Having the freedom and control to create and share the content you enjoy is what Patreon was created for.
Patreon was created in 2013 with the intent to help content creators make money every time they create new content. It is an excellent way for people to stay up to date with a creator’s work and progress, as well as a perfect way for a content creator to make a decent income.
Fans are able to gain access to exclusive and engaging benefits from their favorite creator, which is why Patreon became so popular so fast. Content Creators became rising fans of Patreon for the freedom it offers.
Patreon helps content creators’ businesses take off so they can make a living creating what they love. It can be hard to gain an income or a large following with social media and other platforms, but with Patreon, you have the chance to grow your business and revenue.
I am going to go over why you should consider making a Patreon and how to run a successful one. Continue reading on to find out if creating a Patreon is something for you to explore.
What is Patreon?
Patreon is a way for content creators to get paid for something they are already doing, creating content. Your fans, or subscribers, will pay a specific amount per month or per release for the content that you produce.
Patreon allows you to create a community of people who enjoy your work and want to pay to see more of it. Fans will subscribe to your Patreon so that they can see exclusive content or to engage with you about what you are working on.
One great benefit of having a Patreon is that it is made purely out of your most passionate fans. There are no haters or trolls because there is a paywall that prevents them from ruining your space. All you will be surrounded by are people who love what you do.
Another great benefit is that there is no algorithm. Yes, you read that right. Content creators have such a hard time gaining an audience because they have to master the ever-changing algorithm, but on Patreon, that doesn’t exist.
Thousands of content creators use Patreon to gain a bigger audience and a higher income. Patreon’s creators range from video, podcast, musicians, writers, cosplayers, and much more. Patreon is a space where content creators can comfortably spend time with their fans and get paid to continue creating what they love.
Patreon is taking the content creator world by storm by allowing more freedom to show their community what they are doing. I am going to go over the benefits of content creators making a Patreon so that you know what you would be gaining by joining the Patreon community.
Why Create a Patreon?
As a creator, I am sure you have had a client ask you for free work for exposure or because “It isn’t that hard to do. I could do it. I just don’t have the time.” I can not count on both hands or feet how many times I have been told these things.
Creators want nothing more than to have the freedom to create and be paid what they are worth. No one wants to be paid in exposure or passive insults. This is why Patreon is an excellent opportunity for content creators.
It helps content creators avoid dealing with people looking for free work and instead directs willing customers to their Patreon. Why work with someone who doesn’t value your work when you can engage with thousands of patrons who love your content?
Patreon allows creators to fund their work or help bring in an income to survive. It brings in a community of fans who want to support your creative endeavors. All they ask for in return is sneak peeks into your work or unique pieces made just for them. Each benefit provided to the patron is presented in differently priced tiers with different benefits.
The lower-priced tier is filled with essential type benefits such as access to content. The middle-priced tier benefits will offer a few more advantages, such as small gifts. The large-priced tier is where your most devoted fans will be. This tier will allow patrons to have more access to your work, provide their input, and engage with the creator.
The benefit tiers are a great way to offer all the patrons different ways to engage with the content that you create. The more benefit tiers you offer, then the more likely you are to get patrons interested in your higher-priced tiers. Let’s go over some of the most successful Patreons.
Who Are the Big Shots?
Only six hundred and ninety-seven patreons have nearly two thousand patrons supporting them. The majority of the content creators in the top spots produce podcasts.
While this holds true for the top creators’ spot, the most popular category on Patreon is video creation. While podcast creators are able to pull in a large amount of patrons, video creation pulls in the most income.
I am going to list the top four Patreons based on the amount of subscribers they have, and provide you with their lowest and highest benefit tiers.
- True Crime Obsessed – 47,540 patrons
- True Crime Obsessed Patreon is based off of a podcast centered around true crime series. In Patreon they are able to fully explore longer true crime series. Their lowest-priced tier is $5/month and their highest-priced tier is $20/month.
- The Tim Dillon Show – 44,263 Patrons
- The Tim Dillon Show Patreon is about the end of the world from a comedian point of view. Listeners are able to listen to Tim rant about apocalyptic theories from his Los Angeles front porch. The lowest-priced tier is $5/month and the highest-priced tier is $20/month.
- Chapo Trap House – 39,965 Patrons
- Chapo Trap House Patreon is based on a podcast that is a left-wing political based content. Their Patreon allows premium access to their podcast episodes weekly. Their lowest-priced tier at $4.70/month allows the same benefits as their highest-priced tier at $5/month, except it doesn’t include the sales tax.
- DankPods – 35,495 Patrons
- DankPods Patreon is centered around video creation about music, headphones, and other tech stuff. He creates videos about upgrading his technology and exploring audiophile technology. His lowest-priced tier is $1/month and the highest-priced tier is $10/month.
As you can see these top tiered creators have thousands of patrons supporting their endeavors. While their tiers may seem like pennies the money can add up quickly when you have that many patrons paying monthly. These Patreons success did not pop up overnight and it took time for them to cultivate the amount of patrons they have now.
A successful Patreon takes time and perseverance to create, so be sure to be patient because it will happen as long as you want it. If you want to end up on this list in the future then let’s go over the ways you can create a successful Patreon.
Creating a Successful Patreon
Once you have decided to create a Patreon, the next goal is to get it on the top Patreon lists. Just like managing social media the main things you need for a successful Patreon is engagement and consistency.
The more high quality content you provide to your patrons will provide you with the chance of growing your subscribers. It increases engagement as well, but fans are more likely to stick around if they get engagement from the creator themself.
When you create your benefit tiers you will want to make sure you offer more than 2 benefits. Patrons will follow along benefit tiers and when offered a higher-priced tier they are more likely to subscribe to it. Make sure you are able to fulfill the benefits that you promise in the tiers and do not stretch yourself too thin. Stay consistent with the benefits and their quality so you are able to keep and gain more patrons.
Patreon isn’t always about the paywall. Sometimes it is in the creator’s best interest to create a free post. This will help bring in new patrons and intrigue them with your content. These posts can help you engage with your patrons and create that patron-creator relationship.
Keep the engagement flowing by sending messages to your patrons. Sending more than one message during your first month will guarantee you more engagement then if you were to just send one message.
Patreon has become a great place for content creators to gather and grow their own community. It allows them more freedom in who they connect with and how they are paid. With the more patrons that a content creator gains, then the more likely they are to be able to make a full income doing what they love.
A successful Patreon is created through consistency and engagement with your patrons. Going through the reasons I have listed you should find yourself getting ready to set up a Patreon for yourself. While you may not gain the kind of success True Crime Obsessed has in a short time, you can still be able to grow enough to support your content.
