A guide to all things Patreon and OF - Part 2 - Patreon (Patreon)

So here we are for Part 2 and all thing Patreon.

Patreon is very well-established platform – well you’re here reading this, so I assume some knowledge of what it is.  It’s definitely got a more “pro” vibe to it.  Only Fans while originally as the title suggests was directed at fans of pop stars, celebrities etc has of course been overtaken as the go to for sex workers and content creators, which is fine and dandy, but it has the porn angle to it now which some (regardless of levels they shoot) don’t want to be associated with, which I totally get.

For me Patreon in my mind has always been about artists and supporting them, that’s where I see Patreon links.  When I watch youtube tutorial etc etc it’s always “support me via my Patreon” rather than “support me on my OnlyFans”.

Patreon has a more liberal attitude to nude work compared to some other sites and while pornography isn’t allowed artistic nude content is.  The terms of use here are quite supportive of the type of work I/we do however I’d urge a few things be considered around image uploading - solely uploading nude images here and nothing else (a la Only Fans) isn’t really the way to go and will probably get you a community terms strike.

The main thing you can sell here is the benefit of the tier system.  Here’s how I worked mine out.  I think I have 2 audiences, for sure there is an audience that just wants to see my images, so that’s my basic access.  All my photo uploads, BTS videos when I do them, plus I think it’s a good idea to drop in the odd bit of “premium” content too like full videos etc. As while it’s relatively cheap I do want people to feel like there is some value and of course I want repeat subscribers!

You’re on the photographers tier I suspect.  I wanted a more premium offering, by default you get my presets, and that’s lifetime, any new ones I do this tier gets em. Links to my videos, links to premium content like this blog etc Discounts on my in person events.  I really do want to keep adding to my support for other photographers here so suspect it’ll morph over time.

The final most exclusive tier is my mentorship tier.  I get SO many questions on a daily basis for help, from looking at photos and critiquing them, to guidance on social media, just everything you could imagine.   Also I can’t run in person tuition as often as I’d like so the mentor tier allows access to all previous tiers but allows me to spend weekly quality time with people to help them achieve their goals.  I’ve limited this tier too which I think for this kind of offering is a no brainer as it’s impossible to offer that dedicated service to an unlimted number of people.

Some people have also gone for the “buy me a coffee” tier, for like £1-£2 – it gives no access but allows people to support you, I might think about that one.

So think about your tiers!! And make it worthwhile for people.

Model releases and nudity – the strict terms here state

“As mentioned above, you can post nude creations on Patreon of both real and fictional subjects. Just be sure to mark posts with mature themes as “Patron Only” and ensure your page is flagged as 18+ if your content will feature such themes.

As a reminder, you should never post or share nude creations of any individual under the age of 18, including yourself..

Lastly, we understand that you may make a mix of 18+ creations and other types of creations, and that is okay with us too. We will always review your work within its context”

That last sentence is important and why I believe you need to mix up your offering here to stay the right side of the guidelines.

Now similarly to OF this Is all driven by Mastercard as the payment processor wanting to protect itself which is fine! Their business their rules and anything that stops any shady practices can only be a good thing, however there are impacts to the less shady of us!

Releases – “Do I need to store identification information of people who participated in my adult/18+ content, or ask them to upload their identification anywhere?

We require that adult/18+ creators verify their ages and identities, but you do not need to store the identification information.”

Further on documentation required –

Mastercard’s Consent Documentation requirement, which applies to content published on 15 October 2021 and after, applies only to adult/18+ creators whose content is visual in nature and features real people (photography, videos, etc.).

What does securing Consent Documentation entail?

This requirement involves documenting the consent of participants to participate in the content, and to the content being on Patreon.

Once I document consent per Mastercard’s requirement, do I submit the document somewhere or retain it myself?

You should store the consent documentation yourself for a minimum of two years and be able to produce it upon request.

So you do NOT need to upload anything for each shoot but you do need to have it should you need it, they even provide a handy template here

You need to upload your own ID of course, the verification process here as a creator was quite simple, you need to build out your page and your tiers, upload some sample content then request to be published.  I missed a few things out first time round which they told me exactly what I needed (no guess work here).  Then re submitted and it was live within 48 hours.

I was impressed with the feedback on the process, unlike OF where accounts seemingly drop into a black hole with no idea if you’re being verified or not.

To summarise I like this place! It instantly feels more professional to me and I am already looking at others ways to leverage the services offered!

Thanks for reading! Any questions please drop them in the comments.