How it Works

This Add On is inspired by sites like Time and the New York Times, which limit visitors to a specific number of article views before redirecting users to a paywall.

This plugin sets a cookie for each visitor to track their views. The plugin’s settings page allows you to set the number of visits per “term” for non-members as well as for each membership level. It will allow visitors or members limited access to view posts they do not already have access to view. Once the user’s view limit is reached, they are redirected to the assigned page (most people select the Membership Levels page).

You must first restrict access to the posts that are included in the metered views. This Add On does not add view limits to public posts (unprotected) on your site.

The plugin’s use of cookies means that it is incredibly easy to circumvent this protection by using a different computer, browsers, or incognito mode, etc. The idea is not to completely block users from your site, but to gently nudge returning readers to sign up for an account.

Video Demo: How to Limit or Meter Post Access

Installation

You must have the Paid Memberships Pro plugin installed and activated with a valid license type to use this Add On.

  1. Navigate to Memberships > Add Ons in the WordPress admin.
  2. Locate the Add On and click Install Now.
    • To install this plugin manually, download the .zip file above, then upload the compressed directory via the Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin screen in the WordPress admin.
  3. Activate the plugin through the Plugins screen in the WordPress admin.

Settings

  1. Navigate to Memberships > Limit Post Views
  2. From this page, you can configure the viewing limits for non-members as well as for each membership level.
  3. You can also set the “term” for viewing limits (per hour, day, week, or month).
  4. Assign a membership level to the post or category.
  5. Set the page to redirect users to once the viewing limit is reached.
  6. Check the box to “Use JavaScript Redirection” if you have caching enabled on your site.

Screenshots

Limit Post Views Add On for Paid Memberships Pro

Metered Content and SEO Opportunities

This Add On is also a great workaround to allow search engines “in” to index your content.

If you set post views to 1, search bots can access posts and index them. We’re working on other unique code to allow search bots to scan your full site for SEO, but until that time this is the interim solution.

Action and Filter Hooks

The following filters are available in this Add On:

apply_filters( 'pmprolpv_post_types', array $post_types );
apply_filters( 'pmprolpv_has_membership_access', bool true, array $queried_object );

This is a Plus Add On.

Plus Add Ons are included in all Plus or higher premium membership plans.