Patreon is one of the biggest things in crowdfunding right now, and it’s all thanks to its unique subscription model.
With Patreon, funding comes in on a repeating basis, so you can afford to keep creating for your fans.
Patrons pay a regular fee to get access to special content, and the cash keeps flowing your way!
It’s like having the security of a 9-5 job with the freedom to do what you love.
It’s perfect for artists, musicians, YouTubers, podcasters, writers, and others who have ongoing projects to be funded.
Among all the crowdfunding platforms, Patreon stands out as the best option for creators who need ongoing funding.
But there is one way in which it’s just like everything else in the crowdfunding world: you gotta promote it!
It’s in your best interest to pursue every avenue available for promotion and get as many people on board as possible.
In this article, we want to provide some tricks and tips to help you get more Patrons through promotion so that you can be successful on Patreon!
1. Start With an Established Fanbase
Patreon is all about community (they even say so on their landing page), and this means creating a space for the fans you already have and bringing in more. If you’re starting out with Patreon, you’ll want to leverage the fan base you already have to keep growing.
Make sure to work on building your fanbase before you make the jump over to a subscription crowdfunding site like Patreon. Start with some outreach to friends, family, and co-workers to inspire interest in your work.
2. Put Together an Introductory Video
Patreon will allow you to include a pitch video on your page to explain what you’re all about as a creator and bring in new subscribers. This is an opportunity for you to introduce yourself and tell viewers what they have to gain by becoming Patrons.
It doesn’t have to be anything too extravagant. In fact, something brief and easily digestible is usually better. For some ideas on how to crush this part of your campaign, check out this podcast episode!
3. Write a Killer Description
Once you start putting together your Patreon page, you’ll need to write a strong description of your project, one that explains what you’re doing with your creativity and what you hope to accomplish with your page. It’s important to employ copywriting best practices to really sell yourself here and inspire people to become subscribers.
If you use your description to be transparent about your values as a creator, people will feel more comfortable supporting you. Let your page description tell people why funding you is the right choice!
4. Set Multiple Goals
You’ll get the most out of Patreon if you set a series of goals to drive pledges. Goals can be oriented towards building community or making money, and meeting these goals will be the heart and soul of your campaign.
Data shows that always having a specific goal in mind inspires both creators and fans alike toward further growth. So once you’ve met your first goal, make sure to have another one on the horizon to keep yourself and your community motivated.
5. Link on Facebook to Promote Your Patreon
Promoting on social media is one of the most tried and true Patreon marketing strategies out there, and when it comes to social media, Facebook remains king! You can link your Patreon on your personal profile and your public page.
You may also want to set up a Facebook group to serve as a homebase for you and your fans to gather, and this is a great place to drop that link!
6. Use LinkedIn to Get More Patrons
LinkedIn is basically the Facebook of the business world. This is where people come together to build their professional profiles and connect with one another in a professional context. You can make a post advertising your Patreon.
You can also feature a link to your Patreon on your profile to drive interest from LinkedIn contacts.
7. Tweet About It to Grow Your Patreon
It seems like virtually EVERYONE is on Twitter these days, and that’s what makes it a perfect venue to start building your Patreon community! Make a couple Tweets letting followers know about your campaign.
You can also use social media sites like Twitter to keep your fans informed about special promotional offers and Patreon exclusive content.
8. Post on Instagram to Get More Fans on Patreon
Instagram is another very popular social media platform you can use to promote your Patreon. Make a post announcing it to your followers and let them know what you’re offering to subscribers.
If you decide to use Instagram for your campaign, take a look at our blog post on best practices for promoting there!
9. Post Your Patreon Campaign on Reddit
You might already have your own subreddit dedicated to your project. If not, now’s the time to set one up! If you aren’t already familiar with Reddit, it’s a forum website where people can discuss all sorts of topics, and it might be the perfect place for your fans to gather and share their thoughts about your work.
If you post a link to your Patreon on Reddit, you’re sure to drum up some interest among fans.
In fact, Patreon and Reddit even have a partnership with one another to benefit creators like you who want to grow their Patreon campaigns! They allow subscribers to have a special “Patron” flair next to their usernames to show their support and let everyone know about your Patreon.
If you’ve got any burning questions about promoting Patreon, I’ve put together a new FREE course that’s packed with Patreon tips, resources, strategies, and killer marketing methods.
10. Promote Your Patreon on YouTube
Patreon’s subscription crowdfunding model is ideal for YouTubers, who usually need ongoing funding to keep making their videos. If you’re a YouTuber, you should definitely be using your channel to promote your Patreon.
Chances are, the people watching your videos are the same people who will want to help support you. Give them the opportunity to do that by mentioning Patreon in your videos and directing them to your page with a link in the video description.
If you’re a YouTuber, you’ll also want to watch our video about how YouTubers specifically can earn income on Patreon!
11. Build an Email List
Email marketing is a HUGE part of any crowdfunding campaign, and Patreon is no exception. Most people have an email address even if they aren’t on social media, so email is an effective way for communications to take place on a large scale.
