Some form of Patreon integration?

1. 66

   Bubblegum Senpaiposted 6 years ago

   One of my Hubs recently got moved to a network site, but in that move, a module was clipped off where I briefly mention that I've joined Patreon. I understand that our hubs aren't meant to be overly promotional, but as a content creator it baffles me that I'm not allowed to direct people to my Patreon page. Almost every other site regarding content creation allows this and Patreon is specifically for content creators like us.
   
   I'd like to suggest a Patreon button, similar to other "Follow Me" buttons, such as those that direct our readers to our facebook or twitter pages. The rise of adblock has resulted in a pretty huge hit for many of us, and personally I'd rather focus on writing high-quality articles instead of pumping out multiple subpar articles daily to make up for this.
   
   Allowing us to direct people to Patreon, Ko-Fi and other services designed to support content creators would help encourage the creation of high quality articles instead of pumping out a bunch of hastily put together buzzfeed ripoffs. It also gives us another way of interacting with and rewarding our followers. I personally see it only as a win-win for both content creators and Hubpages.

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      Jeremy Gillposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Since many viewers only read one of an author's articles, I can understand why HP wouldn't want us talking about ourselves in niche sites.
      
      That said, it would be nice to have personal backers in addition to ad revenue. I've seen several profiles link to Patreon, so there's that, but I understand that few viewers encounter these pages.
      
      Most Patreon users I'm aware of produce videos, which tend to be more personal (as they feature the author's face, voice, mannerisms, etc.), while we have a bigger screen between us and our readers, but you raise an interesting point.

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      charlesnuamahposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      As others have said, most visitors are from Google and they hardly check the profile page of authors. And so even if HubPages were to introduce such a button, it would end up being ineffective.
      
      I think a better alternative to help authors would be if Hubpages found other ways to monetize the Q&A feature. If people desperately need high-quality answers to their questions from experts, they should be ready to pay upfront for it. Currently, editing and then answering questions does very little to the revenue of authors, at least for me.

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   psycheskinnerposted 6 years ago

   I think it's simpler than that--this is a content site. The funnel ends mainly with an adsense advertiser or an Amazon purchase. Other outcomes are allowed when they indirectly boost that main funnel.  Patreon doesn't do that.

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      lobobrandonposted 6 years agoin reply to this

      Doesn't it? If it gets more writers here, it does. The funnel need not always be the reader, the writer is a part of the funnel and a happy writer builds out more funnels that could lead to Adsense and Amazon.
      
      I don't have Patreon and I wouldn't get one right now because I do not publish stuff in a single niche anywhere on the internet nor do I publish with any regularity, but I definitely agree that having a Patreon support feature would be a good thing.

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   psycheskinnerposted 6 years ago

   I think Patreon is basically inconsistent with a content site because it is about authors having a strong brand and delivering premium content to subscribers (and HP getting no cut from that).  People mostly come here from Google based on Keywords.  It's not a magazine, it's a content site.  That model is working for them.  It makes more sense for them to keep being a successful google-fed content site than trying to become something else. If they did do that, it would be in the Maven portal.

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4. 66

   Bubblegum Senpaiposted 6 years ago

   At the same time though, I'm seeing more and more low-quality articles being written. I actually had to unfollow some people because they used to write great content that matched my interests, but now they post multiple times a day on "250+ other ways to say yes" and "100+ names for your cat."
   
   I think allowing writers to focus on quality writing by utilizing patreon or Ko-Fi or other services would overall improve the site quality. Otherwise, talented writers will start writing elsewhere that does facilitate this, and all that will be left is a network of sites that become little more than "25 sites that try to hard to be Buzzfeed." The current model may work for HP for now, but it can't forever. Times are changing and opportunities for content creators are changing, and HP will be playing catch-up eventually.

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   lobobrandonposted 6 years ago

   People seem to be forgetting the fact that having pateron could bring people over to HP. People who currently write on their own blogs. Yes, most of the traffic is from Google, but some, a few writers here do have a following.
   
   Maven is bring people over to their domain to share ad networks and we know that their domain is not the best. HP's niche sites are a lot better and this could help bring in more people.
   
   I don't read magazines anymore, but there were magazines I read just because of some of the contributors. You can be a magazine site and have a reader base just because of some writers.

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