Kickstarter has announced a new vision, which moves the platform from its “We’re not retail” mantra to a focus on “make money, tackle the logistics” that feels a bit more reflective of what people want.
The new Kickstarter is a marketing platform with an internal digital agency and new backer surveys to help fulfil orders. In other words, it does more of what ecosystem partners like BackerKit do. As BackerKit launched a Kickstarter competitor a few years ago, the move from Kickstarter feels more than far. It feels a bit late.
Sadly, for sites like Geek Native and others that cover Kickstarters often, there’s no whiff of revenue, commission or affiliate marketing splits.
The new vision introduces;
- Late Pledges
- Performance Marketing
- Better Back Surveys
Kickstarter says;
The Kickstarter we’re building today is more than just a crowdfunding platform; we’re evolving into a comprehensive funding and launch platform that supports independent Creators and innovators at every stage of their journey.
Kickstarter Late Pledges
Kickstarter is changing the game for project creators by extending support beyond the campaign’s initial deadline. With the launch of their new “Late Pledges” feature, successful campaigns can continue raising funds even after the official end date.
This feature eliminates the need for third-party services and streamlines the process by integrating it directly into Kickstarter. The platform says results have been impressive, with one creator raising an additional 35% of their original goal within just two weeks of using Late Pledges.
The feature is now available globally to all Kickstarter creators who successfully meet their funding goal.
Kickstarter Marketing
Kickstarter is expanding its support for creators with the launch of Kickstarter Performance, a new in-house performance marketing team. This dedicated unit aims to help creators effectively promote their campaigns and reach a wider audience of potential backers.
The Kickstarter Performance team offers comprehensive support throughout the campaign, from developing creative assets and pre-launch marketing strategies to measuring and executing ad campaigns. Leveraging their experience in crowdfunding, the team tailors performance marketing strategies to each campaign’s specific needs.
In its initial testing phase with a select group of creators, Kickstarter Performance has already facilitated nearly $1 million in pledges, showcasing its potential to significantly boost campaign success.
Kickstarter is moving beyond its traditional crowdfunding model by providing ongoing marketing support before, during, and after campaigns, actively helping creators drive pledges and turn their ideas into reality.
Kickstarter Surveys
Kickstarter is set to overhaul its backer survey tool, aiming to streamline the production and fulfilment process for creators. The existing tool, while functional, is being upgraded to enhance user experience and efficiency.
The upcoming changes promise a more streamlined survey process for creators and backers. Backers can input their address, select item preferences (such as size and colour), and answer custom questions directly on the pledge details page. The new tool will also consolidate responses for all selected items, including add-ons and multiple quantities.
The survey setup will be simplified for creators, requiring only a single configuration for all backers. The tool will dynamically present relevant questions based on the contents of each pledge. Additionally, the upgrade aims to make it easier for backers to provide and update accurate shipping addresses.
What’s missing
I whined about the lack of commission, but perhaps more significantly, there’s no mention of blockchains or any other controversial technology. Previously, Kickstarter stirred up upset by looking to decentralise through blockchains and with a partner not a million miles removed from the world of NFTs.
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