Intro Video Advertising Vs Human Presentation (Story)

[jesusfc14]

Hello Patreon Creators!!!

I wanted to talk a little about how you reach your community and fan base.

I have been seeing two options on the Patreon intro videos, could be the Human Story presentation of the patreon channel, and also the advertising video ( not talking about a video that is part of the content created but more about a custom video for the patreon introduction )

Right now I have a new video that I wanted to try for Patreon, I created this video as a promo for social media not for patreon itself but I decided to run a test putting it on my Intro, and let it run to measure a bit the reach and reaction of the public.

I do 3D tutorials, content and support my youtube channel by Patreon. Here is the new video, and I would like to hear a little bit about your experiencies with the introduction videos, I want to run some other test putting more than one video on the introduction text and check how they react.

-Jesus

[anon73532941]

Moin,

I cannot tell you my experience with my own intro videos, because I have none - I can give you some feedback on how I perceive intro videos on Patreon sites as well as video streaming portals.
Advertising videos I immediately close. Always. Your current one is a good example for why: Too fast, too huge fonts, I wouldn’t even know what it’s about if I hadn’t googled you before In fact, I noticed over the years that I visit sites/channels that have advertising intros instead of personal ones considerably less than the other way around. I think there are two reasons for this: a) It feels as if the human being running the site doesn’t have to tell me anything and uses loud, huge, hectic PR to “force” me to whatever. I react allergic to that. b) In my experience people who use the personal approach often are actually interested in a personal approach. I am.

On Patreon, specifically, I think that patrons support the creator, not the product (for that one can use Amazon aka Kickstarter and others). Welcoming (potentially paying) patrons with a product ad feels … odd (again, this is about this specific place, it may be different elsewhere).

There is an argument that works the other way around, though. Most Patreon sites I were interested in (read: Where I considered supporting the creator) seemed actually abandoned. In every single case it was the personal video that made me want to support the creator. HOWEVER since the channels didn’t live up to the (personal) “promises” (like: “I am going to release a video every other week” - the last post being 3 months old with no “hold on, I’ll be back” information), it was exactly the personal approach that made me NOT support those creators:
With a “screaming, in your face ad” I would not have felt so … let’s say “sad” for lack of better words.

Read: If you plan to not deliver, an ad for me definitely wouldn’t make you look as bad as a personal video that tries (and maybe succeeds in) making some kind of bond. If you plan to be personal, be personal. If you plan to be a product, well … have fun being a product, I’m out

I wanted to talk a little about how you reach your community and fan base.

… I don’t. I create 3d tutorials. Luckily I got a number of jobs thanks to what I released over the years without doing anything in terms of “reaching a community or fan base”. I know this is not a commercially sound position, but I actually value the contacts I have had the honor of getting thanks to my videos on a personal, inter-human level.
In my world that is something very important. That, I know, is another commercially not sound position.

Marc

[Lochy]

I think it really depends on how you’re using Patreon. If you’re offering a product, subscription, and/or service, an ad video might be more appropriate. If you’re looking for patrons to support you doing your art, a human presentation is going to better target the appropriate people. Neither utilization of Patreon is wrong, they just have very different target audiences and very different approaches.

That said, there could be some bit of overlap. For instance, I am more of a patron mindset than customer. I want to support artists so they create more art, not so I’ll get access or a thing or what have you every month. I’d order a subscription box for something like that. BUT, if an artist I am supporting offered a request/commission tier one month to help cover some unexpected expense, I would be very likely to knock my pledge up because I’m here to support that person making art, but HEY I can get art from an artist I like too?! Bonus! I wouldn’t do it every month though. I just can’t afford it. Same goes for tutorials. I’ve bumped my $1 pledge up a few times for a commission or a tutorial, but I keep my $1 pledge going consistently every month because I like that artist as a person and/or respect them as an artist.

I have to agree that your ad is a bit fast and in your face, but then again, I’m not your target audience. I don’t think you want someone’s first impression to be “what just hit me?” if what you’re selling are tuturials, as we’ve all probably had that teacher that hurried through the presentation and we were left with more questions than answers. If your ad hits fast it might leave someone with the impression they’ll be reliving that experience of more frustration than learning. An ad for teaching should feel a little different than an ad for an energy drink. I would slow it down and give a taste of the procedure. If you want to humanize it a little, have a voice over. It’s up to you if you want to just talk up what they’ll be getting for their pledge (focus on product) or how you have a love for 3D art and want to share that with others through tutorials (focus is a bit more on the art, but still has mention of the product). The latter has a little more overlap with people who might want to be patrons just to see your art as opposed to just artists who want tutorials.

I really appreciate you bringing the intro video up and sharing yours. I am in the process of making one myself and this has given me a lot to think about in how I will approach it.

[johnftseman]

The intro vid has got to be personal. Even the word ‘personal’ has the word person in it. so get yourself in the video a head shot or body shot. Your body language and expressions will sell what you have.

I used videoscribe to tell a story and although it is quaint seeing the real deal in the video has FAR more impact. Potential customers can see who they are dealing with, can guage some integrity, professionalism etc.
Some tips in this blog may help you too (not my blog) just some good advice in it. https://blog.kissmetrics.com/creating-a-explainer-video/

J.

[lisavollrath]

I think the thing I love most about Patreon is that there is no one size fits all. What works for one person may be a horrible fit for another. The way I speak to my patrons, and choose to interact with them, may not be the way you choose to do those things.

I’ve never put too much into my intro video. It’s short and sweet. I don’t think many people really watch it, because by the time they get to my Patreon page, they already know my work from elsewhere. I do an update every six months or so, to freshen the information on the front page, including the video, but I really don’t worry about it too much.

[Temrin]

I personally use speed paints and tutorial videos as my patreon videos because it showcases more of what can be expected on my project. If i do post something that is not that, i usually have a personal character drawn with different expressions instead of showing my own self, since my page is about visual art and i feel that letting my art speak for me is more important. It seems to work and people have said they enjoy what i show on my profile.

[johnftseman]

what is speed paints?

[Temrin]

A speed paint refers to a few things.

1. a very quick practice painting/drawing or
2. when you video record progress on an image and you speed it up to make it a shorter digestible video to show how you made something. (Sometimes call a ‘time lapse’ or ‘progress video’)

#2 is what I mean in this case. Something like this:

[johnftseman]

i see. thanks for clarification.

[Temrin]

No Problem