Need Advice To Patronise Patreon or Not?

[MaJ]

I was looking at ways for people to donate money to the channel.

Although Patreon is the most obvious option, I fear a fair number of people may be boycotting the platform.

My stuff is not political. So I wouldn't want to use a newer 'right wing' version of Patreon - for fear of alienating people who may not ideologically want to use such a site.

Is Patreon the best? In spite of the controversy?

What about Buy Me A Coffee? It's suggested it's not good for scaling up. what ever that means?

Any other suggestions?

If it matters, I am UK based.

the Channel is still very small.

Other info that may change the answers given, I may well have eBooks/Music Albums - to sell or giveaway as bonuses... or maybe Merch like T-Shirts in the future.

I would love help and advice, but even just hearing feedback would be of interest. Like if you have used Patreon for ages, and noticed a big change after the 'issues', or have seen no decline. Or info about their new price changes [three categories] what they mean to you, etc.

Thanks for any info or help

 

[Ater]

What's the right way to go probably depend on the channel and it's audience.

But what I've learnt from other channels that are using Patreon is the following:
It works best for channels that have focused a lot on community building. Where the viewers feel like they know you and like they are a part of a team. Channels where you know your viewes by name (not every single one of course but the more active once) and often interact with them in the comment section and on social media.

I've seen channel with 100k+ subscribers that completely fail Patreon and barely get anyone to sign up because they haven't been doing the things mention above.

From my experience around 10k subscribers seems to be a sweet spot where channels with a close knit community introduce a successful Patreon. But there are of course rare occasions where I have seen channels with a real passionate following and good incitements to become a Patreon that have manage to introduce successful Patreons already at 2-3k subscribers.

 

[MaJ]

Silly question, what's a 'successful patreons'

I guess you mean a campaign that isn't pathetic [in looks] by the lack of take up?

Or do you mean if you don't get enough traction, they cancel the account?

As I would be happy with just a couple of people donating... and I want to build up a better way to give out freebies like eBooks, so I can simultaneously sell them on Amazon, rather than have them free to all on the interwebz.

Thanks

 

[Ater]

I guess you mean a campaign that isn't pathetic [in looks] by the lack of take up?

More or less this. I have seen channels with 100k+ subscribers that have a Patreon with <10 people. On the other side I have seen people with only 10k subscribers that make 2-4k each month from Patreon. I have even seen a few channels (it's very rare) with only 2-3k subs that make 2k+ from Patreon.

I know myself that with my channel that have close to 3k subs I would get <10 Patreons, most likely less then 5 since I haven't done a good enough job of building a community and giving people a good reason to wanting to support me so I would just feel stupid if I started to start a Patreon and promote it in every video. That would probably just annoy people and make it less likely that they like the video and subscribe. So if I ever want to start a successfol Patron that would actually help the channel and be a good thing I need to but in the hard work to build a larger community first where people feel like they are actually a part of the channel and want to support it.

I feel like you have done the right job when people starts asking you for ways to support you. Then you are in the position to launch a kick *ss Patreon.

 

[Tito Tim]

What controversy?

 

[MaJ]

Oh they banned a lot of right wing YT

It was big news for a while

As they broke their own T&C

And then some court case, they got stung for massive costs because of the wording of their T&C for if people want to file a dispute... big mess

Then they all went to Jordon Petterson's new 'version' that won't ban people for their views...

Lots of people [creators and fans] left the platform, many followed over to Petterson's 'version'

But it means if you go on Patreon you may not get right leaning people, and likewise if you go onto Petterson's 'version' you may not get left leaning people to sign up to donate

As I am not political - I would think it better to find a third/different place - where people won't be alienated by my choice

 

[MaJ]

I believe there were a number of people kicked off the platform

Sargon [sp] was the main catalyst for many others to up and leave

He was kicked off, I believe for some post or podcast that was not on anything to do with [connected] to Patreon

Sargon [sp] said that as it wasn't connected, according to their T&C they can't ban him. But they did.

And I believe the court costs, where to do with the wording that you couldn't take them to court but had to go to arbitration. But then they have to pay x in costs per case. So with the number of cases - it was now going to cost them a fortune.

I also believe their was something sneaky like they changed their T&C and hoped nobody would notice, they then were hoping to pretend those were always their T&C

I have only vaguely been following this... so you can for sure get a much better description elsewhere

Sorry for not being 100% on all the facts

As I said I'm not really political - so only looked into it as of interested in regards to the weasling on T&C and the such like.

 

[MaJ]

More or less this. I have seen channels with 100k+ subscribers that have a Patreon with <10 people. On the other side I have seen people with only 10k subscribers that make 2-4k each month from Patreon. I have even seen a few channels (it's very rare) with only 2-3k subs that make 2k+ from Patreon.

I know myself that with my channel that have close to 3k subs I would get <10 Patreons, most likely less then 5 since I haven't done a good enough job of building a community and giving people a good reason to wanting to support me so I would just feel stupid if I started to start a Patreon and promote it in every video. That would probably just annoy people and make it less likely that they like the video and subscribe. So if I ever want to start a successfol Patron that would actually help the channel and be a good thing I need to but in the hard work to build a larger community first where people feel like they are actually a part of the channel and want to support it.

I feel like you have done the right job when people starts asking you for ways to support you. Then you are in the position to launch a kick *ss Patreon.

Yeah I am sure you are 100% right

Maybe something like 'buy me a coffee' that is smaller and [as they say] doesn't scale... maybe that's the way to go for now?

As it's not affected by any fall out from the 'issues' - and if I get big enough I can then always look to opening up a series donation method....

Anyone use Buy Me A Coffee?

Thanks x

 

[Damon]

I'm on Patreon, but I really don't like Patreon at all. Before Patreon people were using donate via Pay-pal. That's your best bet in terms of being politically neutral. Nothing replaces having your own Web site and a way for people to engage with you directly, whether donations, products or services.

For my audience, they are older and don't do the whole donate in exchange for the experience. They are motivated by stuff, not experience. The same principle applies: People are giving you money in exchange for a product, service, event or experience they see as valuable. That exchange takes place in any number of ways and places. Patreon is just one option. Donations direct to Pay-pal is another option.

 

[MaJ]

I think the Buy Me Coffee, can do 'payment' for goods like PDFs

I really don't like paypal - as they have messed too many businesses up, too many horror stories where they have held money for 180 days and cut companies off with no notice.

 

[Tito Tim]

I believe there were a number of people kicked off the platform

Oh, that was 2 years ago and not a big deal. That does not concern me in the least. I thought you were talking about something new.

Patreon has its benefits, but so does Paypal, Venmo, and YT. Venmo and Paypal are good because they take very small fees, but they are not very good for community building. (There are numerous similar payment sites.)
Patreon takes a small fee, and you can build your community with posts, vids etc.
YT takes 30%, that is a bit much, but it is built in, and you can build your community with posts & vids. YT Memberships generally take a larger subscriber base also.

For a small channel I think Patreon is good. Or use a private Facebook Group behind a Paypal/Venmo/whatever pay wall.
I have tried to keep everything free, and just remind them (rarely) that they can donate if they want. But... most do not want. I suppose I need to offer something special to encourage donations... but that sounds like a job... and I am not that into it.