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Inside Patreon, the economic engine of internet culture

theverge.com

21–30 of 433 posts

Re: Inside Patreon, the economic engine of internet culture

#21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you they not offer an unsubscribe option?

The default is to email you every time someone you support publishes anything on Patreon. You turn this off, but the annoying thing is that you need to turn it off separately for each person you support.

> need to turn it off separately for each person you support

This doesn't seem unreasonable, particularly since many offer early access to content, and these emails are the gateway to that content.

Re: Inside Patreon, the economic engine of internet culture

#22

Unless I'm missing something, they seem to only have a monthly contribution model. There are many times where I find a content creator helpful (for example a video tutorial on how to fix my broken washing machine), and I'd like to reward them. But I don't want to do it monthly, as I'll probably never watch another thing from them. So I'd like to be able to easily leave a one-time tip. Can Patreon do this, and it's ju…

I've run into the same thing. Someone I'd been following launched a Patreon, and I really wanted to support them, but I'm uncomfortable about the monthly subscriptions. (One part of my thought process - I don't want to offend them if I unsubscribe/cancel at a later date, and maybe they're counting on that recurring money for their income.)

Fortunately, that person followed up by launching a Kindle book, and then a paid email series, so I've now sent them far more money than I would have as just a Patreon contributor (approx 3yrs worth so far). Maybe it's best if Patreon is just one of many revenue streams people offer.

Re: Inside Patreon, the economic engine of internet culture

#23

I have seen so many content creators go full time and create awesome work because Patreon gives them a format to incentivize their followers to pay them. The economics are beautiful — turns out just 1,000 people (a pittance on internet mass media websites) donating $5 a month will totally change the way you run your life. And even better, these artists are independent in a way no artist has ever been before. You’re n…

One of the most important implications being that with services like this, creating content that a few people love is now as viable as creating content that many people like.

Re: Inside Patreon, the economic engine of internet culture

#24
post #18

Unless I'm missing something, they seem to only have a monthly contribution model. There are many times where I find a content creator helpful (for example a video tutorial on how to fix my broken washing machine), and I'd like to reward them. But I don't want to do it monthly, as I'll probably never watch another thing from them. So I'd like to be able to easily leave a one-time tip. Can Patreon do this, and it's ju…

Hate to sound pessimistic to your well-intentioned suggestion, but if someone prefers not to support a creator monthly/regularly, then they are unfortunately choosing not to support them sustainably. I feel strongly that to ask for one-off giving is to ask for a badly designed system. People can't dedicate their output to creating value for you when they're living off a tip-jar. Consistency is the key to backgroundin…

The thing is sometimes you find something helpful, but don't think they are exactly an artist. I'm slightly ashamed that I couldn't figure out how to put the batteries in the Amazon wand they'd sent me, a quick search and a YouTube video showed me what the instructions missing hadn't, tug it forcefully.

That kind of thing isn't useful enough for patronage. But it would be nice to be able to throw a nice little tip.

Re: Inside Patreon, the economic engine of internet culture

#25
post #18

Unless I'm missing something, they seem to only have a monthly contribution model. There are many times where I find a content creator helpful (for example a video tutorial on how to fix my broken washing machine), and I'd like to reward them. But I don't want to do it monthly, as I'll probably never watch another thing from them. So I'd like to be able to easily leave a one-time tip. Can Patreon do this, and it's ju…

Hate to sound pessimistic to your well-intentioned suggestion, but if someone prefers not to support a creator monthly/regularly, then they are unfortunately choosing not to support them sustainably. I feel strongly that to ask for one-off giving is to ask for a badly designed system. People can't dedicate their output to creating value for you when they're living off a tip-jar. Consistency is the key to backgroundin…

For the kinds of videos that I find most helpful and am willing to pay for (eg, how to fix my broken whatever), I imagine the creators would get a steady stream of one-time donations, as various people's $whatever broke, and they found the video. As of now, they get nothing, which has to be worse.

Re: Inside Patreon, the economic engine of internet culture

#27

I have seen so many content creators go full time and create awesome work because Patreon gives them a format to incentivize their followers to pay them. The economics are beautiful — turns out just 1,000 people (a pittance on internet mass media websites) donating $5 a month will totally change the way you run your life. And even better, these artists are independent in a way no artist has ever been before. You’re n…

You want Patreon to send you a CV and then you will interview them?

Re: Inside Patreon, the economic engine of internet culture

#28

Corporation caught in a scandal over censoring political speech against the right? Better have the The Verge write a puff piece on them.

There neither is any 'scandal' or 'censorship'. Patreon's decision was a textbook application of John Stuart Mill's "Harm Principle".

Re: Inside Patreon, the economic engine of internet culture

#29

I have seen so many content creators go full time and create awesome work because Patreon gives them a format to incentivize their followers to pay them. The economics are beautiful — turns out just 1,000 people (a pittance on internet mass media websites) donating $5 a month will totally change the way you run your life. And even better, these artists are independent in a way no artist has ever been before. You’re n…

You want Patreon to send you a CV and then you will interview them?

[deleted]

Re: Inside Patreon, the economic engine of internet culture

#30
post #23

I have seen so many content creators go full time and create awesome work because Patreon gives them a format to incentivize their followers to pay them. The economics are beautiful — turns out just 1,000 people (a pittance on internet mass media websites) donating $5 a month will totally change the way you run your life. And even better, these artists are independent in a way no artist has ever been before. You’re n…

One of the most important implications being that with services like this, creating content that a few people love is now as viable as creating content that many people like.

Of course, this also means you likely have much less in common with the person next to you.
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