How to put together your Story Sections

The Story section is where you will showcase your project, share all your project details, and ultimately convince your backers to support your project. We recommend splitting up your story into individual “sections” to help backers navigate your page. 

Consider your ratio between visuals and text. And be sure to optimize and test on both desktop and mobile!

Here is a short list of recommended sections along with a few tips:

Incentives, Promos, Limited Items

If you are offering a limited-time incentive, such as a 48 hour bonus item, we recommend creating a unique Story Section for that incentive with full details and images. After the limited time is up, you can then disable that section hiding it from newcomers that missed the window.

Worth noting, if you offer something for FREE for a limited time and people miss out, be sure to include that item for a small price as an add-on or via your survey post-campaign. This will ensure your latecomers won't feel too bad if they missed the FREE window. 

Introduction, What’s In The Box, or Welcome

We encourage you to showcase WHAT backers are getting for their money as high up on the page as possible. If no limited incentives are being offered, a good visual of your core offering should be included at the top of your page.

Pledge Levels

An overview of your pledge level offerings with images and detailed explanations. This information is also detailed within your Pledge Levels but only if backers click into that section. Having a dedicated Story Section including a rundown of your options may incentivize them to click into your Pledge Level section and back.

Community Achievements, Stretch Goals

Clearly detail and showcase your stretch goals if you plan on using them. 

We recommend revealing a limited amount of stretch goals at launch. As your backer behavior becomes more predictable, you can strategically reveal the rest with more accurate gaps between your stretch goals.

Remember, the core idea behind a good stretch goal is to keep existing backers, incentivize them to share out the project to attract more backers, to keep the momentum of your launch going as strong as possible, and to make your awesome project even better for all. The best stretch goals benefit the entire community, not just a select few.

Add-Ons

Clearly detail and showcase your plan for add-on items. Don’t overcomplicate to the point where your add-ons are distracting from your core offering. Before committing to things such as t-shirts, pins, mugs, etc. Ask yourself if this is what your backers truly want. The best add-on compliments your core offering and/or provides similar products from the same creator.

Reviews, Previews, Press, What People Are Saying

Everyone knows YOU love your product, but do other people feel the same way? Use any opportunity you have to get other people’s voices on your campaign page. This can be in the form of reviews, previews, quotes, testimonials, etc. From people that have interacted with your brand and/or products in the past, popular review and preview channels, influencers, industry leaders, and so on. If you don’t think you have this, get people that interacted with your product/prototype to provide you with some quotes you can use.

Add visual elements to your quotes/reviews/testimonials" such as profile pics and/or brand logos.

Shipping

Be sure to have a dedicated section to lay out your estimated shipping strategy and costs. While exact shipping costs by region can be hard to predict early, do your research and provide your best estimates. Be sure to include what regions you do and do not ship to. And be sure to note that these are just estimates and that depending on your quotes closer to shipping, the prices can fluctuate. Being honest, upfront, and transparent about your shipping costs can go a long way towards building trust with your community.

Timeline

Be sure to include a dedicated timeline section so backers can have an understanding of when they can expect to receive their product. Much like shipping, being honest, upfront, and transparent about your timeline predictions are a key factor in building trust with your community. And it’s good practice to always build a buffer for yourself. If you think you can ship in January, say March. Backers will always prefer an update that says you are ahead of schedule rather than behind. 

Our Team

Let your team shine by detailing who is working on what. Every page should have a good human element included. The more people know about you and why you are passionate about this project the better. This section typically works best lower on the page, consider it a more robust signature after you’ve detailed your core offering and all the campaign logistics and details.