How to Get Started With Subscriptions

This guide is perfect for those who are new to using Gated Content with their Collections and would like to start using Subscriptions. Switcher offers the ability for viewers to purchase monthly or annual subscriptions to access your video content. You can create your subscription passes in the Switcher Dashboard and assign them directly to the Collection that you want to monetize.

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How to Set Up Your Stripe Account

Switcher utilizes Stripe to process pass purchases from a Collection. Before you create your Subscription and collect payments, you will need to set up a Stripe account.

To create your Stripe account:

  • Go to dashboard.switcherstudio.com in a web browser.
  • Log in with your Switcher account credentials.
  • Click your Switcher username in the left sidebar.
  • Click Gated Content.
  • Click Create Account in the Stripe Account section.
  • Complete the Stripe account creation form. Address, banking, Tax ID and additional information may be required.
  • Once you have created your Stripe account, you will be redirected to the Switcher Dashboard.

Note: You will need to create a new Stripe account through the Switcher Dashboard to use Gated Content. If you have an existing Stripe profile, this process will sync the account to your main profile.

How to Create a New Collection

After creating your Stripe account with Switcher, you can continue with creating a Collection for your Subscription access.

To create a new Collection:

How to Create a Subscription Pass

Now that you have created the Collection that the Subscription will be assigned to, we can create the Subscription Pass. This is where you can set the cost and billing frequency.

To create a Subscription Pass:

  • Log in to your Switcher Dashboard in a web browser.
  • Click Gated Content in the left sidebar.
  • Click Create a Pass.
  • Enter the name of the pass.
  • Select Subscription.
  • Select monthly and/or annual payment options.
  • Enter the monthly and/or annual costs.
  • Click Select Collection.
  • Select the Collection you would like to assign the Subscription to.
  • Click Continue.
  • Click Create.

How to Add Videos to Your Collection

If you have existing videos that you would like to add to your Collection, you can upload them now. If you do not have any videos to upload or plan to livestream only, you may skip this step.

To upload a video to Collection:

  • Go to the Switcher Studio Dashboard.
  • Log in to your Switcher account if prompted.
  • Click Video Library in the left sidebar.
  • Click Upload Video in the top-right corner.
  • Click Click to Upload to select your video file or drag and drop the file into the Upload Video pane.
  • Enter the Title and Description.
  • Click Select Players next to Add to Collection.
  • Select the Collections(s) you would like the video to appear on.
  • Click Save.
  • Click Upload.
  • When the video has completed the upload, click Close.
  • After the video has finished processing, it will be available for playback in the Collection's playlist.

How to Embed a Collection on Your Website

One of the benefits of Collections are that they can be embedded on websites. If you have your own website, now is a great time to add it. If you don't have a website, you can still share a link to the Collection directly. Learn how by reading How to Access a Collection's Page in the Video Catalog Overview article.

To embed a Collection on your website:

  • Go to the Switcher Studio Dashboard in a web browser.
  • Click Collection in the left sidebar.
  • Click Copy Embed Code in the embed code section.
    • Your Collection's embed code will now be copied to your clipboard.
  • Paste the Collection's embed code in the appropriate section of your website builder.
  • Save your changes.

How to Livestream to a Collection

If you would like to livestream to your Collection, you can utilize the Switcher app that is included in your plan.

To livestream to a Collection:

  • Open the Switcher app on your main iOS device.
  • Tap the outputs tab. (box and arrow icon)
  • Tap Livestream to select it as the output.
  • Tap the tile for Video Catalog.
  • Enter the stream details.
  • Select the Collection with the Subscription Pass assigned.
  • Tap Save.
  • Press the record button (red circle) in the top right corner.