10 Kickstarter Tips from Crowdfunding Experts
TLDRIn this video, Salvador Brigham shares 10 essential tips for launching a successful Kickstarter campaign. He emphasizes the importance of building a community through social media, having a compelling video, setting realistic goals, and planning ahead. Brigham also highlights the need for engaging content, effective communication, and maintaining transparency with backers. The video offers practical advice on leveraging mailing lists, creating engaging reward tiers, and fostering backer involvement to ensure campaign success. Salvador concludes by promoting his book, 'The Kickstarter Launch Formula,' and offering one-on-one coaching for personalized guidance.
Takeaways
- 🎥 **Video Importance**: A video in your campaign significantly increases the chance of raising more funds, with an average of 114% more money raised compared to campaigns without videos.
- 📅 **Timing Strategy**: Successful campaigns typically hit their target around day 36 of a 47-day campaign, emphasizing the importance of pacing and planning.
- 🤝 **Community Building**: Building a community and spreading brand awareness through social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter is crucial for a successful crowdfunding campaign.
- 📝 **Authenticity in Messaging**: The video should be engaging and authentic, explaining the project's goals, funding needs, and rewards without solely focusing on selling or begging.
- 📈 **Audience First**: Before launching a campaign, focus on finding and building an audience who is interested in your project, rather than just focusing on the funding aspect.
- 📚 **Content Marketing**: Utilize content marketing by guest contributing to blogs and creating engaging content to attract attention to your campaign beyond just Kickstarter.
- 💌 **Mailing List Value**: A mailing list is a valuable asset for repeat customers and should be started early to gather emails of interested individuals who want updates on your project.
- 🎁 **Reward Tier Planning**: Offering compelling reward tiers can help attract backers and encourage them to share and discuss the campaign, contributing to its success.
- 🗓️ **Pre-Campaign Planning**: Plan your campaign at least three months in advance to increase the chances of hitting and exceeding your funding goal.
- 🔍 **Quality Assurance**: Ensure that the product or project presented is of high quality and represents what backers will receive to avoid disappointment and maintain trust.
- 📊 **Stretch Goals**: Incorporate stretch goals to keep the campaign dynamic and engaging, motivating backers to help reach higher funding levels for additional benefits.
Q & A
What is the main focus of the video by Salvador Brigham?
-The main focus of the video is to share 10 Kickstarter tips from crowdfunding experts to help viewers start a successful Kickstarter campaign.
Why is building a community important before launching a Kickstarter campaign?
-Building a community is important because it helps spread brand awareness and ensures that there is a group of people ready to support the campaign, rather than relying on strangers to contribute.
How much more money can a Kickstarter campaign raise if it includes a video?
-A Kickstarter campaign with a video can raise on average 114% more money than one without a video.
What is the recommended length for a Kickstarter campaign video?
-The recommended length for a Kickstarter campaign video is between two to three minutes.
What should be the focus of a Kickstarter campaign video?
-The focus of the video should be on explaining the campaign's goals, the amount of money needed, what backers will receive in return, and why they should get involved, presented in an engaging and authentic manner.
What strategy did Seal Merchant use to ensure quick funding for their campaign?
-Seal Merchant spent a lot of time building an audience by talking about their project on platforms like Indie Mogul and encouraging people to follow their Facebook page, which had 1700 fans before the Kickstarter launch.
What is one effective way to get the word out about a Kickstarter campaign?
-One effective way is to email every relevant blog or media outlet to contribute guest content related to the campaign's theme, rather than directly promoting the product.
Why is having a mailing list important for a Kickstarter campaign?
-A mailing list is important because it consists of people who have expressed interest in the campaign and are waiting to buy, making them valuable repeat customers.
What motivates backers to contribute to a Kickstarter campaign?
-Backers are motivated by a desire to see the campaign succeed, be part of the success, and receive rewards in return for their contributions.
What planning timeframe is recommended for a successful Kickstarter campaign?
-It is recommended to start planning for a Kickstarter campaign at least three months in advance, with some successful campaigns being planned a year or more in advance.
Why is it important to have good stretch goals for a Kickstarter campaign?
-Good stretch goals are important because they keep the campaign dynamic and engaging, encouraging backers to continue supporting the campaign to reach new milestones.
What role does engagement play in a Kickstarter campaign?
-Engagement plays a crucial role as it helps boost the campaign's visibility through ranking algorithms on platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo, and it fosters a supportive and active community.
What are some essential elements needed for a live Kickstarter page?
-Essential elements for a live Kickstarter page include a video, compelling reward tiers, well-written campaign text, and engaging images and GIFs to make the page visually appealing and interesting.
Why is it important to have a premium minimal viable product for a Kickstarter campaign?
-It's important to have a premium minimal viable product because backers want to see a high-quality representation of what they will receive, and many have been disappointed by campaigns in the past and will not back a project unless they believe it is credible and well-developed.
What should you do before anything else when starting a Kickstarter campaign?
-The first step is committing fully to the project, as this dedication is crucial for the subsequent steps and for convincing backers of your seriousness and capability.
