What are the best ways to discover a good platform for creators? Advice from 4 successful creators |
Every artist deserves tools that are able to meet their demands and support their growth -- but platforms don't always meet their promises. This is what four creatives who are successful look for in platforms that are supportive of creators.
"It was an absolute nightmare" says Em Connors of The Creative Bodega .
When Em first began the Canva course, the course's plugin she used to create a WordPress site was not working. Students had signed up for the class, but the first day, no one could log in.
"We were unable to figure out what was wrong. What a tense time! My heart rate has been so high. And there was no one in the world to chat with," she remembers. Em desperately searched for help on forums and online which included a Facebook forum for plugin users But no one could help her.
However, it could be something that's familiar to many creators. Too many platforms in the market for creators do not put their creators' interests firstand operate with unsound practices including a lack of transparency, deceptive fees, and silence instead of offering support.
Every creator deserves creator-friendly tools that are able to meet their demands and help them grow. For a deeper understanding of what creator friendliness and the lack of it -- actually looks as, we talked to four creators about their experiences:
Em Conners , solopreneur, marketing and branding expert, educator, and the founder of The Creative Bodega.
Becky Mollenkamp Feminist life coach, podcaster, and founder of The Gutsy Boss Club community.
Adrian Dalsus , musician, marketer, teacher, and founder of Despegue Musical.
Khe Hy , a.k.a. "Oprah to Millennials", the founder of RadReads and also a Notion pro.
What are the characteristics of a platform that make it creator-friendly?
There are many factors that can make a platform creator-friendly -- but it all boils down to whether creators feel that they have the support of the platform.
1. Support for accessibility
Whenever you get stuck, you ought to have the assistance you require. It sounds simple, but it isn't always available. For Em the term "creator friendliness" means having the ability to communicate with a real human being to discuss any concerns or problems.
"Creator friendly is being able to ask a question to anyone and get quick answers. I just want to have the ability to talk to someone else, which is rare nowadays."
-- Em Connors, Em Connors, Creative Bodega
As entrepreneurs crafting experiences and building relationships, many creators aim to operate the same way within their own business. "I'm willing to assist you the best possible," Em says. "Ask me questionsalthough I may not know the answer but I'll do my best. This is what I believe makes people feel really at ease."
Becky says: "Knowing that the company will be responsive to customer needs ensures that you're always able to have the support you need in a timely time. If a company doesn't do this at the outset then run the other way."
2. Ease of use
Tools that support creators also have to be user-friendly across backgrounds and experience levels. Just because a product feels intuitive for one person isn't a guarantee that it will be easy for all users.
"Addressing the needs of all generations is essential as anyone can be an artist at any time!"
Becky considers herself to be a reliable yardstick
"One option for me to determine if a program has been designed by a creator is if I can intuitively figure out what I can do with it, without screaming. While I'm technically proficient, I am older and not an ideal target of tech firms."
She elaborates, "Too often, tools are designed for those that grew up with the Internet, not folks similar to me. If I can easily find out how to use some thing, it means that they thought outside of the twenty-somethings, and is committed to making a tool for all users."
3. Provides for the creator journey ahead
The platform must also be able to serve creators at every stage of their path, according to Khe Hy whether the goal is to make a sales site flexible or a checkout experience really smooth, down to having features that handle processes involving affiliates, upsells, or other upsells.
"Creator-friendly means that a product is aware of and anticipating the needs of creators."
-- Khe Hy, RadReads
Creative friendliness is a way to plan for what's next for the person who created it "before they realize the steps to take to reach their goal," he explains. "A lot of times, people are starting with something very simple before expanding their offering."
The anxiety of creating unfriendly platforms
It's so frustrating to feel that you're not getting the assistance you require from a platform you rely upon to manage your business.
Like Em, Becky has found herself battling the silence treatment. "I first began my learning experience on a platform that offered poor customer service," she shares. "When I ran into issues with my course, I was required to send an email. It was not a standard response to acknowledge that they got the email. And I never got answers for the vast majority of the questions I submitted."
It's not just limited to customer support. Businesses have the chance to place the needs of creators first throughout the entire user experience. By ignoring or not taking advantage of these opportunities leaves creators feeling like they're at the mercy of the platforms' decisions.
For Adrian, a platform's disregard towards creators can be seen in the sudden adding or dropping options that force him to learn how to operate the application. Communication with supposed experts isn't helpful in the event that, as Adrian points out, "you can clearly see that they're trying to persuade that you spend more time and money inside of the tool."
The worst experience Adrian experienced as a designer and business owner was using the tool for creating websites. "It required a lengthy learning process to do very easy tasks, and it could be susceptible to an error at any time because of a plugin change, or unfortunate luck," Adrian recalls. "Knowing that my websites as well as landing pages of my business and customers could cease functioning in any moment, no matter the cost hiring all the essential tools for a professionally designed site, is outrageous."
It is easy to hear his blood pressure rising as he tells us, "Just thinking of [theseplatforms makes me feel extremely frustrated, deceived, helpless, overwhelmed, confident, and anxious for every bad thing that can happen the event that I don't have any control!"
Where can you find platforms that are creator-friendly?
Similar to the majority of purchasing decision-making, artists can be taken in by companies. However, according to Adrian says, they're making a decision based on their experience and learning to spot a platform that puts creator needs first:
And the outcome? Creators think they've made the best decision but get frustrated over and over again because they have to figure it themselves, with no assistance from their service suppliers."
So what should you avoid? "Tools that increase their costs when you expand your database]. This is the case with most email marketing providers. Service that require additional payments or hidden charges in their memberships for access to templates, courses, or even information."
Additionally, be aware of devices that are expensive in the beginning, particularly as you start out. Khe advises "Creators want to make a payment for services but if you get started too expensive -- either by tiering your plans or the way you structure your plan -- it can be too expensive and too soon." Adrian states, "Having to pay over $100 per month upfront- just to learn how to utilize the platform, or to discover how to earn cash there doesn't be the ideal solution for most creators."
What attributes do you seek? Adrian recommends seeking out tools developed with the creator at the forefront from the beginning and with a reasonable price along with customer support and transparency from the company.
"Although it sounds cliche It is important to know the company's values, goals, and the vision of the business? What are their plans for the future? Are they really looking to grow? Did they create a product or service that they're trying to market, with no interest in developing it?"
-- Adrian Dalsus, Despegue Musical
There are many additional factors which make an online platform user-friendly, from how transaction fees are structured to the possibility of accepting direct payments . (Learn more about the way in which's chief executive officer, Spencer Fry, thinks about creating a culture of friendliness for creators and the reasons it's an important guiding concept for the business.)
In the way Becky puts it, "There are always choices. I'll always give my dollars to companies who actually are concerned about me and my experiences, not just about taking my money."
The Creator Friendliness Index
The Creator Friendliness Index uses 20 rating factors to determine the degree of how accommodating a business's policies are towards creators. -- See which platforms have your back