Tips & Advice for Patreon Artists!

 Hi!  

With more and more fellow artists joining us here, I thought I would write down some stuff I have learned from running this patreon page for over 5 years!  It seemed like there was some interest, so here it is! 

 If you aren't really interested in reading this giant wall of text, just enjoy the cute advice girl I sketched for this post and have a wonderful day!  lol

Preface!
Let me start off by saying that I don't claim to be an expert at running a Patreon or anything.  These points are just my own personal tips that I have learned through my own experience,  and maybe they will help someone of you creators or maybe it will just be a kind of interesting read.  With that said, here we go! 

💗 Your patrons are your BIGGEST fans!  Take care of them, be their pal, and make them priority #1 when it comes to communication, releasing artwork, updates, and content.  

💗Set up rewards that you can realistically deliver on a regular basis.  Don’t bite off more then you can chew.  More rewards can always be added as you go if you find that your productivity increases. 

 (EDIT: Adding this point because it is something I realized after posting this article but it is SUPER important!)
💗 Learn what your audience REALLY wants.  Not everyone wants the same thing and not every audience want the same thing.  This one can take a while and some trial and error to really hone in on and sometimes your audience is divided. 

 For example, for me, a chunk of my audience really appreciates NSFW content, and another part is here mainly for learning and tips.  Sometimes the categories overlap.  But if you find the bulk of your audience really wants to watch videos for entertainment and don't even own photoshop, then it might not be very beneficial for you to include something like psd's in your rewards.    My main point here is to do your research and homework on your audience (on patreon, but also on other social media platforms), and find out what they like, and what they want to see.

💗Keep regular updates flowing but also try not to spam your Patreon.  Lots of patrons get email notifications every time you post.  The last thing you want is to be sending too many emails, and become annoying.  (Sometimes I have trouble with this if I get a burst of inspiration and want to share all of it at once.  Oops and sorry!  Lol) 

EDIT: Adding a little more specifics after some comment discussing!  
I don't have a set schedule of max posts per week, but I try not to post more then once a day.  Sometimes it still happens, especially if it is a weekend or the end of the month.  I think ideally, posting every other day would be a good flow, but if you are super productive, then I think once a day is totally fine, or maybe you save and stack your images to post every other day.   

💗Be authentic with your updates and the “voice” you write with in your posts.  Many patrons aren’t just your patron because they like your art or rewards, they also are there to support YOU and they like your personality and journey.  Let your personality show. 

💗Expect that every once and a while you will lose some patrons(usually at the very end and/or beginning of a month).  You never know the reason but usually it is just that a financial situation has changed, or even just that an old payment method hasn’t been updated in the system.  I know it doesn’t feel good but try to not dwell on it or feel sad about it.  It’s out of your control and be grateful that that patron loved your art so much that they supported you for the time that they were able!  

💗 Always be open to asking or hearing out suggestions from your patrons, and what they want to see in content, rewards and goals! 

💗Schedule rewards prep, promotion graphics, etc and anything you need to do for that stuff in your calendar.  I have not perfected this, but it’s something I have been trying to improve on so as to ease the mad scramble at the end of the month to get everything put together for art packs. 😅 

💗Promoting your Patreon.  This one is still something I struggle with.  It’s important to not be afraid to let your followers know that you have a Patreon and provide links so that it is AS EASY AS POSSIBLE for them to follow and look at your Patreon.   

But it’s also important to not spam too much and make it sound like it’s all you talk about.   

❗️*Warning! soapbox/real talk time!*❗️ 

 💗 I think it is important to watch your tone when advertising your Patreon.  For example, I have seen some updates from artists(no one here, mind you.) that tend to come across as very “beggy” or “desperate” when tweeting about how they wish they had more patrons, etc.   it doesn’t come across as nice, fun, or professional when that type of tone is used when trying to grow your Patreon.  

Maybe this is just my opinion, but think of yourself as a business and a professional.  If a business tried to advertise using pity tactics, that would be the most annoying ad ever!   

Sorry if this sounds harsh... but it’s a pet peeve of mine that I have been seeing a lot lately.   

Also, don’t worry, I am not referencing any of you artists who are supporting here!  The example is just from some other folks I have seen. 

💗 A little more real talk incoming: 

 💗 Realize that unless you are already a very famous artist, your growth on Patreon is probably going to be slow.  Not only that, but more and more artists are joining the platform, which does mean more competition.  It’s just how it is.  Focus on the Patrons you have and improving your work more and more.  Let Patreon support your improvement as an artist, and the growth will be natural, even if it is somewhat slow.  Don’t be discouraged by that.  

💗Take care of yourself and your health.  It’s easy to get swept up in all the work and business that Patreon can create, but remember to take 'you time'.  Remember, your Patrons are your biggest fans, and typically they will totally understand and support you if you need a little R&R between pumping out so much awesome content.  🤗  

Good luck my fellow creatives!