Why use Pay‑Per‑View on your WordPress site?
Pay‑per‑view is ideal when you want a simple one‑time purchase flow for a single event (concert, workshop, panel, webinar, or product launch) without moving your audience off your site or signing up for a third‑party streaming platform. Castio.live includes a built‑in PayPal paywall and browser‑based publishing, making it straightforward to sell access while keeping video delivery scalable via HLS.
At a glance: the workflow
- Plan the event and create a WordPress page for the broadcast.
- Add the Castio.live Gutenberg block to that page and enable the PayPal paywall.
- Set a price, test the purchase flow, and publish the page.
- On event day, the presenter goes live from a supported browser (Chrome/Edge desktop or Chrome on Android).
- Record the stream to offer replay to buyers afterward, or reuse the paywall for VOD.
Step‑by‑step setup
1. Prepare the event page
Create a dedicated page for the event. Use a clear title, event date/time (including timezone), and a short description of what buyers will get (live access, Q&A, downloadable materials, replay window, etc.). Include a short FAQ about viewing requirements and support contact info so purchasers know how to connect on event day.
2. Add the Castio.live stream block
Insert the Castio.live Gutenberg block into the page where you want the player and chat to appear. The block handles the live player and the optional chat sidebar that runs alongside the stream. If you don’t already have the plugin, download it and install from your WordPress admin first.
Download Castio.live and make sure you review available options on the features page so you know what the plugin provides (chat moderation, passworded streams, recording, Gutenberg support, etc.).
3. Enable the PayPal paywall and set price
Within the Castio block settings choose the PayPal paywall option and enter the ticket price. The built‑in PayPal paywall handles the purchase button and gating the player until the transaction is complete. Review pricing and plan differences if you need lower latency or additional features.
Check Pricing to confirm whether your plan supports the low‑latency premium or any specific account limits you care about.
4. Configure post‑purchase access
Decide how buyers receive access after purchase. Two common approaches:
- Direct access via the paywall: Buyers complete the PayPal payment and are presented with the event page that contains the unlocked player. This is simplest for a single event.
- Member or replay access via your membership/e-commerce plugin: If you use a membership or digital‑goods system, deliver a link or show the stream page only to users in the paid role. You can also place the Castio block inside a member-only page or use password protection for the stream.
Note: Castio.live supports password‑protected streams. When a viewer enters the password they receive a signed cookie granting access for 24 hours — useful for same‑day access without complex account setup. For longer or permanent replay access, use your membership/ecommerce system to control the page visibility.
5. Test the full journey
Run a complete purchase test: click the PayPal button, complete a sandbox purchase, verify the buyer lands on the correct page, and confirm the player unlocks. Test viewing from multiple browsers and devices. Remember: presenters must publish from Chrome/Edge on desktop or Chrome on Android, but viewers can watch from any browser.
Event day checklist
- Confirm the presenter is using a supported browser with a working camera/mic. (Publishing requires MediaStreamTrackProcessor and a WebCodecs H.264 encoder.)
- Open the event page and verify the chat and moderation controls are configured.
- Start the stream a few minutes early to confirm encoding and playback. HLS delivery scales to large audiences and will serve viewers via plain HTTP or your CDN.
- If you plan to record, enable recording so the session is saved for replay.
Delivering replays and post‑event monetization
One of the advantages of running pay‑per‑view on your own site is reuse. After the live event you can:
- Publish the recording on the same page behind the original paywall so buyers who missed the live session can watch on demand.
- Create a separate VOD product for ongoing sales—place the recorded stream inside a member‑only page or use the PayPal paywall again for a one‑time purchase.
- Clip highlights or create short promos to market the replay and drive additional sales.
Castio.live records streams that can be replayed on demand, making it easy to turn a single event into ongoing revenue.
Security, refunds, and audience scale
Because Castio.live delivers video via HLS, streams scale to very large audiences using normal web hosting or a CDN. There are no artificial viewer limits imposed by the plugin itself. For refunds and access revocation, handle transactions through PayPal or your e-commerce/membership system and then remove access to the page or change the paywall settings as needed.
Troubleshooting & resources
If you run into questions about setup, hosting requirements, or browser support, consult the Castio.live FAQ. The FAQ covers common streaming questions including chat moderation, latency expectations, and supported browsers. If you want to try the experience before committing, there’s a live demo you can test.
Final tips
- Communicate clearly with buyers about timezone and device requirements.
- Offer a short tech‑check window before the start time to avoid last‑minute issues.
- Consider bundling post‑event assets (recording, slides) to increase perceived value.
- Use the built‑in chat and moderation to deliver an engaged experience — live Q&A or limited chat access can boost conversions for future events.
With the Castio.live PayPal paywall, Gutenberg support, recording capabilities, and scalable HLS delivery, you can build a straightforward pay‑per‑view workflow entirely on your WordPress site — keep the money and audience on your domain while delivering a professional live experience.