TikTok isn’t the only digital media platform taking a transparent approach with its community. Patreon has launched a new podcast, titled Backstage with Patreon, that will “open the curtain on how to build a thriving business on Patreon.”
That quote, spoken by Patreon Director of Success Brian Keller, comes from the Backstage trailer. The podcast will feature two types of guests: Creators and Patreon team members. The former group will deliver “insights, challenges, and tips for other creators, while the latter will provide an “inside scoop” on Patreon’s product launches and best practices.
The first episode of Backstage, released on February 6, falls into the second category. Keller’s guest is Jenn Pugh, Patreon’s Senior Product Manager for Creator Products. Across a 19-minute chat (Backstage episodes will typically run for a half-hour or less), Keller and Pugh discuss subscription billing. That’s the name of the Patreon option that charges patrons one month after they first sign up to support their favorite creators.
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“With this new billing model, there’s no hiccups or any weirdness around when you’re going to be charged, which for some patrons has been distracting,” Pugh says during the episode. “With the new billing model, things are a lot smoother.”
If you’ve followed Patreon for a while, you may remember that proposed changes to its billing model caused a stir in 2021. The platform took so much heat that CEO Jack Conte authored an apologetic blog post, in which he admitted that Patreon’s uneven messaging “created confusion.” In a follow-up AMA on Reddit, Patreon users implored Conte to improve his company’s communication with creators.
In that area, Backstage is a big step forward. The podcast will keep creators in the loop about incoming Patreon products, and it will be a space where the company’s employees can explain the thought processes behind big decisions. Listeners with follow-up questions will be able to get answers through Patreon’s creator-centric Discord server, where visitors can also pitch ideas for future Backstage episodes.
New installments of Backstage will roll out each week. Guests scheduled for the first month include illustrator Luke Stratton and singer-songwriter Rebecca Loebe, who will dish on topics like audience engagement and career development.
To keep tabs on Backstage, head to Patreon’s Creator Hub. The show is available across most major podcasting platforms.
