Multiple free memberships with AWeber integration and automated account creation

[honza]

I am in a need to setup a custom registration workflow that is not currently listed as one of the supported workflows.

1. User subscribes to my mailing list through AWeber

2. AWeber sends the user a double-opt-in confirmation e-mail

3. User confirms the subscription through the confirmation link

4. AWeber activates the subscriber and redirects him to the corresponding Welcome page on my blog

5. The Welcome page uses POST parameters from AWeber to automatically create an eMember account for the users

5.1. Username is set to the user’s e-mail address

5.2. Password is generated

5.3. User is automatically logged in using cookies so that he does not have to login again unless he requests to log out

5.4. Membership level is set to the one whose name matches the AWeber mailing list name

5.5. If the POST parameters from AWeber include a custom field named REFERRER and it contains an e-mail address of another valid user, I want that other user’s custom field REFERRALS increased by one and his membership upgraded if the REFERRALS count exceeds specific number (if you think you recognize Frank Kern’s Good Karma Machine here then you’re right)

6. An e-mail containing the user’s generated password is sent to the user

The main reason is that I want to avoid bothering my subscribers with any unnecessary information entry that might stop them from subscribing. I also want to avoid using eMember’s mailing features (at least during the confirmation process) because AWeber has so great deliverability (which is why I use it to host my mailing lists).

I also need to have multiple free memberships for subscribers of my mailing lists. I am wondering if this can be achieved by considering the AWeber subscription being “a payment”

I would also like to remove the user account when the user unsubscribes from my AWeber mailing list.

I am comfortable modifying PHP code and I am willing to help with the coding to make this one of the officially supported workflows in eMember.

I understand that most of the above should be achievable by some custom PHP in the Welcome page, but I have no idea where to start and I will appreciate any hints as how to avoid creating a solution that will likely break with every future upgrade of WP eMember. Not sure if there is a better way but the user deletion after unsubscribing could be achieved using the AWeber’s API.

I think that my modifications would also help users participating in these threads:

https://support.tipsandtricks-hq.com/forums/topic/squeeze-form-email-handling-with-aweber-profollow-and-pay-per-view-page

https://support.tipsandtricks-hq.com/forums/topic/aweber-integration

https://support.tipsandtricks-hq.com/forums/topic/aweber-integration-for-free-members

Thanks for any hints.

[amin007]

Lot of these depend on AWeber having the notification API. I am happy to work on a solution if we can sort out the AWeber’s side of things.

My first question is on point 4. Does AWeber have a functionality that will notify a script when someone confirms the subscription? Can you point me to the documentation that explains how to use that API?

[honza]

Thanks for such a fast response!

Slight update – I am in hurry and need to have this functional within days. I also have a PHP programmer available to work on this almost immediately. So if we can get in closer touch we can do most of the work and use your help just to avoid dead end ways and to make the changes clean.

Now the AWeber details:

1) Subscribing – there are two ways to get notified about a new subscriber. One is e-mail. But that would require an e-mail parser, probably running as a crontab task. Second one is a custom success page. AWeber lets me specify any URL where the subscriber is supposed to be brough upon confirming his subscription. I also have an option to pass subscriber’s data as POST parameters to that page. I believe the custom success page is the way to go to create the new accounts. Details are documented here: http://www.aweber.com/faq/questions/553/How+Do+I+Pass+Form+Data+to+My+Thank+You+Pages%3F

However, there is a note that this option is not recommended for WordPress users. I will have to check why with the AWeber support.

Anyway, if it means I have to create my own PHP script that will process the data and then redirect the user to the WordPress page I am OK with that.

2) AWeber API – allows full access to mailing list data for authorized applications. Explained in detail here: https://labs.aweber.com/

I assume that my point 4 is easily doable using the custom success page with forwarded parameters.

I also assume that account suspension upon unsubscribing cannot be done without the AWeber API or an e-mail parser, but I may be wrong…

[amin007]

That option to pass the form data looks promising. I will send you an email so you can reply back.

[Zain]

Hi Amin,

How’s things? Hope things are going well!

Anyway, I’m wondering if there’s any update on Honza’s suggestion? I’m in agreement that sending 2 sets of emails (one from eMember or even eStore) and the other from Aweber does reduce sign ups. Honza’s right about the Aweber Labs – their new API is starting to look very promising.

A tighter integration using the Aweber Labs API would be a very sensible solution for several reason:

• Admins only need to set up of email content once, rather than two (Anything that saves time for an Admin is always welcome!)
• Better subscription rate on the Aweber Mailing list.

  (I’ve had the situation where people subscribe for Membership but don’t bother with the emails and so miss out!).

• Makes it simpler for Admins to set up integration. Great for less technically minded Admins.
• Less to explain on the eMember training videos. (i.e. no need to explain how to set up parsers etc. Everything is done auto-magically by the plugin!)

Skimming the Aweber Labs documentation, I also noted that it’s possible to “unsubscribe” users (https://labs.aweber.com/docs/faq). WP eMember could have a very powerful feature on the user Profile page if it allowed users to manage their own subscriptions. Would this be possible to add? Please.

