A brief discussion on subscription fundraising (Part 2): About the choices and breakthroughs of "public content" creators
[
](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuszapGsmOOPJw7ltIi3ev0QHbGkXDXTgpGicwLyOs-TOU xJFnitdFWTZ4__EZPmWlN67OaX3xIFj36eVJjtgOskcyhMqzsEwn0LxyUVR8TJGzvsDiWeNit0KatyJKCqULtzV2wGF-OT-Q/s1600/1.PNG)
[This article](https://medium.com/@frank040737/%E6%B7%BA%E8%AB%87%E8%A8%82%E9%96%B1%E9%9B%86 %E8%B3%87-%E4%B8%AD-%E9%97%9C%E6%96%BC-%E5%85%AC%E9%96%8B%E5%9E%8B%E5%85%A7%E5%AE% B9-%E5%89%B5%E4%BD%9C%E8%80%85%E5%80%91%E7%9A%84%E5%8F%96%E6%8D%A8%E5%8F%8A%E7%AA% 81%E5%9C%8D-2998a2ad636f) Author Qiu Taocheng, Ziqiang is a small copywriter who uses five keyboards to type in turns. I don’t think I’m as good as a copywriter, so I’m just a writer. Currently, I specialize in keyword advertising and copywriting marketing. Looking forward to finding a dignified way to survive. Thank you for the permission to reprint, hereby thank you.
In the previous article, we mentioned the reasons why Jonkers stopped subscribing, and the most important lesson for creators - to create a positive creative cycle.
Why does Jonker want to take back his 200,000 yuan monthly subscription sponsorship? What’s the meaning behind it?
In this article, let us separate from the previous events and look at the classification of subscription fundraising and the types of creator content separately, and discuss them. Finally, let’s focus on creators with different categories of orientations and see what elements we can refer to? In order to help you create a more suitable positive creative cycle in the process of subscription.
Open content vs. closed content:
Generally speaking, the orientation of the content produced by the “content subscription system” can be divided into open content and closed content.
As the name suggests, public content means that after subscribers sponsor the content, the creator’s main content is open to the outside world; while gated content (Gated Content) refers to content with a threshold that can only be seen by those inside the gate.
Let’s take a look at the current Taiwan market. Who are the two types of creators? And what are some examples worth learning from? Are there any features worthy of reference?
Brief conclusion of this article:
This is purely my personal understanding and conclusion. Please see below for the detailed inference process. If you have different ideas, please feel free to discuss.
For “open content” creators:
Let sponsorship be your boost, not everything - use the resources provided by sponsorship to further expand the influence of your content, find other monetization channels, and adjust your revenue structure. Because subscription is a means, not an end.
Specific methods may include:
-
Sponsorship target: The sponsored content should be the “creator himself” rather than the “specific issue” of the creation.
-
Clarify the positioning of the subscription system and adjust your income mix.
-
Reduce the complexity of feedback and reduce the single amount.
For “closed-door content” creation
Compared with sponsorship, closed-door content has a more obvious “interest exchange” element in it. You must operate your service as a complete product and continue to bring substantial returns to readers. At the same time, you must also rely on strategic exposure and word-of-mouth spread to maintain the popularity of your project and bring in new traffic.
In addition, the nature of the content also requires long-term learning, otherwise it will easily lead to insufficient battery life of the project.
-
The value of content is often based on clear interests.
-
The project characteristics of the content should be long-term and sustainable.
-
The creator should be an expert in the field.
-
The content provided must be based on pain points to keep the consumption experience at a high level.
I have also written an article about “closed-door content”, please take a look.
※[A brief discussion on subscription fundraising (Part 2): Restrictions and challenges for creators of “closed content”] (https://www.contenthacker.today/2018/01/kyon-subscription-comment-part3.html)
Open subscription content:
Key content can be seen by people outside of subscribers:
-
Advantages: The best content can be seen by the most people.
-
Challenge: Why should readers subscribe to you? Is the battery life of the project sufficient?
