Crowdfunding a Risky Bet
Not too long ago, an announcement was made within the WordPress Ecosystem. No, not the one about the WPE x Automattic Drama; a better and more interesting one.
BREAKING: I just got off the phone with
@thekevingeary because I had to know what Etch was. He told me! He is talking a big game…. and I have to agree with him! He is a visionary!
What the F is Etch?
Etch is being positioned as a game-changing tool in the WordPress ecosystem, led by Kevin Geary, a well-known figure. Building on his previous successes with products like Automatic.css and Frames, Etch aims to deliver what many feel WordPress has struggled to offer: a cohesive, user-friendly page-building experience that integrates smoothly with WordPress core while fixing the perceived shortcomings of Gutenberg, aka the Block Editor.
Kevin Geary has clarified that Etch is not just another page builder. Instead, it’s being pitched as a comprehensive solution to the fragmented user experience within WordPress. His vision is for Etch to provide developers and designers with a tool that combines modern workflows, standards compliance, and ease of use—all while remaining fully compatible with the WordPress core. Geary is notable for his transparency and direct communication with his audience, often sharing detailed updates, hosting live streams, and engaging with the community. His previous track record has built a certain level of trust, with products like Automatic.css and Frames proving his ability to deliver on complex projects, even when his approach has been to sell first and build second. His directness is off-putting for many (including myself). He’s unapologetic and direct, and while I get rubbed the wrong way, he is passionate about what he’s doing.
What the heck does all that mean? He wants to modernize the UI to work within the WordPress admin. It’s too simplified to say it’s a page builder with a slick admin UI. I see bits of the vision, but it needs time to cook. I say let the man and his team cook!
Outsourcing Risk to the Crowd…
Etch promises to solve all of WordPress’ shortcomings, delivering the streamlined workflows and standards Gutenberg never quite managed to achieve. The problem? It doesn’t exist yet.
Kevin Geary’s live streams sell a powerful vision, one that many in the community are eager to support. What’s missing is the product itself—no screenshots, no tangible proof of concept. Despite that, Etch is already securing financial backing by selling the promise of what’s to come, a strategy Geary has used before with success in his projects Automatic.css and Frames.
But in this pre-launch phase, Etch is really outsourcing the financial risk to its early supporters. This begs the question: Could Etch have benefited even more by using a structured crowdfunding platform like IgnitionDeck, offering transparency, rewards, and a broader sense of ownership to its backers?
The Power of Crowdfunding
What is Crowdfunding and Why It’s Relevant to Digital Products?
Crowdfunding is raising capital by collecting small amounts of money from many people, typically through online platforms. It has become an essential tool for digital product creators, especially in the tech and software industries, where development costs can be substantial and the need for early user validation is critical. By leveraging crowdfunding, creators can secure funding upfront, test market demand, and engage with potential customers even before a product is fully developed.
For software products, crowdfunding offers the opportunity to turn an idea into a viable project by sharing the vision with an audience that is willing to invest in its future success. Crowdfunding campaigns also offer backers a sense of ownership and involvement, as they often feel part of the product’s creation and evolution. This is especially important for digital products like Etch, where backers aren’t just looking for a product, but a solution to their specific needs within an evolving platform like WordPress.
Examples of Successful Crowdfunded Tech Products
Crowdfunding has been a proven success story for many technology products, especially in software development and digital tools. Here are a few notable examples:
Ghost (Blogging Platform)
The Ghost blogging platform was crowdfunded on Kickstarter in 2013, with around $300,000 from 5,000 backers. Ghost was born to create a simpler, more focused alternative to WordPress for bloggers. Its crowdfunding success allowed Ghost to be developed as an open-source project, and it has since grown into a robust platform with a loyal user base. This is an excellent example of how crowdfunding can support a niche product that solves a specific problem.
Pebble Smartwatch
One of the most famous crowdfunding success stories, the Pebble Smartwatch raised over $10 million on Kickstarter in 2012. Pebble revolutionized the smartwatch market by focusing on long battery life and compatibility across multiple mobile platforms. The campaign’s success provided financial backing and gave the creators direct feedback from their future users, allowing them to refine the product before its launch.
Convesio
In the WordPress space, Convesio, a scalable hosting solution, raised nearly $1 million through WeFunder, another popular crowdfunding platform. Convesio’s campaign appealed to investors by addressing a critical need in the market—scalable, affordable WordPress hosting with high availability and performance. This campaign shows that even infrastructure-based digital products can be successfully crowdfunded, especially when they solve pressing issues for the community.
How Crowdfunding Generates Both Capital and Community Engagement
Crowdfunding offers a dual benefit that traditional product launches or internal funding often do not: it provides the capital to bring a product to life and the community engagement needed to foster early adopters and long-term users.
Rewarding Early Adopters: Crowdfunding often provides special rewards for early backers, such as lifetime access, discounted pricing, or exclusive features. These perks give users a reason to invest early, creating a win-win situation where backers feel valued and creators can secure funds. For Etch, offering backers exclusive access or special pricing to help fund the development would have further increased interest and incentivized participation, turning more of Kevin Geary’s audience into stakeholders.
Raising Capital: The most obvious advantage of crowdfunding is that it allows creators to secure upfront funding before development is completed. For a product like Etch, this would have meant securing the financial backing needed to finish building the product without relying on private investors or the creator’s own funds. Instead of banking on sales after launch, crowdfunding shifts the financial risk away from the creator and distributes it across a large group of backers willing to invest in the product early on.
