by Maggie Adams
Launching Patreons is a new-found hobby of mine thanks to the pandemic. During a time when all of us in the music industry are experiencing financial loss, how do we make up some of that income? For us it’s been partially through tapping into an artist’s fanbase, and creating a new monthly revenue stream. I’ve enjoyed the new challenge of brainstorming, building, launching, and largely managing a few Patreon accounts over the past six months. I’ve also been able to talk to a Patreon artist liaison to get tips on best practices for Patreon setup and get critiques for how to improve our own artists’ accounts.
In this post, I’ll go through 7 Patreon accounts that Erin or I support, and point out something we like about each so that you can steal some of these smart ideas for a Patreon of your own.
Alex Wong
Tip #1: Give the people what they want.
If you haven’t heard of Alex Wong before, we urge you to check out his beautiful music. Alex is a consummate creator, and Patrons will get the benefit of all of the amazing videos, vlogs, and series he is running. One tip you can jot down from Alex’s Patreon is that he has a $100 tier for super fans where after 1 year of patronage, you get a private concert. It’s a great idea to have a higher level of patronage like this even if you want to limit this tier to a few people, so that it can remain manageable for you. There is likely someone out there who wants to give you the big bucks. Let them!
2. Ali Sperry
Tip #2: Offer more than music.
Ali is a seasoned songwriter AND yoga instructor, so she created a tier designed for her Patrons to learn something from her. Patrons can take advantage of her knowledge and request lessons on either topic. If you’re like Ali, and you have skills you know people would like to learn from then offer that up! While talking about music 100% of the time may make sense, Patreon is a place to give fans more of a window into your day-to-day life. Whether it’s yoga, cooking, or poetry, you can take what you’re already doing on a daily basis and turn it into a benefit for your Patrons.
3. Alright Alright
Tip #3: Branding, baby!
We love Alright Alright for their creativity and authenticity. When creating a Patreon, it’s important to remember to build the tiers the way that best represents you. One benefit the band is offering is a monthly happy hour Zoom where they share a cocktail, the recipe for it, and share some music. The perfect pairing. Not only are their benefits on-brand, but the aesthetics of their Patreon has a cohesive look with branded tier images and names to make Patrons feel like they’re part of the musical process.
4. Andrew Duhon
#4. Consider the effort tiers will require. Make it manageable.
There are many ways to set up a Patreon, and to be honest, if you’re an artist that’s doing most everything yourself, it can be overwhelming to manage a bunch of tiers and figure out how to value different benefits. We like that Andrew Duhon has opted for a simpler approach that’s just as effective. He has one tier only at just $5, but has acquired a whopping 192 patrons since his quarantine launch. He posts at least twice a week with consistent and fresh content, offering new covers, new songs, and free access to livestreams. On his about page he also describes his Patreon as a “testing lab,” inviting Patrons to give feedback about what they want out of their Patronage. We love this manageable one-tier method!
5. Derek Webb
Tip #5: Content windowing on socials is essential to grow.
Where do we start with Derek Webb? Having an entrepreneurial background and a mind for marketing, Derek hits all the right notes on his Patreon. He delivers multiple weekly series with branded images for each, a consistent format for each, posted on a consistent day and time. He teases everything on socials, which is an essential key to success with Patreon. How will your fans know what they’re missing unless you tell them? One cool thing in particular that Derek does each week is create a public post on his Patreon that he references in social posts as his “blog.” Fans go to this blog, end up on Patreon, realize how cool it is, and then stay and pay for a tier because of the free thing he got them to view by posting to his socials. Funneling at its finest.
6. Jill Andrews
Tip #6: Share the raw recordings and dusty demos.
If your voice often gets compared to that of an angel, it’s safe to say that even your most basic demos and work tapes will be considered magical to your fans. This is the case for Jill Andrews. She could literally sing the phone book, and I would listen to the whole thing. Of course I’m biased, but the the point is, don’t be afraid to share things that you may never release to the public. Patreon is a place for your true fans, and these fans likely don’t write songs for a living. Give them a glimpse into the process by sharing work tapes, demos, and the stories behind them. In doing so, you will also have the chance to give those old recordings a home where they’ll be appreciated. Let go of perfection, people! It’s tough, but it’ll pay off…literally.
7. Ruthie Collins
Tip #7: Give fans one-on-one, personal access.
Although not everyone may have the time for this, it behooves you to have weekly benefits for your Patrons. Patreon states clearly that your Patrons are more likely to stick around if you post at least twice per month. Ruthie goes above and beyond by posting weekly affirmation videos, which bring comfort and peace for the week ahead. Another thing we’d highly recommend doing if you’re comfortable and able is to set up a way to chat 1 on 1 with your Patrons. Ruthie offers weekly messaging back and forth with her highest tier of Patrons via the Marco Polo app. There are many different apps or services you could use for something like this, but the important aspect is the personal access you’re giving to fans. Your super fans will pay top dollar to feel like they have a close relationship with you. After a while, those fans may even end up feeling like family!