How do you discover a good platform for creators? Four successful creators share their advice |

Every artist deserves tools that meet their requirements and allow for their developmentHowever, platforms often don't meet their promises. This is what four creatives who are successful look for in creator-friendly platforms.

"It was an absolute nightmare" says Em Connors of The Creative Bodega .

When Em first started her Canva course, the course's plugin she had installed on a WordPress site was not working. She had students signed up for the class, but on day one, nobody was able to log in.

"We couldn't figure out why. Talk about anxiety! I can't imagine that my heart rate was ever as high, and there was no one I could chat with," she remembers. Em was searching for answers through forums and on the internet which included forums, including a Facebook group of plugin customers however, she found there was nothing.

Unfortunately, this might be an experience that is familiar to the majority of creators. Too many platforms in the world of creators don't consider creators' needs first -using questionable methods including a absence of transparency, false charges, and a lack of providing support.

Each creator should have tools that are creator-friendly that are able to meet their demands and encourage their development. For a deeper understanding of the concept of "creator friendliness" -- and the absence of it- actually looks like, we spoke to four artists about their experiences:

Em Conners , solopreneur, expert in branding and marketing as well as an educator and the founder of The Creative Bodega.

Becky Mollenkamp  is a feminist lifestyle coach, podcaster, and creator of the Gutsy Boss Club community.

Adrian Dalsus  musician, marketer instructor, the founder Despegue Musical. Despegue Musical.

Khe Hy , a.k.a. "Oprah for Millennials" is the creator of RadReads and also a Notion pro.

What are the characteristics of a platform that make it creator-friendly?

There are many aspects that make a platform user-friendly -- but it comes to the extent that creators feel that they have the support of the platform.

1. Support for accessibility

Whenever you get stuck, you ought to have assistance. Although it sounds easy, it isn't always available. For Em the term "creator friendliness" means having the ability to communicate with an actual human being in order for help with any queries or problems.

"Creator friendly is being able to inquire about anyone and get quick answers. It's just nice to speak with someone, something that is rare in the present."

Em Connors The Creative Bodega

As entrepreneurs crafting experiences and creating relationships, the majority of makers want to do it this way in their own companies. "I'm willing to assist you as best as you can." Em says. "Ask me your questions -and I might not have the answer, but I'm going to attempt. This is what I believe makes people feel at ease."

Becky says: "Knowing that the company is committed to responding to the needs of its clients ensures that you're always able to be sure to get the assistance that you require in a prompt time. If a business doesn't accomplish this from the start then run the other way."

2. User-friendly

Tools that support creators also have to have a user-friendly interface for all backgrounds and levels of experience. If a tool feels intuitive for one category of users doesn't mean it's easy for all users.

"Addressing the needs of a variety of age groups is important since anyone is an author at any time!"

-Becky Mollenkamp Becky Mollenkamp

Becky believes that she is a good yardstick:

"One method I use to determine if a program has been designed by a creator is if I'm able to easily figure out how to use it without screaming. While I'm technically proficient however, I'm now in my forties and no longer the prime demographic for companies that work in tech."

She goes on to say, "Too often, tools are designed for those that grew up with the Internet but not people who are like me. If I can easily figure out how to use some thing, it means that the company thought beyond the twenty-somethings, and is committed to making a tool for every users."

3. Offers support for the journey of the creator ahead

The platform must also be able to work for creators all along their journey, says Khe Hy -- regardless of whether it's making a sales page user-friendly or making a checkout process really smooth, down to having features that handle workflows involving affiliates or upsells.

"Creator-friendly means that a product appreciates and anticipates the needs of a creator."

-" Khe Hy, RadReads

Creative friendliness is a way to plan for what's next for the creator "before they realize they need to get there," he explains. "A often it's the case that people start with something very simple and later expanding their offering."

The anxiety of creating unfriendly platforms

It's frustrating to feel as if you're unable to get assistance from a system you count on for running your business.

Like Em, Becky has found herself receiving the silent treatment. "I first began my learning experience with a platform that had horrible customer service," she shares. "When I ran into issues with my course, I was required to send an email. The email didn't get a response automatically acknowledging that they'd got the email. In addition, I didn't get any answers for the vast majority of the inquiries I put in."

The importance of being a good friend to creators doesn't stop at support requests. The companies have the ability to put creators' needs prior to all aspects of the user experience. In the absence of these opportunities, or ignoring them makes creators feel like they're in the hands of platforms' decisions.

For Adrian an online platform, the disdain of creators is evident by adding or dropping features that require him to learn how to operate the tool. And communicating with supposed experts isn't helpful in the event that, as Adrian points out, "you can clearly see they're trying to persuade users to invest extra time and money in the of the tool."

The worst incident Adrian was through as a web developer as well as a businessman was using an online tool. "It took a long time to learn the curve to accomplish very basic items, and was susceptible to errors at any moment due to a plugin update, or bad luck," he remembers. "Knowing that the websites and landing pages of my business as well as clients may cease to function at any time, despite the cost to hire all the necessary tools for a professionally designed website, is a travesty."

We can practically hear his blood pressure rising when he says, "Just thinking of [these] platforms makes me very angry I feel deceived, helpless feeling powerless, anxious, and insecure and nervous about all the bad things that can happen which I can't do anything!"

What platforms are suitable for creators?

Like most buying decision-making, artists can be taken in by companies. But as Adrian says, they're getting experience from their hard-earned knowledge on how to spot a platform which puts the needs of creators first:

The result? Creators think they've made the right choice, but are repeatedly frustrated because they have to figure it themselves, without help from their service provider."

What should you stay clear of? "Tools that increase their costs with the growth of your database], like most marketers who use email. Services that have extra payments or hidden fees within their memberships for access to templates, training or information."

Beware of devices that are expensive in the beginning, particularly as you start off. Khe cautions that "Creators want to spend money on services, but if you start with a price that is too high -- whether through your tiering or through how you design the plans you have, the cost could become too high, too early." Adrian states, "Having to pay over $100 per month upfront- just to learn the basics of using the platform, or to discover how to earn profits there isn't going to be the ideal solution for most creators."

What are the attributes you search for? Adrian recommends seeking for tools that were designed by the designer of HTML0 in mind right from the start that are affordable in price along with customer support and transparency from the company.

"Although this may sound like a cliché It is important to know the company's values, goals, and vision of the company? What are their future plans? Are they really looking to grow? Did they create a product or service that they're trying to market, with no interest in improving it?"

-- Adrian Dalsus, Despegue Musical

There are several other elements that go into making the platform more user-friendly. These include the way transaction fees are structured to the possibility of accepting directly-paying customers . (Learn more about the way in which's CEO, Spencer Fry, thinks about creating a culture of friendliness for creators and the reason it's an important guiding concept for the organization.)

As Becky summarizes, "There are always choices. I'll only give my money to those who truly are concerned about me and my experiences, not just about making money."

The Creator Friendliness Index

The Creator Friendliness Index uses 20 rating factors to determine the extent to which a firm's policies are towards creators.            - See which platforms can help you