Your Thoughts on Patreon - Fundraising for Content Creators

Off-topic talk on music, art, literature, games and forum games.
Post Reply
User avatar
TheVeganAtheist
Site Admin
Posts: 824
Joined: Sun May 04, 2014 9:39 am
Diet: Vegan
Location: Canada

Your Thoughts on Patreon - Fundraising for Content Creators

Post by TheVeganAtheist »

Ive seen an increase in youtube content creators and even podcasts create videos and ask for support through Patreon. Here is a link their website:
http://www.patreon.com

What are your thoughts on this? In some ways it feels like begging, and in other ways, larger organizations have been doing this for years.

What are people's overall attitude for asking for support in making more content? Do you think I should fall the bandwagon and create a Patreon account and video?

Id love the feedback of the community!

Thanks.
Do you find the forum to be quiet and inactive?
- Do your part by engaging in new and old topics
- Don't wait for others to start NEW topics, post one yourself
- Invite family, friends or critics
User avatar
brimstoneSalad
neither stone nor salad
Posts: 10273
Joined: Wed May 28, 2014 9:20 am
Diet: Vegan

Re: Your Thoughts on Patreon - Fundraising for Content Creat

Post by brimstoneSalad »

TheVeganAtheist wrote: What are your thoughts on this? In some ways it feels like begging, and in other ways, larger organizations have been doing this for years.
It depends on the degree of perceived justification.

If your videos have a high production quality and are obviously very expensive and time consuming to produce -- like, for example, crash course -- it will be perceived as very reasonable to ask for support to do so.

If your videos are just you talking and showing some images and text as a slideshow... not so much.

If you step up your production quality, then people would more readily see that you *need* help producing your videos.

However, I wouldn't recommend stepping up your production quality just because of that. You may get money from patrons for it, but at the same time you're spending more, so it may be a wash, and is probably unnecessary based on the kind of videos you're making (do they really benefit from much higher production quality? I don't personally thing they would).

TheVeganAtheist wrote: What are people's overall attitude for asking for support in making more content? Do you think I should fall the bandwagon and create a Patreon account and video?
As above, I think the question is whether or not your videos would benefit greatly from higher production quality.
It's a question of what viewers are going to see as your reasonable expenses.

I don't personally believe that a higher production quality would really benefit your videos, given the target audience, and the goal of the videos, which is pretty basic and informative. It doesn't need to be a graphic show, and you don't need a studio and expensive video equipment.

BUT, if you wanted to change up your videos and target a new demographic- for more mass appeal- then it might make sense.

Take, for example, a format like scishow.
Or if you were doing scientific experiments in your videos, which obviously have substantial material costs.

If you used Patreon with your current videos, it might look like begging, because it would be difficult for most people to see the necessity in it. If you don't need the support (or it doesn't look like you need the support), and you get along well without it, the best bet is to not ask for it. If viewers are interested in donating money, you could ask them to donate to an animal rights organization, or an organization for secular advocacy.
User avatar
bobo0100
Senior Member
Posts: 314
Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2014 10:41 pm
Diet: Vegan
Location: Australia, NT

Re: Your Thoughts on Patreon - Fundraising for Content Creat

Post by bobo0100 »

I don't think it's begging at all.

Just ask yourself, is this a fair trade?

Currently you are creating entertaining content, that is helpful to the vegan and atheist community's. You get an average of 5000 to 20000 views per video (of tern more) and youtube gives you a small payment from advertisements on your videos. Given the amount of money you must make from advertisements is would not be a sustainable course of income.

So what would patrons get:
[1] I'm sure you have seen the bible reloaded give shutouts whenever the get a new patron. This is what many do including one podcast I am fond of "FurCast".

[2] more content on your behalf. If you get enough to live off of than we all benefit dew to the fact that you won't have to waste time with having a job, and in tern have more time on your hands to create content. Given the current amount of videos you make per month and the average views they get I'm guessing you would have to end up making two videos a day if you planed to live on it. With the nature of your videos I do not think you would be able to pull this off.

Given the fact that many of your viewers strongly believe in the atheist and vegan movements I would be many would happily sign onto your patron just to help out the movements.
vegan: to exclude—as far as is practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for any purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment.
Post Reply