Product Ideas at Patreon | Patreon Weblog

On daily basis at Patreon, we make selections about how and what we construct for creators. We make these selections based mostly on ideas — a algorithm based mostly on our firm values that information determination making. Ideas are found by means of trial and error, not invented, and characterize the closest factor to fact in our group. Each crew makes use of these ideas to make sure that we’ve the identical decision-making framework and ship a holistic product expertise.

At Patreon, we think about ourselves creators — and many people presently are or previously had been skilled creators of some kind (musicians, artists, writers, YouTubers, and so forth.). As such, we need to give extra to the world than what we take; we need to design, construct, and function one thing beneficial. Every day we create options that creators and their patrons use to develop their memberships. In an ever-changing world of web monetization, we imagine that membership is the perfect enterprise mannequin for serving to creators keep unbiased and receives a commission.

We don’t take this place flippantly – it’s an honor serving to creators of every kind acquire monetary freedom and artistic independence with the assistance of the instruments we construct.

Over the previous few months a crew of product managers, designers, and knowledge scientists set about codifying our first set of product ideas, and we’re excited to share them with you.

1. Construct with care

We perceive that for creators, Patreon is each a paycheck and a supply of satisfaction. Constructing with care is how we internally emphasize accuracy, belief, and reliability. Whereas we transfer shortly so as to add worth, we don’t “transfer quick and break issues,” however moderately transfer methodically to make sure we depart issues higher than we discovered them. We take the accountability of making certain creator livelihood very critically.

2. Suppose huge, however begin small

Everybody at Patreon has formidable targets that we need to accomplish on behalf of creators, however we imagine in constructing a ladder to the moon — one rung at a time. This precept is a name to carry these desires excessive, and put money into probably the most impactful areas, but in addition a reminder that the best way to get there may be by beginning small, spending time discovering options, and throwing concepts away till we get them proper. Whereas some firms spend time on dangerous moonshots, we choose to give attention to fixing the primary few necessary issues straight away.

3. Information & empower

It’s our accountability to indicate creators how greatest to make use of our merchandise. We give creators knowledge, suggestions, and a person interface that guides them to the very best selections for his or her enterprise, whereas nonetheless making certain that they’ve the liberty to decide on. We imagine on this mannequin as a result of we’ve seen hundreds of memberships and discovered what tends to work. In apply, after we construct a brand new function, we’ll often have a sensible default whereas giving creators choices.

4. Respect the worth of creators’ work

The Web during the last 30 years has turned artwork into ‘content material’ to run advertisements towards, and educated us to suppose it ought to all be free. This mannequin drives advert income within the billions of {dollars}, with solely a tiny fraction of it shared with the creators. We don’t suppose that is honest. We respect the worth of creators’ work. We imagine they need to be rewarded pretty for making the world a livelier, extra stunning, extra fascinating place. We’re constructing a platform that permits creators to interact in a direct, value-for-value alternate with the folks that love their work probably the most. We assist them worth their memberships pretty to allow them to construct a sustainable enterprise that delights their largest followers and helps their artistic ambitions.

5. Honor the connection between creators and patrons.

Considered one of our core behaviors at Patreon is to ‘put creators first’. We additionally care immensely about patrons, and try to see them primarily by means of the eyes of creators. We honor the connection that creators have constructed with their patrons. In our communications, we try to be clear, trustworthy, and direct in what we are saying to creators. We converse to patrons with the intention to perceive their wants and experiences, however we don’t intrude on the creator/patron relationship.

As with all creations, we think about these ideas, and our product, a piece in progress. By establishing ideas we’ve discovered a constant approach for us to place our greatest foot ahead and do our greatest to create probably the most worth for creators.