Following on from the idea of tighter Aweber integration, it would also be useful if WP eMember could auto-magically move users to another list when their account is upgraded. For example, a user changing membership levels from free to premium would automatically have their Aweber subscription changed from the free list to the premium mailing list. Again, it looks like this is also possible to be done using the new Aweber Labs API.

Doing so would mean, eMember Admins wouldn’t have to set up the Automation Rules to move subscribers(some people aren’t technical, so find this difficult). It would be another powerful reason for people to use eMember.

These kind of features would be great as it makes it much easier for eMember Affiliates to promote the product.

The only thing I’d comment on about Honza’s suggestion is the “I would also like to remove the user account when the user unsubscribes from my AWeber mailing list” part. If this could be optional then that would be great. Flexibility is good. Some people don’t want emails but do still want to be members.

Please can you also let me know when/if these types of features are incorporated into the eMember plugin? I’m not sure if you notify customers when new versions are out – I tend to use the manual update method (but would be nice being emailed and told what’s new!).

Cheers,

Zain

PS: the other reason I’d like to see tighter integration is actually because I recommend using Aweber and I’m an Affiliate. I do believe you recommend them too…

[amin007]

We have worked on this and there is a solution for eMember in place that honza is using. It still needs documenting so it is not an advertised feature of eMember yet. Basically, this option will be introduced as our 4th registration/signup scenerio here:

http://www.tipsandtricks-hq.com/wordpress-membership/a-typical-member-registration-flow-96

[honza]

I am still working on it with Amin’s kind help. Using a prototype of the functionality at http://fmbench.com but it still needs some work to be suitable for general distribution.

Anyway, due to insufficient capacity, it does not go as fast as I would like it to. If you are willing to help, especially with the AWeber Labs API, I will greatly appreciate it and I am sure Amin will as well

[Zain]

Hi Amin & Honza,

Anyone have any further update on the progress of this functionality?

Cheers,

Zain

[admin]

We added an API in eMember so you can send the data from AWeber and it will create a member for that user who just signed up using the AWeber signup form. The AWeber labs still doesn’t have an option to signup a user using the API.

[Zain]

Hi, I just remembered this thread…

Am I right in assuming that if you use an Aweber form, then the Aweber API will post the data across to eMember and create a new user account? If so, then that sound perfect (just as long as users registering only get 1 confirmation email, rather than 2!).

Anyway, I’m just wondering if you have any documentation on how you set this up? I’ve not played with eMember in a while, so I’m going to download the latest version now… but documentation is always useful to refer to!

Thanks again in advance. Keep up the great work!

Cheers,

Zain

[admin]

Yes your assumption is correct. We don’t have any documentation for it yet as it is not one of the supported features. honza was suppose to write up a small step by step instruction for it but she never did.

I can give you a summary of what needs to be done.

1) You basically tell AWeber to send the notification after a signup to the following eMember script (you can configure this in your AWeber account):

your-domain.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-eMember/api/aweber-success.php

2) Pass in the users “name”, “email address” and the “list name” (I think AWeber always pass those in the notification call by default).

3) Make sure you have a eMember membership level that matches exactly with the AWeber list name that you are setting this for (the member will be signed up to this level).

[jzalman]

Your above message trail indicated you might post a 4th Aweber/eMember integration video, showing how a Aweber form could be filled out and an eMember would automatically create a new member. Would love to see that!

I’ve tried both directions to get integration but must still be missing something.

Here was my first attempt:

on Setting/Autoresponder page:

Enable AWeber Signup: checked

AWeber List Name: left blank because it is filled in on Member Level

Use New AWeber Integration: checked

(got authorization code and successfully connected, ie. Button says ‘Remove Connection’)

on Membership Level

Autoresponder List/Campaign Name: listname@aweber.com

Notes:

1.users ARE added to WP eMember member list, but are unconfirmed, ie, no username/first/last filled in

2.manually emailing listname@aweber.com DOES start the Aweber autoresponder sequence and adds new subscriber to Aweber list, but not to eMember

3.If I manually go to Admin Function/ ‘Generate and Email the Registration Link’. The email is received by the subscriber. If the subscriber confirms, the member is successful at WP eMember. But still not aweber activity.

4.Also to note, I have several FREE membership levels – each has it’s own autoresponder sequence.

SECOND attempt was to create an Aweber form, put it on WordPress page, API still enabled… hoping it would create an eMember user. Aweber side worked fine, but I’m sure I’m missing the steps to have eMember user created.

Either would be ok but would prefer having it start with an Aweber form.

Thanks.

[admin]

You didn’t mention if you configured in AWeber to send a notification to the eMember API (see step 1 in my previous reply). The notification URL should look like the following:

...../wp-eMember/api/aweber-success.php

Did you enable the “Enable Remote POST” feature in eMember settings? If you didn’t, eMember will ignore any API call.

Also, enable debug in eMember settings so you can see what eMember is doing after you fill in the opt-in form. If AWeber is sending a notification then eMember will have some debug output for you.

[sailor33]

Excellent topic! Thats how seamless account creation should be!

Do you guys think that this might be possible with mailchimp too? Else I will move from mailchimp to aweber, as this is exactly what I need.

[admin]

Hi, At this time we only have this option with AWeber.

[Author]

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