-
Features: Usually creators already have a very large existing community
-
Examples: 囧星人, Pictures and text do not match, 啾啕hoes, [美的best friend](h ttps://www.medpartner.club/), ADi English, Taiwan Bar
As the name suggests, in open subscription content, the main content produced by the creator is not divided into different categories. Both sponsored and unsponsored content can be seen equally. The benefits for creators are obvious, that is, creators can generate better content and bring more traffic and influence through crowd funding, which means that they can steadily increase at the top of the marketing funnel.
However, the biggest problem is: “Why should readers pay for your subscription system?”
In my observation, for this type of content creators, subscribers often have a very strong mentality of “sponsoring” and “supporting”:
“I like you very much, and I think what you do is great, so I am willing to sponsor you.
Although the feedback you gave me does not have sufficient consideration, and it does not seem to be a good deal, but because I like you, it is OK, so keep up the good work. ”
Let’s first look at a few projects of “open content” creators:
I selected a few more representative projects, briefly calculated the unit price of each customer, and looked at the feedback projects with the most subscriptions.
[](https://www.pressplay.cc/pr oject/about/%E3%80%8A%E5%9B%A7%E8%AA%AA%E6%9B%B8%E3%80%8B-+%E6%8E%A8%E5%BB%A3%E9%96%B1%E8%AE%80%E7%9A%84%E7%BE%8E%E5%A5%BD% EF%BC%81%E5%B8%B6%E7%B5%A6%E4%B8%96%E7%95%8C%E6%9B%B4%E5%A4%9 A%E7%9A%84%E6%99%BA%E6%85%A7/E43821EA954138B32BAE74C72BB6E227)
Case 1｜囧星人: [“囧 Storytelling”-promoting the beauty of reading! Bringing more wisdom to the world](https://www.pressplay.cc/project/about/%E3%80%8A%E5%9B%A7%E8%AA%AA%E6%9B%B8%E3%80%8B-+%E6%8E%A8%E5%BB%A3%E9%96%B1%E8%AE%80%E7%9A%84 %E7%BE%8E%E5%A5%BD%EF%BC%81%E5%B8%B6%E7%B5%A6%E4%B8%96%E7%95%8C%E6%9B%B 4%E5%A4%9A%E7%9A%84%E6%99%BA%E6%85%A7/E43821EA954138B32BAE74C72BB6E227)
Subscription amount in January 2018: 210,000 yuan, 1,132 people, average 190 yuan per person.
[
](https://www.pre ssplay.cc/project/about/%E3%80%8A%E5%9B%A7%E8%AA%AA%E6%9B%B8%E3%80%8B-+%E6%8E%A8%E5%BB%A3%E9%96%B1%E8%AE%80%E7%9A%84%E7%BE%8E%E5% A5%BD%EF%BC%81%E5%B8%B6%E7%B5%A6%E4%B8%96%E7%95%8C%E6%9B%B4%E5%A 4%9A%E7%9A%84%E6%99%BA%E6%85%A7/E43821EA954138B32BAE74C72BB6E227)
Taking this feedback project with the most subscribers (549) as an example, it costs 150 yuan per month in exchange for a voice message (ideas sharing, etc.), selected 3 to 5 current affairs articles and comments. And this amount is not far from the average price per customer.
Amount changes｜囧星人: 410,000/month (March 2017) → 210,000/month (January 2018)
※Note: In the process, the rewards program of “囧星人” has been significantly changed, and some refunds have been made, so you can reserve your opinion on the reasons for the change in the amount.
Next, let’s take a look at the Tweet Shoes project.
