What to know:
- Patreon has launched gift subscriptions, allowing fans to purchase memberships for others as holiday presents.
- The platform now enables creators to offer membership discounts to attract new subscribers.
- Gift subscriptions can range from one month to a full year, with flexible tier options for gifting.
Patreon has unveiled a timely holiday feature that lets you gift creator memberships to friends and family. The subscription platform aims to capitalize on the holiday spirit, as it typically sees the highest surge in paid memberships between November and January.
The new gifting system works similarly to platforms like Twitch and YouTube, where fans can purchase subscriptions for others. Patreon’s announcement said that you can now select both the duration and tier level when gifting a membership, making it a versatile option for holiday giving. The gift recipient gains access to exclusive creator content, such as bonus podcast episodes, special live streams, or premium digital downloads.
For creators, this update opens new avenues to expand their fan base. They can now generate unique gift links for non-paying members to redeem. Once the gifted period expires, these new fans may convert to regular paying subscribers, creating a sustainable growth pathway.
Patreon has also introduced a discount feature that lets creators offer special pricing to attract new members. Creators maintain control over their discount strategies, with options to set specific eligibility criteria and promotional periods. For instance, they might offer a 50% discount to free-tier members as an incentive to upgrade to paid subscriptions.
This development builds upon Patreon’s earlier introduction of free memberships, which has already attracted 30 million new subscribers. The platform continues to evolve its toolkit, helping creators boost revenue and engagement while making it easier for fans to support their favorite content makers during the holiday season.
