Patreon Launches Patreon Video, Allowing Creators To Upload Native Videos For The First Time
Patreon has launched its long-awaited native video feature, Patreon Video.
Patreon Video allows creators to upload and share high-definition (HD) videos of any length directly on Patreon. Creators can create a preview of their videos by selecting a portion of it and a cover image and then sharing it across their social media platforms. Upon watching the preview, viewers are then prompted to sign up for the creator's Patreon community to watch the full video. Creators also have insights such as total video views and average view duration to see how their videos perform.
Source: Patreon
“Whether you’re giving a quick behind-the-scenes update or dropping the latest full episode of your exclusive series, Patreon Video opens the door for you to be your most authentic, creative self,” Patreon shared in a blog post.
Native video has long been in demand among creators, and for a good reason. Creators no longer need to rely on third-party websites like YouTube and Vimeo to be able to share video content on Patreon. Rather than embedding external links and making them unlisted, creators can upload videos natively for subscriber-only audiences. Besides being more convenient, creators have more control over their content and the viewing experience since they don't have to worry about ads, algorithms, or harmful comments.
As Instagram's recent outage and Twitter's current chaos have shown, social media platforms can be quite unpredictable. So the more control creators can get over their content and audience, the better. A native feature like Patreon Video helps with that.
During the early access period for Patreon Video, which lasts until the end of 2023, Pro and Premium plan creators can upload 500 hours of videos. After 2023, Patreon will introduce new pricing for Patreon Video, which will take into account the company's cost of hosting and streaming native videos.
Patreon says additional functionalities Patreon Video will be rolled out over time, including the ability for creators to upload from mobile and 4K videos.