[
](https://pressplay.cc/project/about/%E5%95%BE%E5%95%BE%E9%9E%8B+-+%E5%B9%AB% E4%BD%A0%E7%9A%84%E5%A4%A7%E8%85%A6%E9%96%8B%E5%A4%96%E6%8E%9B%21/EE991CCCAF9201FA916CE825682B951D)
Case Two | Jiujiu Shoes — [Help your brain open plug-ins](https://pressplay.cc/project/about/%E5%95%BE%E5%95%BE%E9%9E%8B+-+%E5%B9%AB%E4 %BD%A0%E7%9A%84%E5%A4%A7%E8%85%A6%E9%96%8B%E5%A4%96%E6%8E%9B%21/EE991CCCAF9201FA916CE825682B951D):
Project amount in January 2018: 111,750 yuan per month, 433 people, an average of 258 yuan per person.
In the Tweet Shoes project, the number of subscriptions for each feedback project is similar.
[
](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZZI-JJ27cwA-LpxHqeX7QorGrm3S64-8cR1s1iwojAwdYfu2ktAiToNPj n3swJQhMNNq8Fdfy_h2AwqWHbLsRt-OhIWAOztOxpEILCjCf3Qfp7Ka59dgNGAPLsjf3vGCakHvNbvZyTOkY/s1600/1_cD4pzdEUcIUwHaIeroK38A.png)
[
](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOcCYmwgmuJU_UyMvJdqvAiAu3bf2EBFcVS7GC96tOpsKvyxcIHtndD09z EWaOX-5otCVJA_9fTTA0qd-1Vn2bOX939jiD0K-N0A4lbWczrBFkcKNT1wnzglCzG4XchfAib0yIEbSY_Csw/s1600/1_65Itst23IgLDWmpSoy0o3w.png)
100 yuan plan (118 people): There is an exclusive e-newsletter, including video audio files, transcripts, information, and 3 to 5 recommended articles every month.
250 yuan plan (116 people): Includes e-newsletter and excerpts from two books.
[
](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVYZF8fWQIXnrNZXvzJWBGW1VVTm5Jq1HxPmhSdMUBt0MZRHX57jELXSfH 2cyKRD7oi4nj2jGOw7OU0fQXRo0NMIK8imO7fZacEmxGdePeGVSYZDIhC2TvGZ2lC5y9j-Fq9F7SgEfcoQhY/s1600/1_BAUbZcZpRyzrVMV9Co95nQ.png)
It is worth noting that the plan with the largest number of people is the 500 yuan limited plan (139 people), which can be said to be an exclusive package for fans. It not only includes the previous feedback items, but also includes photocopies of notes + signatures, postcards and birthday cards.
I personally feel that this plan is a bit too “intensive” at this price! Sending alone has a high labor cost, and things like photocopying, signatures, and greeting cards are not very scalable. Rushing to launch this kind of feedback project may cause creators to expend too much energy.
Although I don’t know whether the actual implementation of Jiujiu shoes is good or bad, I think this project can increase the price while reducing the quantity to a manageable level. (In this regard, Lao Wang loves to joke and the limited feedback is very interesting)
Changes in amount | Jiujiu Shoes: 230,000/month (March 2017) → 110,000/month (January 2018)
[
](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pE04DVcm-AQAwS-JOy50uf0QrT5IsWUrzzE2IjYIzDH8 YlUsYSoNMHWRX-8OtbGnjShykkYA_Z6QC-0I2q5aoIGVMv2SBqbpRx7_3YGpSJQ5S3LsdTeUL3nyUntfCo7BnpWsGTWtQ7xG/s1600/6.PNG)
Case 3｜The picture and text do not match: “Subscription keyboard revolution: Let’s make more social issues easier and easier to understand!”
Project amount in January 2018: 182,038 yuan per month, 1,590 people, which is an average of 114 yuan per person.
The subscription project with inconsistent images and text has a high public welfare nature, and the inconsistent image and text itself has a lot of community voice, which has contributed to this “keyboard revolution”.
At the same time, this project also targeted small donations and sponsorships to lower the threshold for sponsorship. In the end, nearly 1,600 people supported it, which is an astonishing number.
