Offer your members exclusive video

Introduction

This document walks through how to automatically offer members access to exclusive videos with content related to your podcast when they’ve signed up for your Glow program. Glow has an integration with Zapier, a software that enables you to send data between applications. In this case, you will use Zapier to send videos to Glow members using a video tool like Vimeo or YouTube. 

Why send exclusive videos to members? 

By sending exclusive videos to members, you offer them the benefit of additional, in-depth content related to your podcast. 

You can manage who has the credentials to access the videos you choose to make available to specific members, and you can use access to these videos to promote your podcast membership. 

Which apps does this work with? 

Using Glow’s integration with Zapier, you can send new members to any spreadsheet tool that also has an integration with Zapier. We’ve confirmed that the following spreadsheet tools work with Glow: 

• Vimeo

Note: To publish a video on Vimeo and manage privacy settings, you’ll need a professional account. But you can try out the zap setup process with Vimeo’s free version first. 

If your desired video tool is not listed here, it may still work. Search the Zapier app directory or reach out to us at hello@glow.fm.

How it works

General

There are four accounts you’ll need: 

• A published Glow account. We also recommend creating a test member that you can use to test your setup. If you’ve signed up for your own Glow page using your email, that will work. If you haven’t, register on your Glow page in a private browser using your own email address. This will serve as an email address that you can test with in Zapier.

• An account with a supported video tool. Inside your video tool, you’ll also need to upload or create a sample video to test the zap. Remember to pay attention to privacy settings like adding videos to specific groups and setting them to be password-protected. That way only the specific members you choose will be able to access the exclusive content.

• An account with a supported email automation tool for newsletters. Inside your email automation tool, you’ll need to set up a campaign to let your members know when you’ve added a new video for them. The important pieces you’ll want to include are: 
  • The link to your collection of exclusive video content on your video tool. 
  • The password for your members. 
  • Pro tip: If you’re using Mailchimp and only want to send videos to a selection of your members, you can separate your “Audience” into “Groups.” 

• A Zapier account.

Once you have these four accounts set up, create a zap to automatically send exclusive videos to your members. 

This actually takes two separate zaps! For the first, follow this guide to add new listeners from Glow to an email list on Mailchimp. You’ll set it up like this: 

The second zap will send listeners on your email list access to exclusive video content, and we’ll break that down into four steps. The specific wording you select will vary depending on the video and email automation tools you’ve chosen. 

1. Choose your desired video tool as your App and a new video as the Trigger Event.
2. Choose your desired email automation tool as your second App.
3. Choose an action event for sending an email as the Action Event. 
4. Turn on your zap.

Example

We’ve highlighted Vimeo to walk through the setup combined with the email newsletter tool Mailchimp. If you use different video or email automation tools that integrate with Zapier, you can set those up, too, with similar processes.

Step 1: Create a zap

To create a zap, click “Make a Zap!” in Zapier. Set up your zap the following way: 

Step 2: Connect Vimeo

First, choose “Vimeo” for your App and “New Video of Mine” for your Trigger Event.

Next, Zapier will prompt you to sign into your Vimeo account. 

Next, click “Test and Review.” If you’re just trying out Vimeo for the first time, you don’t have to subscribe to the professional level yet, which means you won’t be able to test the zap at this stage. You can click “Skip Test” and try this out later. 

Then, click “Done Editing.” 

Step 3: Connect Mailchimp

First, choose “+” to add an action. Choose “Mailchimp” for your App and “Send Campaign” for your Action Event. 

Next, Zapier will prompt you to sign into your Mailchimp account.

Next, choose the campaign you created on Mailchimp for sending exclusive videos, which should include any necessary URLs or passwords your members will need to access them. 

Scroll to the bottom of the page and click Continue.

Then, click “Test and Review.” This will send your sample video to the members of your selected email campaign. 

If Zapier returns a green success message, you’re all set! Go take a look at your Mailchimp account, and you should see that an exclusive video message has been sent. 

Finally, click “Done Editing.”

Step 4: Turn on your zap

This part is easy! Click the “Turn Zap On” button, and you’re ready to roll.

That’s it! Now you’ve got Glow, Vimeo, and Mailchimp working together to help you offer exclusive videos of podcast-related content to your members.