KickstarterForum.org

Kickstarter has had an amazing past few years! They’ve gone from an obscure website where you can raise funds for a project to a world-renown household name. It’s been exciting to watch and even more fun to blog about.

Read the article here: http://www.crowdcrux.com/kickstarters-growth-slowing/

Kickstarter has literally been blowing up lately.

I guess the question is why can't smaller projects - that are good - not get any of this BUZZ. Many backers have worked hard on their projects... Maybe Kickstarter should offer a Random project on their home page. Start getting people to see other projects - Like MINE!

It is definitely great to see a likable company experiencing that much sought-after hockey stick growth and if it slows down a bit, I don’t think that’s a red flag. I think you've correctly identified that they are indeed in a maturing stage.

They've got two really great things going for them as they search for new ways to retain and attract new backers and creators: 1) they truly are the first to market so they have a temporal head start (however you could argue crowdfunding is an old concept, or that IndieGoGo has been in the same space for the same amount of time) and 2) they’re close to successfully “verbifying” their brand (although I guess the majority of the name was already a verb).

You mentioned that you think a contributing factor to their future success will be from making Kickstarter a household name. I think they’re already succeeding in that. If I can turn on the TV for a brief 15 minutes and the channel 4 news is talking about a Kickstarter project, they’ve undoubtedly secured a household awareness.

Great article and info!

Helpmeplz wrote:I guess the question is why can't smaller projects - that are good - not get any of this BUZZ. Many backers have worked hard on their projects... Maybe Kickstarter should offer a Random project on their home page. Start getting people to see other projects - Like MINE!

Along with the smaller projects that are good there are also tons of smaller projects that are not well thought out or planned! Kickstarter is so popular that they are attracting people with the mentality that it's a quick fix to fundraising anything. At the same time, they're attracting already established companies that are looking for a safer new product or new market testing ground. The genuine hardworkers are just a bit harder to find among the sea of everyone else.

They do semi offer that Random project showcasing via the magic filter, but I get what you're saying. I think the project creators that are sincerely genuine in their campaigning will still get funded. I know for me personally when I see a little guy that's really done the work required, you can feel compelled to pledge. Many of the funding factory cookie cutters can't invoke that magic.

I don't think Kickstarter will ever die it's a great platform and quite honest too. People go on there to enjoy projects and share among each other. I must say in my experience, I have had a wonderful patronage from other creators and so on. Kickstarter is almost becoming like one huge family.

I will have to see. I've recently released a project I spent tons of time, cash, and plenty of hard brain power... Will see if it works or not - I've found tho that funding something requires a lot of your own network. I have to experience Kickstart - Kickstarting outside of my personal network - even with all the social site work and running ads. :/ - I'm standing, breathing, and still working hard for it!

how do you explain potato salad???

Helpmeplz wrote:I will have to see. I've recently released a project I spent tons of time, cash, and plenty of hard brain power... Will see if it works or not - I've found tho that funding something requires a lot of your own network. I have to experience Kickstart - Kickstarting outside of my personal network - even with all the social site work and running ads. :/ - I'm standing, breathing, and still working hard for it!

Helpmeplz, how many projects have you backed? As you can contact each project creator you backed and let them know you are a backer and that you have set up your own kickstarter and ask if they would like to check out your kickstarter. Many of them are only too happy to back their backers projects thats how I got many of my backers.

gordonFreeman, totally hear you on that one! Potato Salad was a weird one, probably people thought it was so funny so the first few backers then grew into many just for a laugh - it is a good indicator that Kickstarter is not dying, probably was a slump for a bit but I feel it will all pick up again. Backers like my friends/networks who had not heard of kickstarter before me, joined and now some are hooked! Has to be a positive in that

Kickstarter is slowly reaching its maturity, but theres no clear signs that its going down.

To answer your advice: I don't like spam. I've gotten a lot of people that claim they can do this and that for whatever reason. I feel I wouldn't appear legit to some of these KS projects if I start asking them to take a look at my project.

I would agree I'm not good on networking. Finding the right people to help push a product a long. Finding the right team that's willing to go that extra mile. I've found some great people but just like the rest of us, were circling that wheel of trying to make ends meet.

With less than 6 days left on a project I've invested lots of man hours, time, and user testing - I find people like the idea but it's not that GREAT idea that people love and get inspired by. Without something that inspires people to go into sharing/backing/word of mouth chaotic about - the masses won't see it and Kickstarter appears to be an island you fell off of.

I suppose the best thing to do is attempt to build connection with your audience. Get a lot of fans - before using Kickstarter - meaning KickStarter won't help the guys who don't know how to gain the fan base or don't have one to gain a fan base and embark on a good project.

Potatoe Salad was just an "awesome" project that everyone laughed with and couldn't help but "pitch in" - just to see if it was real. It played off the curiosity side of the brain and did so well. Almost fantastic really.

I am working on rebuilding the PlanetJ1 into a web series with 10% of the budget or less - to help utilize the small amount of people I have built a repetition with and still be able to release great content that I know will change life's and inspire people's hearts. It's not like I won't change a medium to deliver the message of hope I'm dreaming of leaving.

gypsysnail wrote:

Helpmeplz wrote:I will have to see. I've recently released a project I spent tons of time, cash, and plenty of hard brain power... Will see if it works or not - I've found tho that funding something requires a lot of your own network. I have to experience Kickstart - Kickstarting outside of my personal network - even with all the social site work and running ads. :/ - I'm standing, breathing, and still working hard for it!

Helpmeplz, how many projects have you backed? As you can contact each project creator you backed and let them know you are a backer and that you have set up your own kickstarter and ask if they would like to check out your kickstarter. Many of them are only too happy to back their backers projects thats how I got many of my backers.

gordonFreeman, totally hear you on that one! Potato Salad was a weird one, probably people thought it was so funny so the first few backers then grew into many just for a laugh - it is a good indicator that Kickstarter is not dying, probably was a slump for a bit but I feel it will all pick up again. Backers like my friends/networks who had not heard of kickstarter before me, joined and now some are hooked! Has to be a positive in that