[
](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWWelKjlppSPAetQTEW_cT8s1TzwyLaCwNnkzWQeF0wXPGBU5gJs1OCclj eRtEFiDjk9RihIc1SAoLtW5P21YN7GZRSyWJDj1J7WzcLgXXA92ZoKWvcgoEk3g2EDoDFnb7VU0bty01vpik/s1600/1_oHx3678mBqA9J6EQfDSjiQ.png)
70 yuan reward content: thank you letter, EasyCard card holder, thank you list, special discount code.
The remaining 840 yuan and 2,520 yuan of feedback are just due to the number of months of prepayment, and there is no significant difference in the feedback items.
From the above-mentioned feedback projects, we can find that sponsorship projects that do not match the graphics and text are extremely simple, and there are no particularly troublesome feedback items to deal with. The team can focus most of their efforts on creating better content—that is, what the sponsors want to see.
Through this support, we can continue to create relevant social welfare issues, continue to let more people know and like them, expand the influence of our own brand, and bring in new sponsors.
In addition, in addition to the subscription system, Pictures and Texts is still supported by its own business and other related cooperation. It also has a more diversified income structure. It is also an example of public content subscription that I think is very successful.
Features of public content subscriptions
Since there are many related projects and each sponsorship plan is very rich, I will not list them all in detail.
The three projects listed above all tend to be knowledge-based, and the pictures and texts do not match this project, which also has a large public welfare element. But it can be found that for consumers (subscribers), the psychological factor that will sponsor such a project depends on: whether I like this creator, rather than “whether this reward is a good deal or not.”
If you really want to weigh the rewards based on weight, none of these projects are very cost-effective. But because you can support your favorite creators, or get closer to your favorite creators (such as joining private groups, obtaining exclusive signatures and products, etc.), you sponsor projects.
In other words, the actual price relationship of these rewards is not so stable, and contains a lot of perceptual factors, and this perceptual factor will change day by day, which is something that creators should pay attention to.
※It is worth mentioning that because the project with inconsistent pictures and text has some social welfare nature and the cost of the project is not expensive, the consumption quadrant and perception in the minds of consumers may not be the same as that of ordinary projects.
Among them, there are also many sponsors who have a mentality of “fulfilling their wishes themselves.” I have been watching your videos and content for so long, so I will sponsor you for three months to repay your favor. As for the sponsors who come to repay their wishes, if someone else sponsors you as a “charity”, this will not last long after all (as the Jon star mentioned in the live broadcast), because there is no lasting concern in the world.
Both of the above points mean that the churn rate of the project will be relatively high and the battery life will be poor, because the long-term incentives to retain consumers are not that sufficient. At this time, it may not be a good way to simply improve the value of the content, because the nature of the content itself is different.
The direction of adjustment I imagine:
Perhaps it will reduce the burden of subscription. Whether it is for subscribers or creators, let subscriptions be only a part of the revenue source, not the majority.
What I think is possible
In the subscription system for open content, I see several key points from these creators:
1. Sponsorship target: The sponsored content should be the “creator himself” rather than the “specific issue” of the creation.
Since fans are actually sponsoring the creators themselves, only part of it is for the content (the content is not highly valuable and exclusivity is not high). If the sponsorship target is limited to specific projects, it will be easy for public creators to tie their hands and feet, but it will also be difficult to talk about taking other people’s money, and it will be difficult to flexibly choose creative themes.
Over time, it will affect the overall creative cycle and influence in the market.
2. Clarify the positioning of the subscription system and adjust your income mix.
For public creators, their main task should be to expand their influence, and then monetize their influence. Therefore, the subscription system should only be a means to assist oneself, and should not be the ultimate goal of the creator.
This type of creators should not bet all sources of income on the subscription system, whether it is industry distribution, advertising, or traffic. They need more sources of income. Just like live streamers can’t live off sponsorships alone, you also need more cross-industry cooperation and commercial monetization.
