Patreon is launching new options, a redesigned app and a brand new model id, the corporate introduced on Wednesday. In a weblog publish, the corporate defined that the adjustments are about “giving creators much more,” noting that Patreon is “now not only a paid membership firm.”
Probably the most notable options updates is the total rollout of its Discord-like chat function that connects creators with their followers in a bunch message. Patreon says the function provides creators and followers devoted areas for group conversations exterior of DMs and feedback. The introduction of chats signifies that Patreon is transferring away from solely being a spot for individuals to acquire unique content material, however a platform the place followers additionally spend time discussing the content material they’re seeing with others.
Followers have usually taken to different platforms like Twitter (X) and TikTok to debate unique content material that they see, however Patreon now desires customers to have these discussions by itself platform. The corporate made the chat function accessible to pick out creators over the summer time, however is now rolling it out it to each creator on Patreon.
One other new change is the total rollout of a function that Patreon introduced again in June known as “Commerce,” which permits creators to promote one-off digital items and provide free subscriptions. The function is a manner for creators to promote particular person movies, audio and downloadable recordsdata to anybody, even when they aren’t a subscriber.
Creators may now let individuals be part of their communities at no cost and provide them content material and updates whereas retaining unique content material behind a paywall, as creators can select which perks they wish to provide for every tier of membership. Julian Gutman, Patreon’s chief product officer, instructed TechCrunch a couple of months in the past that he sees the free subscription product as a manner for creators to make use of their subscription record like a publication, or a approach to simply attain all of their greatest followers directly. By giving customers a free membership group, they might be inspired to make a month-to-month pledge. 
Picture Credit: Patreon
The weblog publish additionally touches on member profiles, which show issues like bios, profile footage and hyperlinks to social media accounts. In response to Patreon’s up to date privateness coverage, these profiles will embody details about issues like objects they’ve bought or what tier a person subscribes to. Since member profiles are turned on by default, customers must choose out to keep away from having their data shared. Customers have taken to social media to share their issues concerning the adjustments, noting that they don’t want this data to be made public, particularly because it’s completed by default.
When requested concerning the change, a spokesperson for Patreon mentioned customers have the choice to show off their member profile by navigating to their settings.
“With in the present day’s announcement, every member has this public profile, in addition to a member profile. As of now, they appear the identical, however sooner or later, member profiles will give members extra selection on how they wish to present up of their communities and assist them work together with fellow followers of a selected creator,” the assertion reads. “Member profiles are seen to fellow followers solely inside a shared group – not the general public – and members have the choice to show off their member profile by disabling their ‘group profile’ setting. Extra data on member profiles could be discovered within the Assist Heart.”
As for the redesigned app, customers will begin seeing an up to date house feed with new posts organized by creator, versus posts.
“As an alternative of dropping right into a content material overload, members log in and immediately see the whole lot they need at a look,” the corporate wrote within the weblog publish. “Their homepage is organized by creator, not by publish, which suggests followers can see a creator’s newest work subsequent to their group conversations and the rest occurring of their world. It’s creativity in context, the way in which creators supposed.”
As a part of its reimagined model, Patreon is launching a brand new emblem and wordmark, together with adjustments to typography, colour and images. The corporate says the adjustments are designed for a “digital-first world, supposed to problem static, old-media brand-building conventions in favor of an id that higher displays in the present day’s ever-evolving inventive panorama.”
