June 7, 2014 by Dewayne Jackson,
I really enjoy seeing people create crowdfunding projects. If you’re unfamiliar with crowdfunding, websites like Kickstarter, Indiegogo, RocketHub, and GoFundMe provides site members with the opportunity to solicit money from their users to fund all types of projects for artists, authors, movie producers, singers, community activists, and more. Wikipedia has a list of the highest funded crowdfunding projects. Most of these items are movies, tech gadgets and videogames. Entrepreneurs and producers no longer have to depend on bank loans and venture capitalists to get their initiatives started. Web 2.0 driven crowdfunding sites allow creative professional to go directly to the source, their consumer base, to launch projects that probably would have never been funded through traditional means. Indie artists, actors, and producers have taken notice. In recent news, Levar Burton received over 3 million in pledges for Reading Rainbow withing 24 hours. A few months ago, Spike Lee was recently on CNN explaining why established producers had every right to use crowdfunding.
Beyond Likes and Retweets
Crowdfunding goes beyond likes, status updates, and retweets. It’s web 2.0 with a purpose that not only makes a tangible difference to business startups but funding the dreams and aspirations of everyday people and those in need. Mashable shared the news of a$44,000 raised for a homeless man to live in a house for a year.
Successful Campaigns
Below I’ve pulled together some articles and videos on Crowdfunding. After about an hour of reading and watching videos about Crowdfunding, I noticed reoccurring themes for designing your campaign. Getting funding from users who don’t know you involves more than just a project description and photo. Successful campaigns and crowdfundees respect the medium by having a great fundworthy project, providing a video, using traditional marketing and social media activities, using a personal touch, connecting with funders and keeping them updated, most importantly being very honest.
Articles on Crowdfunding
C|Net articles on crowdfunding
Entrepreneur articles on crowdfunding
Father Bob Turns to Crowdfunding to Help Homeless
Forbes articles on crowdfunding
Forbes: Experiment Is Crowdfunding Science Projects, Just Don’t Ask Them To Find Bigfoot
Huffington Post articles on crowdfunding
Scientists Turn to Crowdfunding to Support Research
Solar-roadway backers set crowdfunding record
Videos about Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding – Where Next, How Far, and What Are the Limits?
Tedx- Victoria Westcott: Crowdfunding 101
Watch This Before You Launch A Crowdfunding Campaign
Are you sure that crowdfunding is right for you?
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