Part of our time together was dedicated to discussing the work our product teams are doing to address pain points creators feel when trying to get the word out about their projects. We shared our team’s methodology for surveying our community and understanding what rises to the top, walked through some immediate next steps, and then opened up the conversation. We heard that in addition to tools we’re working on like support for Google Analytics 4 and pixel integrations, there’s a hunger to facilitate more real-world connections with audiences. Creators also want to make it easier and more appealing for potential backers to follow their project before it goes live. And creators want better analytics—for example, when you can see where your most engaged backers are coming from, you have a chance to build on that success. As our product teams are building, they’re also evaluating how we can best integrate this feedback into their work. Additionally, we focused the conversation on protocol efforts. This direct conversation was overdue as the issue remains top of mind for many creators, and it was an important step in more deeply involving our community with this initiative.

Offering great rewards is one of the best ways to encourage support for your Kickstarter project. It's always good to offer copies of what you're making, signed prints, tickets to your shows, and things like T-shirts or totes. But extra-imaginative rewards can help make your project all the more memorable. Looking for help thinking some up? Here's a start: we've come up with 96 possibilities for fun and engaging rewards. Some have actually happened, some we dreamt up on the fly — and all of them can be used as inspiration for your own project.

Isolation is hard on everyone, but it’s been particularly challenging for those working in creative industries. Art of all kinds, from filmmaking to fry cooking, tends to involve a lot of physical getting together—and the sudden prohibition to do that is drying up all types of income streams. For creators who are struggling, now is the time to get creative with what you can offer and how you can ask your community for support. Many artists are exploring how donations can help them stay afloat. Here on Kickstarter, we’re seeing strong support for folks who choose to launch creative projects as a compelling way to rally their community. A campaign can be a powerful, timely ask. Saying “Help me raise $5,000 in the next 30 days so I can finish this album and give you early access,” has a lot more immediacy and excitement than “Please give what you can.” We’re also seeing artists and business owners getting experimental with what they can offer from isolation. For example, while the legendary Brooklyn metal and hardcore music space Saint Vitus can’t host shows, they’re using Kickstarter to pivot to livestreams, offer new merch, and host digital music lessons—and these reward offerings have already helped them to raise over $80,000.