You have probably heard of Patreon but might not know much about the founder and CEO, Jack Conte. His journey from early music creator at the dawn of web 2.0 to CEO of Patreon is fascinating and provides amazing historical context for what we’ve all lived through on the web over the last 20-years. His presentation at SXSW on the death of the follower and what comes next really got me thinking. It talks about the value of building for "True Fans" when the entire architecture of the modern internet post 2020 is incentivizing engagement/reach at all costs.
Regardless of what you might think about Patreon's prospects as a company, this is a valuable watch for builders, marketers, and anyone who is starting to realize that they need to have more control over their communities. It's a 42-minutes, so you need to strap in and watch this when your in the mood for new ideas.
If you sell to creators through cold outreach...
Address these 3 questions as soon as possible:
1️⃣ What's in it for the creator?
2️⃣ What's in it for their community?
3️⃣ What's in it for your company?
A lot of businesses tackle 1 & 2, but conveniently forget 3... 😅
3 is where trust is built; how do YOU benefit?
Creators are skeptical, always thinking:
"What's the catch?" 🤔
"This sounds too good to be true" 😰
Break through the noise by discussing how everyone wins... not just the creator.
"Get ready to ride the meme wave with Southpaw Media! We're launching into the memeosphere like a rocket fueled by laughter, creativity, and a sprinkle of internet magic. Buckle up, because we're about to turn your feed into a meme paradise - where humor reigns supreme and likes flow like confetti! #MemeMagic#SouthpawMedia"
Below is a very loose interpolation from one of my favorite scenes from one of my favorite movies, Moneyball:
"There is an epidemic failure within the game to understand what is really happening. And this leads people who run media companies to misjudge their audience and mismanage their content and business. People who run media companies, they think in terms of attracting eyeballs for ad dollars. Your goal shouldn't be to attract eyeballs for ad dollars, your goal should be to have diverse community driven revenue channels. And in order to have those channels, you need to build a fanatical community. Media thinking is medieval. They are asking all the wrong questions."
Had a wonderful conversation with Liz Lathan, CMP and shared my thoughts, experience, and observations how I see building a supportive, fanatical community as the best way to build a thriving media company today, in a time of fractured content consumption and diminishing revenue.
Listen to our conversation below:
"The Death of the Follower"
One of the most profoundly interesting keynotes I've seen.
Patreon CEO Jack Conte, a man who is very much building a platform geared towards a creator-fan relationship it must be said, explains how algorithms have effectively reduced the follow button and relationship to something meaningless.
The more and more the algorithm constantly adapts to what you're consuming, the less you're being delivered content from the few creators you choose to hit follow to.
It's a free for all.
And, as Conte notes, it's not just creators who are affected by this.
Brands, media companies, anyone who posts anything on the internet is at risk of this new algorithm behaviour wherein winning the "follow" no longer allows you to constantly deliver to an audience you've won over.
How many channels are you subscribed to on YouTube?
Take a look at that whole list and I'm sure you won't remember the last time you saw a video from a significant portion of them.
However, as Conte concludes, the follower can never truly die for how truly powerful a relationship it represents.
With new internet companies focusing on deeper connections rather than a wider net, the follower will be leveraged to its fullest.
One of my favourite things about Marauders is seeing all the great stuff our community make: Memes, Fan Art, Cosplay etc.
I honestly find it so cool that people enjoy the game enough to want to spend time making this kind of stuff, I love it!
It's been a while since I shared this kind of community-content, so I thought with the year coming to end it was the perfect time to do it again.
I added a few to this post but you can see more on my latest blog post here: https://lnkd.in/evC6fXzq
We all have those secret obsessions, right?
Mine just happens to be YouTube. Beyond the endless content, it's a breeding ground for passionate communities. Creators spark campfires with their ideas for viewers like us gather around, sharing stories and fostering connections that million-dollar companies can only envy.
There's a certain boldness in being this enthusiastic, right? Like yelling, "This is amazing!" from the rooftops. But that's the beauty of these communities – they celebrate shared passions, no matter how niche.
Jack Conte, the visionary behind Patreon, gets it because he's one of us. Forget Wall Street CEOs or Silicon Valley tech bros – Jack built Patreon out of his own love for creation. He wasn't just an observer, he was a passionate creator himself. He built a platform that empowers creators to keep those YouTube campfires burning bright. His dedication to creators and his infectious enthusiasm are truly inspiring.
But this fire of connection and storytelling isn't a solo act. It's the lifeblood of thriving YouTube ecosystems. It proves that a genuine love for sharing can not only unite us but also inspire innovative ways to support the creators we admire.
So, tell me – what are your secret YouTube obsessions? Share your favourite "campfire" (channel) in the comments below!
