creator setup guide · 2026
Patreon about page: what to write and what converts
Your Patreon about page is the page that turns page visitors into paying patrons — or doesn't. This guide covers every element: bio length and structure, tier description copy, intro video script, social proof, and the one technical change to make before November 2026.
What the bio section should say
The bio answers three questions every page visitor has, in this order: who are you, what do I get, and why should I join now. The right length is 150 to 250 words — enough to answer all three questions, short enough to be read before the visitor reaches the tier cards. Bios over 400 words reduce tier-click rates because the decision happens at the tier cards, not in the middle of a long text block.
Structure the bio in four parts:
- One sentence on who you are and what you make — specific, not general
- One or two sentences connecting patron support to a specific outcome in your work
- One sentence previewing what patrons get across tiers
- Optional: one or two patron quotes, specific and short
Cut anything that reads like a résumé or sponsorship proposal. The bio is a conversation opener with someone who already likes your work, not a pitch to a stranger.
Tier description copy: features vs benefits
Most Patreon tier descriptions fail because they list features instead of benefits. The difference is the difference between what you provide and what the patron experiences.
| Feature (don't write this) | Benefit (write this instead) |
|---|---|
| Access to patron-only Discord | Join a community of 400 people interested in the same topics — I'm in there daily |
| Early access to episodes | Episodes drop Tuesday for patrons, Thursday for everyone else — you finish the conversation first |
| Monthly Q&A call | First Monday of every month, 60-minute live call — you ask, I answer, recording stays forever |
Keep each tier description under 80 words. Beyond 80 words, most visitors stop reading. If you need more than 80 words to describe a tier, the tier has too many benefits — consider simplifying.
Intro video: the three-beat script
Pages with intro videos convert at roughly double the rate of pages without them. The optimal length is 2 to 3 minutes. Use this structure:
- Beat 1 (20–30 seconds): who you are and what you make. Assume the viewer has zero prior context — arrived from a search or share. Name your subject matter specifically.
- Beat 2 (60–90 seconds): what patrons get at each tier, named specifically. Say "early access on Tuesday, public on Friday" not "early access."
- Beat 3 (30–45 seconds): a direct ask. Name the tier, name the price, name the key benefit. Say it clearly and stop. Do not trail off into vague appreciation.
Production quality matters less than authenticity. Clean audio is the only non-negotiable — bad audio kills trust faster than any visual flaw.
Social proof: patron count and quotes
Patreon shows the patron count at the top of every page. If you are starting out, hide the count until you have 25 or more patrons — Patreon lets you set the display threshold in page settings. A page showing 3 patrons performs worse than a page showing no count.
Two or three patron quotes in the bio outperform a low patron count. Specific quotes ("I've been in the Discord for six months — the conversations are better than any forum I've paid for") convert better than generic praise ("Amazing, so much value!").
The Apple Tax change: one thing to add before November 2026
Starting November 1, 2026, Patreon must pay Apple 30% of every subscription processed through an iOS device. That fee reduces your net earnings directly. The fix: include a direct web checkout link in your bio and in your intro video call to action. iOS users who subscribe through the link pay through Stripe on the web — Apple gets nothing.
You do not need to explain the Apple Tax to your patrons. Just provide the web link prominently and let iOS users who care about using it do so. Use the KeepTier Apple Tax Calculator to see how much of your current Patreon revenue is exposed to iOS billing.
For a deeper guide covering bio structure, tier naming, intro video scripts with worked examples, and the founding member tier strategy, see: How to write your Patreon about page.
Quick checklist before publishing
- Does a first-time visitor understand what you make in the first two sentences?
- Does each tier description describe the patron's experience, not just the feature you're delivering?
- Is there a direct ask — tier name, price, benefit — somewhere on the page?
- Is the patron count hidden if you have fewer than 25 patrons?
- Is there a web checkout link for iOS users to bypass App Store billing?
Check your Apple Tax exposure before November 2026.
The KeepTier calculator shows exactly how much of your
Patreon revenue is at risk from iOS billing — monthly and annual, by
tier. Takes 30 seconds.