We've all probably been to a site or two that requires you to create an account to view their content or entirety of their content (like some large news sites). Or shopping/deal sites that require an account to see what they sell. My question is, do you think this is poor UX? If so, would you still do it if the number of sign-ups increased?

The answer to all UX questions is "It depends".

The sites that have done it well, like Dribbble back when it was in beta or fab.com, hid content to create a sense of exclusivity. You need to get people using the site that have some social media sway to make this work. Building buzz is really really hard and I would imagine more sites would fail by hiding content than succeed.

Restricting access to inventory or even worse entire sites leads to a high churn rate for prospective users. It also can be damaging to your brand. Deploying restricted access as a beta program or one with a focus on exclusivity can help to garner more interest, but this is risky. It must be done with a lot of planning and with room for a pivot as soon as user behavior indicates a failure or change in trends. Exclusivity must also be exclusive. Having a site that is "members only", but allows anyone membership is deceiving and in reality is only throwing friction at users for the purpose of completing a profile.

@bradcolbow Fab.com is definitely a good example and comes up frequently. I wonder if it worked for them because A) They could show clear value (discounts) for signing up B) They kind of have an air of exclusivity to their brand.

But, yes, I agree they also had a customer base that was inclined to share on social networks.

@joshtorres Can you explain more about the "churn rate for prospective users"? Do you mean that you risk turning away potential users?

I love your thoughts on planning and knowing when to change course should it not work. And I agree that fake exclusivity for the sake of getting users' information is the wrong approach for many reasons.

@ericaburnett When referencing churn rate, I meant turning away potential users who visit a site and are turned off because they are forced to sign up before they can explore any options or even view the site. This is a huge turn off to me and many people I know. If I can't at least explore a site, I am unwilling to commit to a sign up simply for access. It also leaves me frustrated with the brand.

I'm pretty much in agreement with Brad. It really depends, and in most cases comes down to execution and the value (or perceived value) of the content behind the wall.

His Dribbble example is a great one. That buzz can be valuable, and if done well can create great momentum. However, if done poorly or for the wrong reasons it's just extra friction that can alienate people.

Users have to feel like signing up will be worth the extra effort, and to get a viral loop going, they have to feel like that effort has paid off once they're in. That's all about content and execution. If you've got quality content and a great execution, the hit to UX won't be noticeable. If you don't, or if it's not really "exclusive" then it'll reflect poorly.

@uber we continue to have internal discussion about this very issue. Currently we require users to signup because there are those in the camp that believe registering after you request a ride interferes with a core Uber experience (seamless transactions). There are other who feel that a user should be able to view the interface, interact with the product & let the user determine if there is value.

As a designer I think it comes down to building trust in your brand, product and services. If the requirement is to have a wall before a user can interact then we should be finding an experience that clearly explains our services, mission & value propositions in a way that get them excited, builds confidence & still delivers on the Uber promise.

I wonder if having a bad experience on one site can ruin the signup wall for all sites?

@dkr and @JoshTorres talk about being frustrated or not being rewarded for the extra effort of signing up. If you've gone through this on one site would you be less likely to sign up for another site trying the same thing? Kinda like having a bad experience with one used car salesman turns you off to all used car salesmen.

@dkr Yep! Execution is key. The concept might make sense for your brand but it can definitely fall short if not done properly. And a big part of that is demonstrating value. What am I getting for giving up my info?

You make a great point, too, about the payoff. People will certainly be less forgiving of your flaws if you just made them jump through hoops.

I've definitely felt this way about one or two sites in the past which, as @bradcolbow suggested, gives me pause before doing it again. Then, those companies send me emails and I go total rage face, haha!

@shalin Most of the time, the only reason I download a mobile app like Uber is because someone told me about it or I read about it somewhere (versus stumbling upon it in the app store). So, going in, I have some idea what the value is. I'm probably more likely to create an account in this situation. I dunno, something about mobile just feels different. I can't really pinpoint why (thoughts?).

I can see how it pays off the first time you request a ride too. It'd be annoying to fumble with creating an account when I really wanted to get somewhere.

You guys also provide a lot of great info on your website. So, there's that!

I think the issue of exclusivity and bounce rate for new visitors to a site with a wall are two separate things.

The "30 second video"/Screenshots and relevant case studies can be really effective in getting visitors to stay and to register for a site/service because it shows them the value they will be getting by doing so. As @shalin suggested, its about getting visitors to trust in the brand and objectives you are trying to achieve.

Exclusivity is something different though. You may require all users to register but by restricting access in the early days to those who have an invite or by offering exclusive features to early adopters you can generate a lot more interest/hype regardless of whether what you are offering deserves it.