3. Reduce the complexity of feedback and reduce the single amount.
I think that when creators do not rely on subscriptions as their main source of income, they can try to reduce the complexity of the rewards and try to choose derivative products in the creative process as their priority (such as behind-the-scenes footage, preparation materials, etc.), so that they do not need to spend too much time preparing rewards and can focus on creation.
Simplifying the rewards also means a lower reward amount and a lower payment threshold, allowing everyone to sponsor with less burden and develop the habit of sponsoring.
After all, if you want people to continue to like you and support you in small amounts, it does not rely on hard work and hard work as rewards, but on better content creation.
Conclusion
Subscription funding should be a way to help creators, not limit future development. Subscription crowdfunding should be a means, not an end.
Looking at Taiwan’s consumer community, it seems that simply paying to support your favorite creators is not very popular. I think that if creators with open content put too much effort into processing feedback (even when the gross profit margin of the feedback is very low), it will prevent the film from further gaining greater influence, and the gain will be outweighed by the loss.
Because for this type of creator, the most precious thing is not the feedback provided, but the content, the content that can arouse the response of consumers, and the influence of the “creator himself”.
Although the content is not of high value to individuals, as long as the traffic is high enough and the customer base it brings is accurate enough, it can generate added commercial value.
If you want to continue to make the market like you, creators need to continue to produce content, and let the market favor your process, and realize something from it (industry matching is the most direct one). Subscription fundraising is one of the monetization methods. But this method should not prevent you from continuing to create content or hinder your positive creative cycle.
Above, the discussion on “public content” as I understand it ends here. The next article will be “closed content”, which will be closer to the content realization we often discuss, so please wait and see.
※ A brief discussion on subscription fundraising (Part 1): How to understand “囧星人 ceases subscription system”
※ [A brief discussion on subscription fundraising (Part 2): Restrictions and challenges for creators of “closed content”] (https://www.contenthacker.today/2018/01/kyon-subscription-comment-part3.html)
In addition, please don’t forget to support your favorite creators in a timely manner so that they can be more motivated to create better works.
★ To improve your content power, please don’t miss the [“Content Power: The Super Power of Building Brands”] (https://goo.gl/9hgqc2) online course ★Content Hacking Course: Content Marketing Practical Practice Class (1/24)[Registration now] ★ Content Hacking Lecture Series (CHL4): Create a call to action for your content [Open for registration] ★[This article](https://medium.com/@frank040737/%E6%B7%BA%E8%AB%87%E8%A8%82%E9%96%B1%E9 %9B%86%E8%B3%87-%E4%B8%AD-%E9%97%9C%E6%96%BC-%E5%85%AC%E9%96%8B%E5%9E%8B%E5%85% A7%E5%AE%B9-%E5%89%B5%E4%BD%9C%E8%80%85%E5%80%91%E7%9A%84%E5%8F%96%E6%8D%A8%E5 %8F%8A%E7%AA%81%E5%9C%8D-2998a2ad636f) author Qiu Taocheng. Thank you for the permission to reprint, hereby thank you.
★ Image source: [Qiu Taocheng Medium](https://medium.com/@frank040737/%E6%B7%BA%E8%AB%87%E8%A8%8 2%E9%96%B1%E9%9B%86%E8%B3%87-%E4%B8%AD-%E9%97%9C%E6%96%BC-%E5%85%AC%E9%96%8 B%E5%9E%8B%E5%85%A7%E5%AE%B9-%E5%89%B5%E4%BD%9C%E8%80%85%E5%80%91%E7%9A%84% E5%8F%96%E6%8D%A8%E5%8F%8A%E7%AA%81%E5%9C%8D-2998a2ad636f), PressPlay, YouTube
Further reading
- A brief discussion on subscription fund-raising (Part 1): How to understand “囧Star people stop the subscription system”
- A brief discussion on subscription funding (Part 2): Restrictions and challenges for creators of “closed content”
- [Lazy Bag] To subscribe or not to subscribe? That’s the question：Lazy Bag stopped raising funds for subscription event [Updated on the evening of February 2nd]