How often should you communicate with your audience during a Kickstarter campaign?
-You should plan a communication schedule that determines how often you will update your audience, which could be every week, every day, or every two weeks, depending on the campaign.
What type of content should you share during your Kickstarter campaign?
-During your campaign, share various types of content, such as interviews with team members, behind-the-scenes updates, tips and tricks, and always include a call to action to remind your audience to like, share, and donate.
Outlines
📈 Tips for a Successful Kickstarter Campaign
Salvador Brigham introduces the video by welcoming viewers to the Crowdfunding Demystified YouTube channel. He aims to share ten Kickstarter tips from crowdfunding experts to help those starting an upcoming campaign. The importance of building a community through social media marketing is emphasized, as relying solely on being on Kickstarter will not suffice. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest are recommended for spreading brand awareness and message.
🎥 Importance of a Campaign Video
A crucial aspect of a Kickstarter campaign is having a video, as campaigns with videos raise 114% more money on average. The video should be engaging, with a duration of two to three minutes, and feature people explaining the campaign’s purpose, funding goals, and rewards. Authenticity and storytelling are key, as backers care about the narrative as much as the funding goal.
👥 Focus on Building a Crowd
Brigham discusses the need to focus on building a crowd rather than just securing funding. Kickstarter emphasizes the 'crowd' aspect, as building a community is essential before launching a project. Seal Merchant shares his experience of quickly funding his campaign due to months spent building an audience on Indie Mogul and encouraging people to like the Facebook page. The primary goal should be to find an audience before raising funds.
📣 Spreading the Word Effectively
To promote a campaign, targeted efforts on platforms like Facebook, blogs, and media outlets are crucial. Content should be informative rather than promotional, focusing on topics related to the campaign's niche. Guest contributions and targeted posts can help reach a broader audience interested in the product or service.
📧 Importance of a Mailing List
Building a mailing list is vital for any campaign, as it consists of people who are genuinely interested in the product and are potential repeat customers. Social media platforms are not substitutes for a mailing list. When people contribute to a Kickstarter campaign, they do so for various reasons, including personal satisfaction and the desire to see the project succeed.
🗓️ Planning and Engagement
Proper planning is essential for a successful crowdfunding campaign. Planning should start at least three months in advance, with some campaigns being planned a year or more ahead. Engaging with backers through comments and updates is crucial, as it fosters a sense of community and can help the campaign gain visibility through ranking algorithms.
💰 Setting and Achieving Campaign Goals
Setting a realistic campaign goal and reaching it quickly is important. The live campaign page should include a video, compelling reward tiers, well-written text, and visually appealing images and GIFs. The product must be high-quality and close to what backers will receive to maintain trust.
📅 Maintaining Communication
Creating a communication schedule throughout the campaign is important for maintaining engagement. Regular updates, behind-the-scenes content, and interviews can keep the audience interested. Each communication should include a call to action, encouraging people to like, share, and donate.
📚 About the Author
Salvador Brigham concludes the video by introducing himself as a coach, author, and podcaster who helps people launch Kickstarter and other crowdfunding campaigns. He invites viewers to subscribe to the channel, like the video, and leave comments. He also promotes his book, 'The Kickstarter Launch Formula,' and offers one-on-one coaching calls for personalized advice.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Crowdfunding
💡Kickstarter
💡Social Media Marketing
💡Community Building
💡Video Content
💡Campaign Goal
💡Stretch Goals
💡Mailing List
💡Content Marketing
💡Personal Satisfaction
💡Engagement
💡Minimal Viable Product (MVP)
Highlights
Importance of building a community for a successful Kickstarter campaign through social media marketing.
The necessity of spreading brand awareness beyond Kickstarter to increase visibility.
Statistic showing that campaigns with videos raise 114% more money than those without.
The average time to hit campaign targets is day 36 of a 47-day campaign.
Suggestion to keep campaign videos between two to three minutes for optimal engagement.
The significance of storytelling in crowdfunding, as it's as important as the financial aspect.
Emphasizing the 'crowd' over the 'funding' in crowdfunding campaigns to build an audience first.
The strategy of using various platforms like Facebook, Dark Post targeting, and blogs to reach out to the audience.
The misconception that content marketing is about infomercials, when it should be more like informative articles.
The role of a mailing list as one of the most important assets for repeat customers.
The importance of backers' personal satisfaction and their desire to see the project succeed.
The need to plan ahead for a Kickstarter campaign, ideally starting three months in advance.
The concept of win-win with backers, where they feel part of the project's success and receive rewards.
The role of stretch goals in keeping a campaign dynamic and engaging for backers.
The necessity of being active in the comment section to foster community and increase visibility.
The strategy of reaching 100% of the campaign goal as quickly as possible to build momentum.
The importance of having a compelling sales page with a video, rewards, and visually appealing content.
Committing to the project and ensuring the presented product is of high quality and meets expectations.
Creating a communication schedule to maintain consistent engagement with the audience throughout the campaign.
Transcripts
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