Why Patreon Is The Best Way To Monetize Your Content

As a content creator, you know that putting out great work is only half the battle — getting paid for it is the other. Sure, ads are an option, but if you’re looking for a more sustainable way to monetize your creative efforts and form stronger relationships with your supporters, then Patreon might be worth exploring.

With deep customization options, comprehensive analytics tools and built-in donation incentives like exclusive posts and rewards tiers, Patreon can provide creators of all kinds with a steady stream of recurring income while giving their fans something extra in return.

In this blog post we’ll dive into why Patreon is becoming one of the most popular options for modern day content creators to make money on their own terms.

30 Second Summary

Patreon is a popular platform that allows content creators to receive financial support from patrons.
The membership platform that allows you to charge your fans monthly for access to exclusive content. You can set your own membership fees, and Patreon takes a small percentage of each one (around 5%).
In exchange for their support, patrons often receive exclusive content, behind-the-scenes access, or other perks.
Patreon can be an extremely helpful way for creators to make a living from their work by providing them with more reliable income and encouraging fans to engage more with their content.
Some advantages of using Patreon include more reliable income, increased fan engagement, and tiered rewards that give you more control.
However, some disadvantages include the difficulty of gaining traction at first and the time it takes to build up rewards.

Get Paid a Monthly Salary by Fans on Patreon

Patreon is a platform that allows content creators to receive financial support from patrons. Patrons are typically people who enjoy the content that the creator produces and feel invested in the creator’s success. In exchange for their support, patrons often receive exclusive content, behind-the-scenes access, or other perks.

Patreon can be an extremely helpful way for creators to make a living from their work. For example, a YouTuber with a small but dedicated following may find it difficult to make enough money from advertising revenue alone. However, with Patreon, YouTubers can offer exclusive videos, access to a private Discord server, or other rewards to their patrons in exchange for a monthly pledge. This extra income can be crucial in allowing the YouTuber to continue making videos on a full-time basis.

Similarly, freelance writers may use Patreon to offer early access to articles or bonus material in exchange for pledges from their readers. Again, this additional income can mean the difference between being able to write full-time or having to take on other work to make ends meet.

Patreon is just one of many ways that content creators can make money from their work. However, it offers some unique benefits that make it worth considering for many people.

How Does Patreon Work?

Patreon works by essentially setting up a “subscription” system for content creators. Instead of viewers paying for each piece of content they consume (such as buying a song on iTunes or watching a pay-per-view event), they agree to pay a set amount each month (or per creation) in exchange for access to that creator’s content.

Patreon takes a small percentage of each pledge (around 5-12%) and uses it to cover transaction fees and fund additional features like patron analytics and customer support. The rest of the pledge goes directly to the creator. This setup allows creators to receive predictable income each month, which can be extremely helpful in budgeting and planning long-term projects.

For patrons to start pledging, they first need to create an account on Patreon. Then, they can browse through the different tiers (options) that the creator has set up and choose the one they want to pledge at. For example, a YouTuber might offer three tiers: $1 per month gives access to all videos; $5 per month gives access to all videos plus exclusive weekly Q&A sessions, and $10 per month gives access to all videos plus exclusive weekly Q&A sessions plus monthly video calls with the YouTuber.

Donors can change or cancel their pledges at any time and are only charged when new content is released (if they’re pledges per creation) or at the beginning of each month (if they’re monthly pledges).

Patreon Membership

The membership fees can be set at any amount of your choosing, and patrons can choose to pay per month or piece of content (e.g., per video, per song, per blog post). You can also offer different tiers of membership, with each successive tier offering more exclusive content.

For example, you could offer a $5/month tier that gives patrons access to exclusive content, a $10/month tier that gives patrons access to exclusive content and sneak peeks of upcoming projects, and a $25/month tier that gives patrons access to everything in the $5 and $10 tiers plus monthly Q&A sessions.

Patreon takes a small percentage of each membership fee (around 5%), and the rest goes directly into your account. You can then withdraw the funds whenever you like via PayPal or Stripe.

