Adding a payment method!
Here we create a feature where we lock content behind a paywall. The web page viewer would need a password to see it. The viewer would pay for and get access to the password via some external third party tool/site since Jekyll and this plugin are designed for static sites. Static sites, since they are not connected to a backend or database, cannot securely store passwords or generate them meaning the password is stored within the html of this page!
You can have a unique password for each article if you choose. For the free loading readers, you can modify the activity below such that it gives the option of solving some activity like a sudoku puzzle so the user pays with time instead.
Now you may interject…“this doesn’t seem all that secure…”. For my response please enter the password below (hint: it’s password):
This paywall system is an honor based one. Kind of like the take-one-and-leave-one bookshelves some neighbourhoods have (as seen in image below). Now it is is 100% possible that someone might steal all the books, but due to the small scale and local nature of the book shelf this is considered a low risk.
People may get around the paywall here like they do with paywalled newspaper website (see here for example), but that is fine. If using this tool, you should be okay with that. This paywall would just provide a support method for those readers of yours that want to fund your content - similar to how anyone can go to a library and read an author’s book for free versus those who want to buy a copy of the book for themselves to support the author.
This content is for paid subscribers.
Please enter the article password:
Available on desktop only.