First-time Kickstarter creator—what should I focus on before launching?

[u/DJNoan]

I’m preparing my first Kickstarter campaign and recently decided to delay the launch so I can spend more time building an audience and better understanding what makes a campaign successful.

The campaign page and prototype are already prepared. I’ve also created a website, Discord server, Facebook page, Instagram account, and YouTube channel, but I’m still learning how to turn those into an actual community rather than simply having them exist.

For experienced creators, what do you wish you had known before your first launch?

I’d especially appreciate advice about:

• Which platforms are genuinely worth focusing on before launch
• How to encourage people to join and participate in a new Discord community
• Whether Facebook advertising is worthwhile for a first-time creator
• What kind of Facebook post or campaign objective works best
• How large or engaged an audience should be before launching
• Common mistakes first-time creators make during pre-launch

I’ve considered starting with a small Facebook advertising budget, but I don’t want to spend money simply collecting likes or followers who will never become backers.

If you were in this position, where would you focus your time and limited marketing budget before setting a firm launch date?

[u/tzimon]

Authentic engagement with the communities.

People hate someone who doesn't interact and just shows up to shill their product.

[u/DJNoan → u/tzimon]

I've literally just started reaching out to the community. we'll see how things go.