Membership sites require dynamic page displays that adjust based on a user’s login status, unlike blog sites where static content is the norm. Caching, by default, serves static pages, preventing our plugin from applying user-specific conditions. This discrepancy between static and dynamic content delivery is at the core of caching issues on membership sites, as it fails to account for varying content visibility based on user login status.
To mitigate these issues, we specifically support integration with the following leading WordPress caching solutions. If you’re using any of these, please follow the linked instructions to configure them appropriately for membership functionality:
- WP Super Cache: Setup Guide
- W3 Total Cache: Setup Guide
- WP Rocket Cache: Setup Guide
- WP Fastest Cache: Setup Guide
- LiteSpeed Cache: Setup Guide
It’s crucial to note that installing a caching plugin is not necessary. This information is intended to explain how caching affects membership sites and guide you in adjusting settings if you already use one of the supported caching solutions.
Additionally, check with your hosting provider regarding any site-wide caching that may be in place.
Adapting the strategies employed by the mentioned caching plugins with your caching solution should also help to resolve some compatibility issues.
Adapting to Other Caching Solutions
If your site utilizes a caching solution not listed above, inquire with your caching solution provider whether they support dynamically disabling caching for users with a specific cookie set. If affirmative, you can configure the solution to bypass caching for users with the following cookie name:
wp_swpm_in_use
Exclude Login & Payment Related Pages from Caching
To maintain the proper functionality of your membership site, it’s important to exclude certain pages from caching. Specifically, make sure to exclude the following pages:
- Login Page: This page is used by the members to log into the site.
- Join Us Page: This page contains the payment buttons and should not be cached to ensure that payment processing and membership sign-up work correctly.
- Thank You Page: This page is displayed after a successful payment and should not be cached to ensure that the correct information is shown to the user after they complete their payment.
- Pages Containing Payment Buttons: If you have placed the payment buttons on other pages, these pages should also be excluded from caching to prevent any issues with the payment process.
By excluding these pages from caching, you can prevent issues related to outdated or static content being displayed to users during the payment process and membership activation.