLINE COURSES) ▬▬ https://f0k0.short.gy/97gIS8 ▬▬ ABOUT THIS CHANNEL ▬▬ We discuss everything related to building a successful membership/community website in 2024, from the right technology to up-to-date digital marketing techniques. //CONTACT: For business inquiries ONLY, please use this email: jonathan@wp-tonic.com ----------------------------- ------------------------------- -----------------------------

3. 

   15 Sept 2026

   #186 - The Membership Machine Show: What It Really Costs to Own a Website

   What It Really Costs to Own a Membership Website Membership website costs revealed: platform fees, content creation, marketing & more. Get the real numbers before you launch. Have you ever considered launching a membership website? In this show, we reveal the true costs of owning and maintaining one. From platform fees to content creation and marketing, we break down each expense to give you a clear financial picture. Understanding these costs can save you time and money. Don’t miss out. ---------------------- Sponsors of The Show ------------------- Jetpack - https://f0k0.short.gy/97gIS8 Ninja Forms - https://f0k0.short.gy/97gIS8 WP-Rollover - https://f0k0.short.gy/97gIS8 LifterLMS - https://f0k0.short.gy/97gIS8 ---------------- ------------------ ------------------ ------------------ Jonathan Denwood & Kurt von Ahnen Jonathan Denwood https://www.wp-tonic.com https://manananomas.com ---------------- ------------------ ------------------ ------------------ #1 - Hidden Recurring Costs Hosting renewals, domain fees, SSL certificates, and premium plugin/theme licenses that quietly add up every year. #2 - The Maintenance Trap Ongoing costs for updates, backups, security monitoring, and uptime management that most site owners underestimate upfront. #3 - DIY vs. Hiring Help Comparing the true cost of building/managing a site yourself versus paying a developer, agency, or retainer service. #4 - Platform Lock-In Costs How switching CMS platforms, page builders, or hosts later can cost far more than the original setup. #5 - The Real Price of "Free" Why free website builders and plugins often carry hidden costs in ads, limitations, or expensive upgrade paths. #6 - Downtime and Security Breach Costs The financial impact of lost traffic, lost trust, and recovery expenses when a site goes down or gets hacked. ---------------- ------------------ ------------------ ------------------ ▬▬ LEARN FROM US ▬▬ ► Our course is" Are You Looking To Build Your Membership Website Quickly And EASILY On WordPress?" https://www.wp-tonic.com/course/ ▬▬ LET'S CONNECT ▬▬ ► Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/wptonic ► Podcast "The Membership Machine Show." | "The WP-Tonic Show" | "The David Quald SEO Show" https://f0k0.short.gy/9AO3tG https://f0k0.short.gy/oF9q9f https://f0k0.short.gy/mLDLvv ► X (Twitter) https://x.com/wptonic_com ▬▬ SPECIAL DEALS ON THE TOOLS WE USE TO BUILD (ONLINE COURSES) ▬▬ https://f0k0.short.gy/97gIS8 ▬▬ ABOUT THIS CHANNEL ▬▬ We discuss everything related to building a successful membership/community website in 2024, from the right technology to up-to-date digital marketing techniques. //CONTACT: For business inquiries ONLY, please use this email: jonathan@wp-tonic.com ----------------------------- ------------------------------- -----------------------------

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

210,436

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.5 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 70 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

78

Social presence

0

YouTube

93

Engagement

60