Business Models To Use On Patreon And The Benefits For Your Business

If you’re looking to run a successful business on Patreon, there are a few different models you can use to leverage the platform’s resources. The most popular and successful creators usually use a mix of two or three different models to achieve a hybrid that works best for them. Some of the most popular models include:

flat view of cameras beside computer tablet and smartphone — Photo by Brooke Lark

Community Model

The community model is all about building a community of fans who are passionate about your work. This involves using Patreon as a platform to build a community of engaged fans who are interested in what you do. You can use this model to create exclusive content for your patrons, run contests and giveaways, and build up a relationship with your fans.

Educational Model

The second model is the educational model. This involves using Patreon as a platform to offer educational content to your patrons. This could be in the form of online courses, eBooks, digital downloads, video tutorials, or anything else that would be of value to your audience. You can use this model to sell access to this content, or you can give it away for free and use it as a way to build up your reputation and authority in your industry.

Gated Content Model

The third model is the gated content model. This involves using Patreon as a way to gate access to certain pieces of content. This could be an article series, an audio podcast, or even a video course. By gating this content, you can increase its perceived value and make it more exclusive to your patrons. You can then charge for access to this content, or use it as a way to generate leads for your other products and services.

Fan Relationship Model

The fourth model is the fan relationship model. This involves using Patreon as a way to build deeper relationships with your fans. You can use this platform to share behind-the-scenes stories, give Patron-only updates, run Q&As, and provide other exclusive content that will make your fans feel closer to you and more invested in what you do.

Pay-what-you-can model

The fifth model is the pay-what-you-can model. This involves using Patreon as a way to let your fans choose how much they want to pay for your content. This could be on a per-month basis, or it could be per piece of content that you release. You can use this model if you want to allow your fans to support you at whatever level they’re comfortable with, or if you want to make your content accessible to as many people as possible.

Service/Product Model

The service/product model is perfect for creators who want to sell a service or product through Patreon. This could be done by setting up a subscription service, selling physical products, or even offering 1:1 coaching calls. The key is to find a way to sell your service or product in a way that works well with the Patreon platform.

These are just a few of the business models that you can use on Patreon to run a successful business. Each of these has its unique advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to choose the one that best fits your business goals.

Which one you choose will depend on what type of business you’re running, what type of content you’re creating, and what type of relationship you want to build with your fans.

For example, the community model is great for building a loyal following and fostering a sense of community among your patrons, but it can be difficult to monetize effectively. On the other hand, the gated content model is very effective at generating revenue, but it requires a lot of work to produce high-quality content that your patrons will be willing to pay for. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide which model is best for your business. Experiment with different combinations and see what works best for you. With a little trial and error, you should be able to find a business model that helps you run a successful business on Patreon.

Try out a few different models and see which one works best for you!

Patreon Pros and Cons

Like with any platform or service, there are going to be some pros and cons associated with using it. When deciding if Patreon is right for you, be sure to consider these:

Pros:

More Reliable Income: As we mentioned before, one of the biggest advantages of using Patreon is that it provides creators with a more reliable form of income. Instead of relying on ads or one-time donations, you can now charge your fans every month for access to your exclusive content. This can help you better budget and plan for your long-term goals.
Encourages Fans to Engage More: Another big advantage of using Patreon is that it encourages fans to engage more with your content. By offering exclusive content and sneak peeks, fans are more likely to become pledgers and become regular viewers/listeners of your work. This can also lead to increased brand loyalty among your fan base.
Tiered Rewards give You More Control: With tiered rewards, you as the creator have more control over what you offer your fans. You can start small and work your way up as you gain more patrons, or you can start big and scale down if necessary. This flexibility can be very helpful when first starting on Patreon.

Cons:

It Can Be Difficult to Gain Traction: One downside of using Patreon is that it can be difficult to gain traction at first. If you don’t already have an established fan base when you start using Patreon, it can be tough to get people to pledge monthly for your content. This is why we recommend having some sort of following before setting up your account.
It Takes Time To Build Up Rewards: Along similar lines, it also takes time and effort to build up an impressive list of rewards for your fans. If you’re just starting, you might not have the time or resources necessary to offer high-quality rewards right away. This can make it tough to attract new patrons and keep existing ones engaged.

