What is creator friendliness? (Definition and examples)

What is creator friendliness?

Creator friendliness means that a platform, software, or tool puts creators' needs first.

Creator-friendly platforms prioritize creators, treat them fairly, and support their growth. They give users control over how they run their businesses and provide resources, pricing, and policies that empower creators to earn an income on their own terms.

Many platforms that market to creators aren't necessarily creator-friendly. They may operate with questionable policies, lack transparency, or impose confusing fees. In other words, they don't have creators' backs.

What makes a platform creator-friendly?

Here are some of the main elements that make a platform creator-friendly:

• Creators have control over how they run their businesses. Creators can connect their preferred payment processors, integrate with other tools, handle taxes, and price their products however they like. 

• Platform decisions prioritize creator needs over the company's success. Plans are affordable, and there aren't arbitrary plan limits that restrict creator growth.

• Creators can access the resources, help, and support needed to grow their businesses. It's easy to contact support, and there are helpful materials like videos, tutorials, and communities.

• The platform welcomes all creators, regardless of income level or geographic location. Creators can use the tool with their preferred language and currency. Free and reasonably priced paid plans are inclusive to creators with smaller budgets. 

• Creators can leave and take their audience with them whenever they want. Users can easily import and export their customer list and can cancel if the platform no longer suits them.

What creator friendliness means to creators

Em Connors (The Creative Bodega)

Em Connors is the founder of The Creative Bodega , where she helps entrepreneurs use Canva and content batching to teach their passions, connect with their followers, and make more sales.

When Em released her first online course , she used WordPress and a course plugin. On the first day of class, none of her students could log in due to a technical issue, and the plugin company wasn't responding to Em's help requests.

"It was a nightmare," she says. "We couldn't figure out why. Talk about anxiety! I don't think my heart rate has ever been as high, and there was absolutely no one to talk to."

For Em, creator friendliness means being able to connect with an actual human to work through any questions or issues. "I just want to be able to talk to somebody, which is rare these days."

Frantically searching for an alternative, Em found Podia. Using a platform that puts creators first frees Em up to create more valuable content and products for her audience.

Read more about Em's creator journey, including her tried-and-tested product launch strategy.

Adrian Dalsus

Adrian Dalsus is a musician, marketer, teacher, and founder of Despegue Musical .

Adrian knows the importance of creator friendliness after a terrible experience with a website builder . "It needed a long learning curve to achieve very simple things, and could have an error at any time due to a plugin, update, or bad luck," he remembers.

"Knowing that the websites and landing pages of my business and clients could stop working at any time, despite how expensive it becomes to hire all the necessary tools to have a professional site, is outrageous."

Now, Adrian uses Podia for his courses, mini workshops, product bundles, and online community. “I feel like Podia is an ally, like Podia is a part of my team, and I can’t say that with other tools.” 

To fellow creators, he recommends seeking out tools developed with the creator in mind from the start, with affordable pricing, customer support, and transparency from the company.  

Read more about how Adrian runs his creator business.

Learn more about creator friendliness

• See how the top creator tools stack up: The Creator Friendliness Index  

• Article: What's creator friendliness and why does it matter?  

• Article: How to spot a creator-friendly platform (Advice from 5 successful creators)

• Article: What are the top 5 creator-friendly platforms for running your online business?