How Moving from Patreon to Fourthwall Helped Ben & Emil Find New Success
In February of 2024, Ben Cahn and Emil DeRosa, the dynamic duo behind The Ben & Emil Show, made a pivotal decision to move their membership platform from Patreon to Fourthwall.
This shift came after months of navigating their limitations on the membership platform—specifically with uploading video content and issues with managing their community engagement.
Eager to provide a seamless experience for their supporters, the podcasters found that Fourthwall offered them the tools and flexibility to consolidate content, enhance fan interaction, and expand their offerings, including exclusive merchandise, all in one place.
Here’s how making the move to Fourthwall transformed Ben and Emil’s podcast into a better user experience for their fans.
Why Ben & Emil Decided to Leave Patreon
Initially launched under Pay Pigs Pod in June 2023, the podcasting duo revamped their show to The Ben & Emil Show in early 2024 in an attempt to grow their brand independently.
After building a loyal audience that supported them through Patreon, Ben and Emil became quickly frustrated with some of the platform’s technical issues that prevented them from uploading the type of content their supporters had become accustomed to.
In an official announcement to their Patreon members, Ben and Emil broke down the reasons for their platform switch. Below are some of the key reasons why the duo decided to leave Patreon:
- Patreon’s Video Player: As they explained, “The Patreon video player has been unusable for us (we tried, and people did not like it). This forces us to upload bonus content to a separate YouTube account (we tried Vimeo, don’t even get us started on Vimeo)”
- Divided Community: Patreon’s video player setup not only forced them to split their content between two platforms but also divided their community into separate comment sections (some on Patreon, some on YouTube), which detracted from the overall experience.
- Content Flexibility: The duo was unable to do things on their videos that their audience had come to enjoy, like play a song before an episode or play certain videos in the bonus episodes.
How They Made the Shift to Fourthwall
To address their ongoing technical and community issue, Ben and Emil turned to Fourthwall, where they launched their new site - benandemilshow.com.
This move not only allowed them to centralize all their bonus content and community interactions in one place, but finally provided them the tools to design and sell their own premium custom merch to their viewers - all in one place.
Here’s how the duo successfully made their transition and promoted their new platform:
1. Imported All Their Content from Patreon to Fourthwall
Ben and Emil kicked off the switch to their new site by importing all their existing content from Patreon with Fourthwall’s help. The platform allowed the duo to transfer all their membership tiers and perks without any hassle. This process was essential to maintaining continuity for their fanbase, ensuring that loyal subscribers wouldn’t miss out on any previously released bonus episodes or exclusive materials.
By consolidating everything into Fourthwall, they eliminated the need to manage content across multiple platforms, creating a more cohesive experience for their audience. This move also allowed them to escape the technical difficulties of Patreon’s video player, which had long frustrated both the creators and their fans.
2. Promoted Their New Site on Social Media
In addition to announcing their podcast’s new name, Ben and Emil strategically used their social media channels—including YouTube, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter)—to promote their new website and transition from Patreon.
By creating multiple announcement posts, they informed their followers about the shift to their new site and explained the benefits of the move, including improved content access and new features.
From a marketing standpoint, leveraging social media was crucial for the duo as it allowed them to build excitement around their rebrand and drive traffic to their new platform.
3. Offered All Followers One Month Free
As an incentive for both new and existing supporters, Ben and Emil introduced a one-month free trial upon launching their new site. This offer proved to be a major success, driving a large influx of subscribers during the initial launch phase.
Over 3,000 members signed up for the free month, and 88.1% of these renewed to a paid subscription after the trial ended. This high retention rate demonstrated the effectiveness of the free trial in converting curious fans into long-term paying members, generating sustainable growth for the duo’s new platform.
4. Promised to Keep Their Patreon Page Active
To reassure their existing Patreon subscribers, Ben and Emil made it clear that while all new content would be exclusive to their new site on Fourthwall, their Patreon page would remain active for some time.
This approach allowed them to run both platforms in parallel, minimizing disruption for long-time Patreon supporters who might be hesitant to switch right away.
Over time, however, they encouraged their audience to migrate fully to Fourthwall, where they could enjoy a more seamless, interactive experience without the platform issues that had plagued them on Patreon.
The Result
Ben and Emil’s decision to migrate to Fourthwall paid off in spades. By the end of the first month, they had secured 5,000 paid members, and their community was more engaged than ever.
The successful use of implementing a free trial offer combined with high retention rates and the seamless integration of merchandise sales helped contribute to their overall rapid growth.
Fourthwall’s flexibility gave Ben and Emil the tools they needed to deliver a better experience without raising costs for their supporters. In the end, their new site gave their fans all the same things they loved about their Patreon experience but better and at the same price.
Ben & Emil’s Strategies for Success
Several key tactics helped Ben & Emil find success with Fourthwall. Every creator interested in launching memberships can take some tools from their toolbox:
- Created a Unified Content Experience: Moving all their content and community to one place was a major win. They no longer had to deal with multiple comment sections or external video platforms like YouTube and Vimeo. As they said, “With our new site, we can have all our community interacting in one place.”
- Offered an Initial Discount: To incentivize their existing Patreon members to make the switch, Ben & Emil offered a free first month on their new platform. They announced, “We’re offering your first month free if you sign up within the next month,” which resulted in an impressive influx of over 3,000 new members in just the first month. Even more striking was their retention rate—88.1% of these users renewed to a paid membership after the free trial.
- Added a Merch Integration: Another challenge they faced on Patreon was the inability to sell merchandise directly. “Our audience has been asking for merch for quite some time and we’ve been trying to build that out on Patreon but the functionality just was not there,” they explained. Fourthwall allowed them to not only sell merch but offer exclusive discounts to their members. The launch of their first round of merchandise further boosted their platform’s appeal.
- Enhanced Content Features: One of the key features Ben & Emil were excited to bring back was the ability to incorporate music into their bonus episodes, something that had been restricted on Patreon due to copyright issues with YouTube. “We’re bringing back songs in the beginning of bonus episodes!” they shared enthusiastically in their announcement, adding another layer of engagement for their audience.
Fourthwall Provides Exclusive Memberships on Your Terms
If you’re a podcaster struggling with video or community difficulties like Ben and Emil, or you want to start hosting your content on a site branded for you, then consider making the move to Fourthwall!
Fourthwall provides seamless video and audio uploads, eliminating the frustrations many creators face with unreliable platforms. You’ll no longer need to rely on third-party services like YouTube or Vimeo, which often come with issues like copyright claims or broken uploads. Fourthwall allows you to host all your premium content in one place, providing your audience with a smoother, more reliable experience.
You’ll be able to offer customized membership tiers that cater to all of your supporters, from your most loyal to your newest.
You can provide exclusive perks such as early access to episodes, bonus content, or even direct messages, all while keeping full control over your pricing and content.
Another great benefit of Fourthwall is its integrated merchandise feature, which lets you easily design and sell products directly to your audience.
Whether it’s t-shirts, mugs, or stickers, you can create and sell products without ever leaving the platform.
So, if you're ready to elevate your podcast and build a stronger connection with your audience, consider making the switch. Sign up for Fourthwall today and take control of your podcast’s future!