Validating Market Demand: Crowdfunding also serves as a market validation tool. Before putting in hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars into development, creators can test whether there’s genuine demand for their product. For Etch, a crowdfunding campaign could have provided an early indication of the demand for a more unified and developer-friendly WordPress page builder. If enough people were willing to back the project, it would have confirmed the product’s viability in the market.
Building a Community of Backers: Beyond financial support, crowdfunding creates a dedicated community of backers who become early adopters and advocates for the product. This community engagement is crucial in the development phase because it allows creators to collect feedback, refine features, and build loyalty even before the product is complete. In Etch’s case, this could have meant building a stronger sense of ownership and collaboration with early users, rather than relying on traditional sales tactics or waiting lists.
Increased Accountability: Crowdfunding inherently adds a layer of accountability. Once creators receive funds from backers, they are obligated to deliver on their promises, which forces a structured development timeline and more frequent communication with backers. This can reduce skepticism and fears of “vaporware” because creators must regularly update backers on the project’s progress, ensuring transparency. For Etch, this level of structured accountability might have reassured those on the fence about pre-ordering a product that hasn’t yet been built.
Generating Buzz and Momentum: Crowdfunding often comes with the added benefit of publicity. Campaigns on platforms like IgnitionDeck, Kickstarter, or WeFunder tend to attract media attention, mainly if the product solves a widespread problem or has a unique angle. Backers also become evangelists for the product, sharing it with their networks, which generates more interest and potential backers. With its built-in audience and growing anticipation, Etch could have multiplied its reach significantly through a well-executed crowdfunding campaign, tapping into both the WordPress community and beyond.
The Etch Approach: Why Not Crowdfunding?
How Etch Promoted the Product
Kevin Geary and his team at chose a traditional, direct-to-community product launch rather than a structured crowdfunding campaign. They leveraged Kevin’s established presence and credibility within the WordPress community to generate early buzz and financial support. Here’s how they promoted it:
- Inner Circle Engagement:
Geary built early momentum by engaging his Inner Circle community, offering exclusive updates, behind-the-scenes access, and the chance to pre-order the product. This approach created a sense of exclusivity and loyalty among his core followers. - Live Stream Events:
A key promotional tool was a series of live streams where Geary discussed Etch’s vision and progress and answered questions from the community. These real-time events fostered excitement and direct interaction with potential users, giving them a closer look at what was being built and making them feel involved. - Social Media Marketing:
Geary posted a steady stream of updates on Twitter, using it to respond to questions, share product insights, and build a narrative around Etch. His frequent engagement with fans and critics maintained the project’s ongoing visibility. - Pre-orders and Early Commitments:
By offering pre-orders to his community, Geary secured early financial backing for Etch without needing external platforms. His track record with successful products like Automatic.css and Frames gave followers the confidence to support Etch before seeing a finished product.
This strategy allowed Geary to tap into a loyal base of supporters and use his existing credibility to drive early interest. However, this approach also limited the audience to those familiar with his previous work.
What Could Have Been Done with IgnitionDeck
While Etch’s traditional promotion strategy worked well, a crowdfunding platform like IgnitionDeck could have offered additional benefits, giving the project even more momentum. Here’s how:
Financial Flexibility:
A successful IgnitionDeck campaign would also have provided substantial upfront capital. Not only that, but there would have been greater transparency with real-time updates on backer support of the campaign. This is all opaque and unclear with what Kevin Geary’s team did. What they raised is very much—trust me, bro, it’s a lot. While I have no reason not to believe him, it’s a possibility and one that a traditional crowdfunding campaign would have eliminated.
Wider Reach and Exposure:
Using a platform like IgnitionDeck would have allowed Etch to reach beyond Geary’s existing community. Crowdfunding platforms are known for their ability to attract new backers who might not be part of an inner circle but are interested in innovative products. This could have significantly expanded Etch’s user base early on. Kevin has many fans of his products spread across platforms such as Circle, Facebook, YouTube channel, etc. IgnitionDeck would have provided the ability to keep his team updated with changes to his campaign by providing updates not only to funds raised but also chronicling product build updates and such. The whole #buildinpublic thing is enhanced when using a product like Ig
Structured Transparency:
Crowdfunding campaigns require a clear roadmap, with milestones and funding goals that provide transparency to backers. This structure could have eased concerns from potential buyers who were skeptical about the timeline and development progress. Regular campaign updates would offer more structured communication than periodic live streams or tweets.
Backer Rewards and Tiered Contributions:
IgnitionDeck could have introduced tiered reward levels, allowing backers to contribute based on their level of interest. This model incentivizes higher backing levels with exclusive perks like early access, lifetime licenses, or premium features. Offering tangible rewards beyond early access could have attracted more financial support and loyalty.
Market Validation and Community Ownership:
Crowdfunding would also provide market validation on a larger scale, proving there is demand beyond Geary’s dedicated followers. Backers become invested in the product’s success and often act as advocates, helping to spread the word and drive even more interest. Crowdfunding would have turned early adopters into passionate stakeholders, generating viral marketing and deeper community involvement.
Final Thoughts
While Etch’s traditional product launch has effectively leveraged Kevin Geary’s established reputation and community loyalty, a crowdfunding approach using IgnitionDeck could have provided broader market reach, increased transparency, and more financial flexibility. Ultimately, Geary’s decision to rely on his core community reflects confidence in his track record and a desire to retain control over Etch’s development. However, it’s intriguing to consider how crowdfunding might have amplified the project’s impact and attracted an even wider audience to what promises to be a game-changing WordPress tool.
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