Whether you want to raise money to create the best independent film of all time, or you have a product that simply everyone needs, coming up with the initial funding can be a tough hurdle to leap over. Fortunately, Kickstarter campaigns allow companies to come up with the capital to move forward.
It can take Kickstarter several weeks to approve your project, and then it takes time to build a following, grab the interest of those willing to invest in your idea, and reach your goal.
But with smart social media strategies. You’ll reach a bigger audience more quickly than you might otherwise have.
Creating and Sharing Videos on Social Media
According to Digital Sherpa, videos help people understand your product better by 74 percent. On top of that, one third of online activity can be attributed to videos.
This is something that Lace Anchors paid attention to during its Kickstarter campaign. Lace Anchors created videos that explain what shoelace substitutes have to offer. Once people saw it, they knew just how brilliant the idea was.
They built on this idea, creating many different how-to videos that helped spark interest in the product. The campaign earned $135,000 more than the originally set goal. This serves as proof that a picture (or moving picture) truly is worth 1,000 words – or at least $135,000 more than your goal!
What you can take away from this is that you should create high quality videos that not only explains your product or service but also captures the viewer’s attention. Share them on social media and ask others to retweet and share them as well.
Gain a Following on Multiple Platforms
It takes months to gain a serious following on social media. First, you should be on as many platforms you can manage. Some of the bigger players include:
- Google+
However, don’t rule out the smaller social media sites, especially if the demographic fits with your target audience.
One example of using connections and social media effectively is Whole Hog Games. The goal was to create its first video game titled Full Bore by raising $12,500 in just 30 days. The progress started before ever launching the campaign. Whole Hog Games got family and friends on board and spread the word via social media and word of mouth.
According to IndieGameGirl.com, the gaming company reached over 8,000 people on Facebook alone upon launching their campaign.
Press Releases and Article Coverage
Whole Hog Games raised about 20-30 percent of its funds because it was mentioned in articles across the Internet. Don’t limit yourself. Whole Hog Games reached out to some of the bigger websites that cover the gaming world. This paid off in article coverage in online publications.
The resulting traffic helped them raise thousands just from two articles. The key is to email sites that fall within the niche of your product or service. The more you can narrow down your queries, the more success you’ll have in getting mentioned by these sites, or even getting an exclusive interview or article.
Create a Great Site and Interesting Content
If you really want people to sit up and take notice of your campaign, create an easy to navigate website with excellent content. Like Lace Anchors, consider taking the time to create informative videos that explain how your products work.
Whole Hog Games engaged readers and created a strong website with information about the game. Potential investors want to be sure you’re serious about developing your idea – and that you aren’t only a flash in the industry that will quickly burn out.
With a little determination and a lot of social media preparation, you can easily kickstart your Kickstarter campaign before you take it live. After you kick off your campaign, the attention will grow day by day.
