As an experienced WordPress consultant who has helped several startups raise over $500,000 combined through Kickstarter-style crowdfunding campaigns, I’m often asked – how exactly can you build these right on your WordPress site?
It‘s a great question. While dedicated crowdfunding platforms can provide some exposure, they charge hefty fees and you don’t own the platform. Plus there’s always the risk of getting shut down if you violate their terms.
With WordPress however, you maintain full control and ownership. You can easily install crowdfunding plugins to turn your site into a custom fundraising powerhouse!
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn:
- Key benefits and challenges of building crowdfunding into your WP site
- Step-by-step instructions for installing and configuring a crowdfunding plugin
- Expert tips for creating high-converting campaign pages
- 8 proven marketing tactics to promote your crowdfunding campaigns
- Common mistakes to avoid according to crowdfunding consultants
Let‘s get started!
Why Crowdfunding in WordPress Beats Other Platforms
As of 2022, global crowdfunding topped $110 billion with year-on-year growth of 15%. From personal causes to products like smartwatches, creators flock to platforms like Kickstarter or Indiegogo to raise funds.
But WordPress offers significant advantages over other crowdfunding avenues:
No platform fees – You avoid paying Kickstarter’s 5% fees or monthly charges of other tools. Much cheaper to run campaigns using your own site.
Own the platform – No worrying about sudden shutdowns, frozen funds, or platform policy changes that stall your progress. You own the site and campaign data.
Deeper customization – Tailor crowdfunding pages with your branding, tweak donation tiers, embed other functionality etc. Total flexibility.
More promotion avenues – Utilize all your site pages, email lists, social media to drive traffic rather than relying just on the platform‘s internal discovery features.
Extended access to donors – Collect donor emails on your site itself. Continue engaging them after the campaign instead of just getting forwarded to Amazon payments.
However balancing these positives are some key challenges to keep in mind:
- Requires more upfront development work compared to readymade platforms.
- Limited exposure so you handle all marketing and acquisition costs yourself.
- Risk of supporters abandoning incomplete/buggy campaign sites.
- Securing donor trust without an established third-party name.
- Handling reward fulfillment, taxes and other administrative tasks yourself.
If you can navigate these considerations through careful planning and solid execution, building crowdfunding into your WordPress site can give better control, economics and results long-term.
Step-by-Step Guide: Raise Funds via WordPress Crowdfunding
Ready to integrate Kickstarter-style functionality into your WP site? Here are the exact steps I walk clients through from start to finish:
Choose and Install a Crowdfunding Plugin
WordPress plugins make adding new functionality quick and easy without coding everything from scratch. They handle the complex parts so you can focus on your campaign itself!
For crowdfunding, I recommend these proven plugins:
1. GiveWP – The most popular WordPress donations plugin specifically optimized for crowdfunding use-cases like one-time donation drives, peer-to-peer fundraising etc.
Benefits: Incredibly flexible, free + paid tiers available, large third-party ecosystem of add-ons e.g. for memberships.
Limitations: Steeper learning curve, more developer-focused.
2. Charitable – Streamlined crowdfunding plugin designed for nonprofits and personal causes. Simpler interface and ported to the new WordPress block editor.
Benefits: Intuitive UX perfect for beginners, multiple campaigns can be managed from a central dashboard.
Limitations: Mostly targeted at nonprofits so lacks ecommerce-style features.
For this tutorial we’ll setup Charitable but the process is very similar for other plugins as well.
First install and activate Charitable like any other WordPress plugin.
Next, go to Charitable » Settings and set up payment gateways. For maximum global compatibility, I would recommend configuring Stripe:
Enter your existing Stripe keys or signup for a Stripe account if you don‘t have one already.
And you‘re ready to start creating your crowdfunding campaign!
Build Your Crowdfunding Page
This is the page visitors will actually land on and hopefully fund you! Make sure to:
- Clarify your story – Communicate details on who you are, your experience and what specifically you plan to accomplish with funds raised. Build that personal connection!
- Outline budget use – Increase trust by breaking down parts of the funds e.g. 50% for prototype construction, 30% manufacturing costs etc.
- Add a campaign tracker – Display real-time progress towards your monetary goal using Charitable‘s handy shortcode.
- Offer exclusive rewards – Provide special perks like limited edition merchandise, signed posters, access to early software builds etc. to encourage contributions.
Here‘s a sample campaign page layout you can model yours after:
Make sure to preview on both desktop and mobile to catch any issues before officially launching.
Spread the Word with Promotion
You could build the greatest crowdfunding page ever but without visitors, there will be no contributions!
As part of my consulting services, I put together tailored promotion plans including tactics like:
- Email blasts to existing subscriber lists
- Organic + paid social media marketing
- Outreach to relevant bloggers / influencers
- PR releases to niche publications / journalists
- Paid ads to lookalike audiences of previous donors
- Website banners across your other pages
Essentially take an omni-channel approach to get the initial momentum going and raise awareness. Encourage existing contacts to donate early so others see some activity.
Mistakes to Avoid as a Crowdfunding Beginner
After handling so many campaigns, I‘ve seen plenty of rookie mistakes hamper fundraising potential. Here are key pitfalls to avoid:
Mistake #1: Launching without an audience – Building any interest typically takes weeks or months. Don‘t expect overnight magic just by activating your campaign. Start engaging your niche early.
Mistake #2: Setting unrealistic goals – If it‘s your first ever campaign, aim for smaller targets like $5000 first before attempting to raise $50K. Hitting goals builds credibility.
Mistake #3: Putting up weak donation perks – Come up with exciting limited products or experiences exclusive to donors rather than just offering a basic T-shirt.
Mistake #4: Neglecting existing donors – Thanking repeat donors and providing meaningful updates maintains engagement. Don‘t just interact when asking them to fund your next idea!
Wrap Up: Unlock the Potential of Crowdfunding with WordPress
I hope this guide gives you clarity and confidence to integrate crowdfunding right into your WP site and take your fundraising to the next level!
It may seem intimidating initially but becomes quite straightforward once you find a streamlined plugin, customize an engaging page and activate even basic promotion.
As you continue honing your campaigns, don‘t forget to implement my tips to sustain donor interest over the long run. Feel free to reach out with any other questions!
