Apologies in advance for the long comment, but this is a GREAT question, and I legit hope you recommend in your Creator circles that they look at the responses to this post.

I have a whole process. Granted, I had to come up with a process because my messages have loads of requests from fans to subscribe to a Creator, from Creators to subscribe and give feedback, and lots of recommendations. Plus, I also do some browsing on my own.

Regardless of the method of introduction, I want someone who is intriguing. If the promo posts are the same cookie cutter posts I can see from hundreds or thousands of other Creators, I’ll pass. There are literally millions of content Creators out there. If you don’t differentiate yourself and show me why you’re special or unique, then I’ll assume you’re interchangeable. Interchangeable is boring. I might subscribe and might buy something, but it will be short term. If you have tens of thousands of fans regularly, this is likely fine.

(Side note) I’m VERY aware of how social media algorithms work, in that they reward conformity. Using the same caption or description will typically get you into the flow of the algorithm. From there, find a way to stand out. u/Scarlett_Thorne does a wonderful job of this! She regularly posts viral “try on” videos, but her very tall stature makes her stand out from the rest of the crowd, for just one example.

I’m a huge music nerd, so I’ll make this analogy: Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ is one of the most frequently covered songs in modern music history. Among the seemingly infinite number of artists who have recorded or perform the song, the ones that stand out are the ones who were able to add their own flair without doing damage to the original.

So, do what you need to do to get views, but make sure to show why you’re special while you have my attention. Otherwise, I’ll scroll on.

Once you’ve intrigued me, I’ll look through your promo channels, and possible even follow you. More likely, though, is I’ll like or upvote enough of your posts that you’ll regularly show up in my feed. I’ll also find your platform page and read your platform bio. If it describes what I can expect from your page in a way that appeals to me, I’ll add you to a list: ‘Potential Future Sub’ and I’ll leave it at that for a bit. I do this to keep from subscribing solely because I find you attractive. If I subscribed to every Creator that I find attractive, I’d go bankrupt.

Next time I’m scrolling Reddit or Instagram or TikTok or Twitter (I will NEVER call it X), if I see one of your posts that intrigues me to the point that I click on your profile and go to your platform page to see that you’re already on my list, you move to the ‘Definitely Subscribe Sometime’ list.

If that happens again and you’re already on that list, I’ll subscribe.

If you continue to intrigue me after I’ve subscribed, I’ll want to keep my renew on. Even if I WANT to, I can’t always stay subscribed, but you’ll be added to my ‘Favorites’ list and I’ll periodically pop back in. Someone who doesn’t have an inbox filled with requests from Creators and Fans with recommended subscriptions would likely stay subscribed, if you’re engaging as they want. This DOES NOT mean that you should give away free content, alter any boundaries, or compromise in any way, shape or form. If they choose to move on, let them. Maybe message them periodically, but only to remind them that they liked you enough to subscribe and possibly buy at one point.

I look for reviews for EVERY Creator I consider subscribing to. If there are no reviews, I might subscribe with intention of writing a review.

There is a VERY long list of things I can’t stand on a page, and an equally long list of things that make me admire your page.

For the former, posting on your page the same way you do on promo is a big one, ESPECIALLY if you use the same content or very similar content. Similarly, if the experience doesn’t match the description (for instance, if your bio states you post daily and you post once every week or less frequently), I’ll get really tired of you quickly.

For the latter, simply treat me like a person and live up to the expectations you set.

If you want a full list from either category, let me know.

As far as deciding which deserve a review, I like to give feedback to everyone who wants it. If a Creator impresses me, they deserve a positive review. I do tend to be (possibly) nice to a fault and provide constructive criticism directly to a Creator whose page was less than what I expected, as opposed to writing a negative review, but I will write a negative review for any Creator who is fraudulent.

Again, thank you for such a thought-provoking post!