Locked messages also known as PPV (Pay-per-view) are a way to share content with your members directly. Locked messages are a part of our Direct Messages feature within Fourthwall membership and are a great way to engage supporters while making additional revenue.
Locked messages give you plenty of opportunities:
- Increased engagement - sending private messages to your members (including locked ones) can be a great way to increase engagement and lead to great conversations with your closest fans!
- Upsell higher tiers - you can send exclusive higher-level tier content to lower tiers as an incentive for members to unlock them on a one-off basis
- New revenue stream - earn additional income by sending your members additional, exclusive, locked content in a more private way!
- Sell custom creations & commissions - offer custom work (e.g., artwork, music, personalized videos, more professional images), allowing members to commission exclusive creations directly through pay-per-view messages, where you can also easily discuss details with your members
- Utilize content that you may not want for your feed - if you have some extra content you don’t feel like adding as a completely separate feed post but also don’t want to offer it for free, you can send it over in a different, more private channel in the form of locked messages
What are Locked messages?
Locked messages (or PPV) are messages containing text, photos, audio, or video content that are locked behind a one-time payment and are sent directly to your supporters via DMs. You set the unlock price, and your fans need to pay the specific price to gain access to the locked content.
With Fourthwall, you can send both individual & mass PPV messages!
How do I send Locked messages?
Sending locked messages is almost the same as sending regular DMs - if you haven’t done so before or don’t have DMs enabled on your site, please follow this help article: Direct messages & tips
To send a locked message, navigate to your Memberships → Messages tab, create a new message, and next to the message content input, you’ll see a dollar “$” icon. Once clicked, additional inputs will appear where you can set:
- Message price - the price your fans need to pay to unlock the message
- Message teaser - text that will be shown to your fans before unlocking the message
You can also include attachments to your message: either one video, one audio, or images. Once you’re done composing your message, click Send, and you’re done!
Note: Audio & video attachments can take a moment to process (up to an hour). For faster processing times, we recommend uploading videos in a maximum resolution of 1080p.
How can my members unlock my message?
Whenever you send a new locked message, your members will receive both email & push notifications alerting them of the new DM from you. They will also see a new unread message badge when visiting your membership site. When in the Messages window, they’ll be presented with your message in a locked state: only the teaser text is presented, a blurred version of the image (if images are added) or blurred thumbnail in case of a video attachment, number of images (in case of image attachment) or media length (for audio & video).
On top of the message, a special CTA (call-to-action) button will be presented: “Unlock for $X.XX”; once clicked, your members will be taken to the purchase flow, and after payment, they’ll get access to the locked content!
How can I see Locked messages revenue?
On your Fourthwall dashboard, navigate to the Analytics tab, click the “Full report” link on the “Profit” chart, and select “Memberships paid message” in the “Type” filter:
Locked messages FAQs:
How should I price my Locked messages?
Pricing depends on you, your fanbase, and the type of content you’re sending out. We recommend starting between $5 and $20, seeing how your fans respond, and adjusting from there.
What type of content can I include with locked messages?
You can send a pure text message and choose an optional attachment category: photos (one or multiple), one video, or one audio. In the future, we’ll be expanding it to support multiple videos, audios and even mixed content type!
What are the restrictions around locked messages?
Just like with your membership, we give you the freedom to post the content that works for you as long as it complies with our AUP.
What’s the minimum & maximum price for a locked message?
Minimum is $1 and maximum is $100.
Can former/expired members unlock locked messages?
Yes! They just won’t be able to send you a message back (they’ll be prompted to sign up).
Can I see how many members unlocked particular locked messages?
We do have enhanced analytics planned, but it is not available right now. Please see the “How can I see Locked messages revenue?” section of this article to learn how to see locked messages related profit!
Can I delete or edit my Locked message after sending it?
It's not available now, but it’s coming soon!
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us at support@fourthwall.com