How Important Is the First Day of a Kickstarter?

[Shiv]

A little something you might want to share:

Regular Kickstarter backers, want to learn something important about Kickstarters that will help your favorite creators in the long run? Check out this 5-tweet thread and share it.

If you don't have a Twitter account or don't feel like clicking on that link, here's the text of the thread:

(Some of you may already know this. If so, cool. Share and reinforce this idea with others who regularly back Kickstarters.)

INSIDE SCOOP FROM A 3-TIME KICKSTARTER CREATOR
(Other KS creators, chime in and reinforce this.)

THE FIRST DAY OF A KICKSTARTER IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE!

Kickstarter data shows that KSs that fund early (esp. in the first day or even first several hours) do MUCH better overall. You'd THINK that backers finding the KS later would help bolster it (and they do, quite a bit). BUT, people want to back a WINNER!

If a KS hits its funding goal very early, it does much better in the long run. People finding the KS later get excited for a KS that is funded and moving through stretch goals. It's human nature. If something is already good (i.e. funded), it can only get BETTER, right?

Such a KS attracts attention in the comments and on various social media and advertising outlets. Backers tell their friends. It becomes a snowball rolling downhill, gathering backers. It gets bigger and bigger.

Your card gets charged WHEN A KICKSTARTER ENDS. Backing early (1st day) helps a great deal. If you're only moderately interested, back on the first day and help the KS take off strong. You can always drop later if you decide it's not quite for you or your finances are tight.

 

[MNblockhead]

I have no hard data on this and am not inspired to look it up, but it rings true. You want to build momentum early, preferably before you even go live. I stopped "watching" Kickstarters and now just pledge as soon as I learn of one I'm interested in and make a calendar event before the close date to revisit and make sure that I still want to support it.

 

[Morrus]

I've run quite a few Kickstarters now, and yep, funding on the first day is very powerful. Not doing so doesn't mean the Kickstarter will fail, of course, but it gives it that needed momentum. That's why a lot of Kickstarter offer "early bird" rewards, and most creators make sure people know about and are ready for their Kickstarter well before it launches.

A third of a month long's Kickstarter's funds come in the first few days, a third in the last few, and the final third is stretched out across the middle three weeks.