People are going about their Coronavirus quarantines in different ways. There are those who’ve been going stir crazy since day one, those who compulsively bake bread, those with nine new hobbies and/or pets. If you can get past the waves of panic and dread, this newfound free time can be rejuvenating. It can give you space to work on that project you’ve been putting off. And for that purpose, Patreon ($PRIVATE:PATREON) is a particularly valuable resource.

The membership-based platform gives creators a place to monetize their work, be it podcasts, videos, music, or newsletters. Users, or “patrons,” can subscribe to with monthly donations. Investors in the San Francisco-based startup include Index Ventures, CRV and Thrive Capital. And it seems like there’s been an abundance of quarantine content. Since the beginning of the month, Patreon’s Facebook ($FB) mentions have shot up a whopping 163%.

In addition to the surge of Coronavirus-era creators, there are more people seeking out topical podcasts and a wide range of commentary that you can’t necessarily get with CNN or MSNBC. As of now, the comedic leftist podcast Chapo Trap House is the top Patreon account. There are also people whose jobs have been compromised due to the pandemic, trying to make ends meet by creating original content.

There’s something eerily inspiring about universal tragedy. Maybe the artistic movement to come out of the Coronavirus pandemic will exist solely online. Content will outlive us all!

About the Data:

Thinknum tracks companies using the information they post online - jobs, social and web traffic, product sales and app ratings - and creates data sets that measure factors like hiring, revenue and foot traffic. Data sets may not be fully comprehensive (they only account for what is available on the web), but they can be used to gauge performance factors like staffing and sales. 

Further Reading: 

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