User roles are the foundation of any membership site. They determine what your members can do, what content they can access, and how they interact with your site. Ultimate Member makes it easy to create and manage custom user roles that fit your specific needs.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through everything about user roles and permissions – from understanding the basics to creating complex role hierarchies. Whether you’re running a simple community or a multi-tier membership site, this guide has you covered.
Understanding User Roles
User roles in Ultimate Member define what members can and cannot do. Think of them like job titles – each role comes with specific permissions and capabilities.
Roles control:
- Content access and visibility
- Profile settings and permissions
- Directory visibility
- Form access
- Site capabilities
You can create as many roles as you need, each with different permissions.
Default Roles
Ultimate Member comes with a default “Member” role. This is a good starting point, but you’ll probably want to create custom roles for your specific needs.
The Default Member Role
The default member role includes:
- Basic profile access
- Ability to edit own profile
- Directory visibility
- Standard member permissions
You can modify this role or create entirely new ones.
Creating Custom Roles
Let’s create your first custom role:
- Go to Ultimate Member → User Roles
- Click “Add New Role”
- Give your role a name (like “Premium Member” or “Contributor”)
- Set a role slug (URL-friendly version of the name)
- Configure permissions
- Save your role
Role names should be clear and descriptive. Avoid generic names like “Role 1” – use names that describe the member type.
Role Permissions Explained
Ultimate Member offers many permission options. Let’s break them down:
General Permissions
Basic role settings:
- Can Access WP Admin – Allow access to WordPress dashboard
- Can Edit Profile – Can members edit their own profiles
- Can Delete Account – Can members delete their accounts
These are fundamental permissions that control basic member capabilities.
Content Access Permissions
Control what content roles can access:
- Which pages they can view
- Which posts they can read
- Content restriction settings
- Media access
Content permissions are crucial for membership sites with tiered access levels.
Profile Permissions
Control profile-related capabilities:
- Profile visibility settings
- Directory inclusion
- Profile field access
- Profile customization options
Profile permissions help you control how members present themselves on your site.
Directory Permissions
Control directory-related access:
- Can appear in directories
- Can view directories
- Directory search access
- Directory filter access
Directory permissions help you control member discovery and networking.
Role Hierarchy and Priority
You can create role hierarchies where some roles have more permissions than others:
Planning Your Hierarchy
Think about your membership structure:
- Free members (basic access)
- Premium members (more access)
- VIP members (full access)
- Moderators (community management)
- Admins (full control)
Plan your hierarchy before creating roles. This helps ensure permissions make sense.
Permission Inheritance
Higher-tier roles typically include all permissions from lower tiers, plus additional ones. This creates a logical progression that’s easy to understand and manage.
Assigning Roles to Users
Once you’ve created roles, assign them to users:
Manual Assignment
Assign roles manually:
- Go to Users → All Users
- Edit a user
- Find the “Ultimate Member Role” dropdown
- Select the role
- Save changes
Automatic Assignment
Roles can be assigned automatically:
- During registration (via form settings)
- After payment (with Stripe extension)
- Based on custom conditions
- Via user actions
Automatic assignment saves time and ensures consistency.
Role-Based Content Access
Use roles to control content access:
Restricting Content by Role
When restricting content, you can specify which roles can access it:
- Edit the content you want to restrict
- In Ultimate Member meta box, select “Specific Roles”
- Choose which roles can access
- Save your changes
This creates tiered access where different member types see different content.
Role-Specific Pages
You can create pages visible only to specific roles:
- Premium member dashboard
- Role-specific resources
- Exclusive content areas
- Role-based member directories
Role-specific pages help create distinct experiences for different member types.
Role-Based Form Access
Control which forms different roles can use:
Form Role Restrictions
You can restrict forms to specific roles:
- Registration forms for different member types
- Profile forms with role-specific fields
- Application forms for role upgrades
This lets you create different signup experiences for different member types.
Role-Based Directory Settings
Control directory visibility by role:
Directory Role Filters
When creating directories, you can:
- Show only specific roles
- Exclude certain roles
- Create role-specific directories
This helps you create targeted directories for different member communities.
Role Capabilities and WordPress Integration
Ultimate Member roles integrate with WordPress capabilities:
WordPress Capabilities
Roles can have WordPress capabilities like:
- Publishing posts
- Editing content
- Managing comments
- Accessing admin areas
This integration lets Ultimate Member roles work with WordPress features and other plugins.
Role Management Best Practices
Here are tips for managing roles effectively:
Keep It Simple
Don’t create too many roles. Start with a few essential roles and add more only if needed. Too many roles become hard to manage.
Use Clear Names
Role names should be self-explanatory. “Premium Member” is better than “Role 2”. Clear names make management easier.
Document Your Roles
Keep notes on what each role is for and what permissions it has. You might forget why you created a role months later.
Test Role Permissions
Always test roles thoroughly:
- Create test accounts for each role
- Test content access
- Verify profile permissions
- Check directory visibility
- Test form access
- Free Member – Basic access, public content
- Premium Member – Full access, premium content
- Free Member
- Basic Member
- Premium Member
- VIP Member
- Member – Standard user
- Moderator – Can moderate content
- Admin – Full access
- Manually change their role
- Use automatic assignment (with extensions)
- Bulk update multiple members
- Change role back to free member
- Remove premium access
- Notify member of changes
- Welcome emails specific to each role
- Role upgrade notifications
- Role-specific announcements
- Check role permissions
- Verify role is assigned correctly
- Check content restriction settings
- Test with different roles
- Verify roles are created
- Check role settings
- Clear cache
- Check for plugin conflicts
- After completing profile
- Based on custom field values
- After specific actions
- Time-limited memberships
- Subscription-based roles
- Trial periods
- Creating roles for your membership tiers
- Setting up role-based content access
- Configuring role-specific forms and directories
- Integrating roles with payment extensions
Common Role Scenarios
Here are some common role setups:
Simple Two-Tier System
Free members and premium members:
This is the most common setup for membership sites.
Multi-Tier System
Multiple membership levels:
Each tier gets progressively more access and features.
Community with Moderators
Add moderation capabilities:
This works well for active communities that need moderation.
Role Changes and Updates
You can change roles at any time:
Upgrading Roles
When members upgrade:
Role upgrades should be smooth and automatic when possible.
Downgrading Roles
If members cancel or expire:
Handle downgrades gracefully to maintain good member relationships.
Role-Based Email Notifications
You can send different emails based on roles:
Customized emails help members understand their role and its benefits.
Troubleshooting Role Issues
Common role problems and solutions:
Members Can’t Access Content
If members can’t access content they should:
Roles Not Appearing
If roles don’t show in dropdowns:
Advanced Role Features
Once comfortable with basics, explore advanced features:
Conditional Role Assignment
Assign roles based on conditions:
This requires custom development or specific extensions.
Role Expiration
With extensions, you can set roles to expire:
Role expiration helps manage time-based memberships.
Next Steps
Now that you understand roles, consider:
User roles are powerful tools for organizing your membership site. Take time to plan your role structure, and you’ll create a system that’s easy to manage and understand. Start simple, test thoroughly, and expand as your needs grow.