Not sure if Patreon is right for you? Consider these Patreon alternatives for your online store.

Have Questions? We Have Answers.

Frequently Asked Questions About Patreon.

Yes, Patreon is free to use. You can create a page for your project, set up rewards for your backers, and start accepting pledges immediately. There are no setup fees and no monthly charges. However, Patreon does take a 5% commission on all pledges taken through the platform. This commission is used to cover the costs of administering and processing payments.

To sign up for Patreon, first go to the website and create an account. After creating your account, you’ll be able to browse through different membership tiers and choose the one that’s best for you. Most tiers offer some type of subscription-based service, but there are a few that allow you to donate directly without becoming a patron.
Once you’ve chosen your desired tier, all you have to do is provide your payment information and start supporting your favorite creators! Keep in mind that not all creators offer the same benefits at each tier, so be sure to read through the descriptions carefully before selecting one.

One great way to create a successful Patreon page is by producing creative content. This could be in the form of videos, articles, or podcasts. If you can provide valuable and interesting content for your audience, they will be more likely to become supporters.
Another important tip is to be personal and engaging with your followers. Thank them for their support, and let them know what you’re working on and how they can help make your project a success. Building a relationship with your supporters is key to keeping them engaged and motivated.
Finally, make sure your page looks professional and well-designed. This will give people a good impression of your work and encourage them to become patrons.

Here are a few of our favorite Patreon pages to follow:
Gabriel Ugueto https://www.patreon.com/serpenillus
The Creators Project – a page that supports artists, musicians, and filmmakers who use new technologies to create their work.
NPR – a page that helps support public radio programming and journalism.
The Planetary Society – an organization that works to advance space science and exploration.
Girls Who Code – a group that helps young girls get interested in computer science and engineering careers.

Some great Patreon tips and tricks are to set a monthly goal for how much you want to earn, be clear and concise with your goals and rewards, create a video pitch, and be active on social media.

Setting a monthly goal is important so that you have a target to aim for. Being clear and concise with your goals and rewards helps backers understand what they’re backing, while creating a video pitch can help show potential backers what your Patreon is all about. Finally, being active on social media can help drum up excitement for your Patreon page and get more people interested in becoming backers.

Patreon takes 5% of each pledge. There are also processing fees which vary depending on the payment method used. For example, PayPal charges 2.9% + $0.30 for each pledge. So if someone pledges $10/month, Patreon takes $0.50 and PayPal takes $0.58, for a total of $1.08 out of the pledge each month.

There are a few things you need to know about creating a Patreon page:
1. You need to have a membership platform. Patreon is the most popular one, but there are others like Substack and Steady.
2. Fans or patrons pledge a certain amount of money each month in exchange for rewards or exclusive content from you.
3. You set the reward tiers and how much money people will pledge per month.
4. You need to provide regular content (usually videos or blog posts) so your fans have something to look forward to each month!
For more information, check out this guide on setting up a Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/signup

There are a few things you can do to promote your Patreon page. One is to reach out to your fans and ask them to become patrons. You can also post about it on social media, and include links to your Patreon page in your email signature and online bios. You can also offer rewards or exclusive content to patrons, which may encourages them to pledge money. Whatever you do, be sure to communicate what makes Patreon different and valuable compared with other crowdfunding platforms. And above all, be sure to produce great content so that people will want to support you!

There are a few ways to make money with Patreon. One way is to set up a subscription patron system where people can pledge a certain amount of money each month in order to receive exclusive content or rewards from you. You can also offer merchandise such as T-shirts, stickers, or other products with your logo or branding on it. You can also hold exclusive events or dinners for your top patrons. Finally, you can also offer consulting services or private lessons to your patrons.

The key to making money with Patreon is offering valuable content and rewards that people are willing to pay for. So think about what you can offer that would be worth someone’s hard-earned money.

Bottom Line

Patreon is a popular platform that allows content creators to receive financial support from patrons in exchange for exclusive content or access. It can be an extremely helpful way for creators to make a living from their work.

All in all, Patreon is a Platform that has a lot of potential for creators who are looking for alternative ways to make money online.

If you’re thinking about using Patreon, be sure to do your research and set up your account to get started today!

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