contents contents
full screenprintcontentsfull screenprintYOUTUBER I 62
create a locked subsection for higher tiers to have
monthly voice chats with you. You’ll likely gain some
friends and ideas yourself!4. PRICING
Unlike sites like Ko-Fi and Kickstarter, Patreon
uses monthly payments. Erring on the cheaper side
encourages more patrons who’ll stay longer. On this
note, make sure tier rewards are ongoing, so patrons
won’t cancel after one month.
Quantity over cost! People won’t pay at all if the
price is out of their budget. Thus, it’s necessary to take
into account the size and dedication of your audience.
If you have plenty of devoted fans, you can price a bit
higher; if you have fewer but more supportive, pas-
sionate followers, price lower and hope you bring in
more people.
5. MILESTONES: GOALS AND REWARDS
Set some goals! One should be small and attain-
able — something patrons can help you reach quickly
and get the satisfaction of truly helping. Set another
long-term goal, such as finishing a project, and create
benchmarks along the way.
Now add any other goals that you like and set
rewards for each for patrons to look forward to. Goals
based on the number of patrons fuel community
accomplishment. Drum up anticipation by making
prizes and celebrations more desirable as progress
continues. These can be fun and wacky — like prom-
ising to shave your head or take a jello bath — or
professional — like sending out thank you letters or
channel merchandise.
6. ADVERTISE
Telling your audience is crucial to finding success
on Patreon. Make a video detailing your Patreon so
people know about it and can decide whether to take
part. Viewers who click on it likely want to support
you. Put a link in each video and briefly mention it to
get your viewers aware.
Customize this self-promo to your audience. It
can be as silly as “Help me feed my pet aliens!” or
“I need your help or I’ll be back on the streets... as
BUSINESS
6 Steps to a UNIQUE and Effective Patreon
dynamics, fostering personal
connection and authenticity over
detached insincerity.2. GETTING CREATIVE
WITH YOUR TIERS
¡• Sneak peeks: Generate excite-
ment by showing clips of videos
before releasing them publicly.
- Updates: Post rough drafts and
progress videos. - Behind the scenes : Everyone
loves seeing how you work, and
backstage shenanigans can even
begin some inside jokes. - Credits: List Patrons in your
Special Thanks, end screens, de-
scriptions, etc. Seeing their name
can make Patrons feel proud and
appreciated. - Polls: Getting your audience’s
thoughts and opinions before
proceeding helps you provide
something they’ll love. The abil-
ity to influence the things they’re
funding is a huge appeal. - Livestreams: Host streams to
answer questions, give updates, or
just chat.
In addition to whichever ba-
sic options you employ, always
include some unique tiers to set
yourself and your work apart.
Here are some ideas to spark your
imagination: - Use your skills: Are you a writer?
Have them pick a topic for you to
write about (short story, poem,
fanfic, etc.) Gamer? Play co-op
games on your channel! - Secret social: Set up hidden social
media accounts. This is another
awesome way to diversify cross-
platform and keep them thinking
of you. Something I like to do is
make an account as one of my
characters! It’s almost too fun.- Merch discounts: They’re already
spending money to help you, so
give them a discount. Plus, merch
gets your name out there — bonus! - Raffles: Hold monthly drawings
for prizes, like a painting you’ve
made, a personalized video, etc. - Let someone join you in a live
stream: This also works for raffles.
Let the winner do part of a stream
with you. - Anything else you can think
of! Be as ridiculous or sincere as
you like.
What makes a reward worth it
is the VIP-feel and knowledge that
their contributions matter.
3. CULTIVATING
COMMUNITY
Making your patrons feel connect-
ed to you and to other fans brings
you together as a group with
common interests. Discussing and
sharing what you enjoy creates a
welcoming environment, keeping
The first tier in PJ’s Patreon costs
only $1 per month and gives pa-
trons access to behind the scenes
clips and project updates.them engaged in the community.
This is accomplished through
collaborative goal-oriented mo-
tivators, interactive rewards and
group activities.
One surprisingly effective way to
do this is opening a Discord for all
patrons — the more people there,
the more conversations and con-
nections arise. For extra intrigue,Patron-only live streams are a great way to connect with your most dedi-
cated fans while providing them with a VIP experience.383 Business - Using Patreon to fund a long term project.indd 62 2/20/19 7:44 AMYOUTUBER I 63
create a locked subsection for higher tiers to have
monthly voice chats with you. You’ll likely gain some
friends and ideas yourself!4. PRICING
Unlike sites like Ko-Fi and Kickstarter, Patreon
uses monthly payments. Erring on the cheaper side
encourages more patrons who’ll stay longer. On this
note, make sure tier rewards are ongoing, so patrons
won’t cancel after one month.
Quantity over cost! People won’t pay at all if the
price is out of their budget. Thus, it’s necessary to take
into account the size and dedication of your audience.
If you have plenty of devoted fans, you can price a bit
higher; if you have fewer but more supportive, pas-
sionate followers, price lower and hope you bring in
more people.
5. MILESTONES: GOALS AND REWARDS
Set some goals! One should be small and attain-
able — something patrons can help you reach quickly
and get the satisfaction of truly helping. Set another
long-term goal, such as finishing a project, and create
benchmarks along the way.
Now add any other goals that you like and set
rewards for each for patrons to look forward to. Goals
based on the number of patrons fuel community
accomplishment. Drum up anticipation by making
prizes and celebrations more desirable as progress
continues. These can be fun and wacky — like prom-
ising to shave your head or take a jello bath — or
professional — like sending out thank you letters or
channel merchandise.
6. ADVERTISE
Telling your audience is crucial to finding success
on Patreon. Make a video detailing your Patreon so
people know about it and can decide whether to take
part. Viewers who click on it likely want to support
you. Put a link in each video and briefly mention it to
get your viewers aware.
Customize this self-promo to your audience. It
can be as silly as “Help me feed my pet aliens!” or
“I need your help or I’ll be back on the streets... as
a clown! Honking my nose at
strangers... Oh, the shame!” Or it
can be simple and genuine: “This
channel means a lot to me, and
with your help, it can become
something incredible.”
Whether you’re an actor, writer,
educator, filmmaker, artist,
musician or ex-clown, Patreon
can help fund your ventures in a
way that lets creativity thrive and
brings people together to make
something wonderful. Remem-
ber to keep it fun, engaging and
realistic, and it’ll make a world of
difference. You’ll be surprised how
many people are happy to help you
achieve your dreams.At $25 per month, this upper-level
tier adds a unique pin delivered
every three months, encouraging
fans to continue their patronage.Quinlyn Tesar is a daydream-adventurer
equipped with reckless optimism, an over-
active imagination, and a camera.BUSINESS
6 Steps to a UNIQUE and Effective Patreon
The first tier in PJ’s Patreon costs
only $1 per month and gives pa-
trons access to behind the scenes
clips and project updates.Patron-only live streams are a great way to connect with your most dedi-
cated fans while providing them with a VIP experience.383 Business - Using Patreon to fund a long term project.indd 63 2/20/19 7:44 AM