Use the contacts you already have to start building your email list and putting the word out about your Patreon. Let your followers share their email address with you so you can send them info and links.
Actually, we have a killer guide showing you how to do exactly this and grow a massive email list.
12. Set Up a Website
There’s no better place to promote your Patreon than on your own website! If you don’t already have a site dedicated to your projects, it might be a good idea to set one up.
Not only can you use your website to tell people about your mission as a creator and showcase your work, but you can also use it to direct visitors to your Patreon.
If someone is checking out your website, it’s a pretty good sign that they might be interested in supporting you, so you can’t go wrong by asking them to subscribe to your Patreon.
13. Create Multiple Reward Tiers
Understanding reward tiers is key to earning more money on Patreon. Basically it works like this: people can decide how much they want to pay to subscribe.
Lower tiers pay less, but higher tiers have access to greater benefits. You need to create at least two tiers, but we recommend creating even MORE.
This will ensure that there is an option within everyone’s price range, and it will make people more likely to select the more expensive tier.
14. Offer Incentives
The question your Patrons will all be asking is this: What’s in it for me?
Make subscribing to your Patreon worth their while by offering compelling incentives. They’ll be paying to help support you, but they’ll also be paying for the special privileges you can provide through Patreon.
Vary the incentives you create by tier.
For example, lower tiers might have access to some rewards but not others, and higher tiers might have access to more rewards in return for more funding.
15. Create Exclusive Content
This is one of the incentives you can offer on Patreon. You can produce content that is only available on Patreon.
For example, podcasters and YouTubers might create bonus episodes that are restricted to paying subscribers. If people like your content, they’ll hate to miss out on it, so this is a big draw for new subscribers and a great way to keep your Patrons happy!
16. Send Physical Gifts
Physical gifts are another way to thank your Patrons for their support. People LOVE posters, stickers, pins, and t-shirts from their favorite creators, so why not make these part of the deal when they sign up for your Patreon (not to mention that merch is a form of promotion itself)?
Artists might also use this as an opportunity to send samples of their work to subscribers who admire their creations.
Keep in mind that creating and shipping physical products carries costs of its own, so budget appropriately and don’t bite off more than you can chew with this one.
17. Offer Early Access
No one likes to wait for the content they love, so take advantage of your audience’s impatience by offering Patrons early access to your work. If you’re a musician, for example, you might make your music available on Patreon a few days before it is released to the general public.
18. Run Special Promotions
Special, limited time offers are a marketing classic, and that’s because they work. Once in a while, bring in new subscribers by offering a discount on membership fees.
Everyone loves a bargain, and it’s even better if you create a sense of urgency by making your great deals only available for a short time. You can use your social media account to generate hype for your special offers and attract more Patrons.
19. Be Consistent
The purpose of subscription funding is to get ongoing funding for an ongoing project, but this means you have to be consistent with the content you put out. If you want to keep making money on Patreon, you need to give your subscribers a reason to keep funding you.
If you stop making content for a long period of time, or if your output is very sporadic, people will start to wonder why they’re subscribed, and you’ll have a hard time attracting new Patrons, so maintain a reliable content schedule that your audience can count on.
20. Create for Non-Patrons Too
The BEST way to grow your Patreon is to create high-quality content that makes the subscription fee worthwhile, and this should be easy to find for people who aren’t already Patrons. Don’t make everything exclusive to Patreon.
If everything you make is hidden behind a paywall, you’ll have trouble generating new interest in your work.
So even after you’ve built your Patreon, you’ll need to keep putting out some content for free. Remember: this is how you earned your initial Patrons, and it will help you earn
21. Say “Thank You”
One of the great advantages to Patreon is the personal touch. It connects you directly with your audience and allows your subscribers to show their appreciation for what you do by helping to support you.
In return, you can show your appreciation for them with a simple “thank you” through social media or another public platform.
You might even want to mention some of them by name. This may not seem like a huge gesture, but it sends a powerful message that will inspire more of your audience to get on board with Patreon: you appreciate your supporters as much as they appreciate you.
Conclusion
Patreon’s subscription crowdfunding model can work wonders for independent creators who need ongoing funding for their work, but it’s not as simple as signing up and waiting for the cash to start flowing in.
If you want to be successful on Patreon and continue to grow as a creator, you have to get the word out and inspire people to join your campaign.
Still, if you handle your campaign well, Patreon can be one of the most rewarding ventures you ever take on as a creator, and it’s definitely worth looking into.
If you’ve got any burning questions about promoting Patreon, I’ve put together a new FREE course that’s packed with Patreon tips, resources, strategies, and killer marketing methods.
You should check it out if you want to get more Patrons and you want to fast-track the entire process.
That’s not all I’ve got for you. If you’re serious about turning your passion into profit, I have another resource that is going to blow your mind.
This comprehensive guide is the result of over 20 interviews that I’ve conducted with successful Patreon creators.
Learn what it’s like to run a Patreon campaign, from preparing the launch to getting Patrons, growing your community, and turning your passion into profit.
These are Tricks for Launching a Successful Patreon Campaign.
