Kickstarter has launched a new "Creator Handbook" in an effort to help more of its users successfully hit their crowdfunding targets.
Launched as part of the company's website, the handbook offers advice on first steps, what sort of rewards to offer buyers, feedback on the most efficient ways to market a project, and tips on fulfilment once it's funded.
The handbook appears to be inspired by YouTube's Creator Playbook, a regularly-updated online document explaining how people can build audiences on Google's video service.
"It’s your one-stop guide to designing a solid Kickstarter project, presenting it effectively, finding backers, and delivering on your plans," explained Kickstarter in a blog post announcing its handbook.
"It has insights and articles from Kickstarter veterans on how they pulled off successful campaigns. It has tips, tricks, and best practices on everything from making a project video to sorting out schedules, working with backers, and fulfilling rewards."
The handbook's launch is part of a wider effort by Kickstarter to get more people launching successful projects on its service.
Earlier in June, the company announced that it had "boiled down" its rules into three key principles: "Projects must create something to share with others. Projects must be honest and clearly presented. Projects cannot fundraise for charity, offer financial incentives, or involve prohibited items."
It has also debuted a feature called "Launch Now" which enables people to launch Kickstarter projects without having to get feedback from one of the company's staff beforehand.
Since its launch in 2009, Kickstarter has generated nearly $1.2bn of pledges for projects, with more than 63,000 successfully funded.
Music is the most popular category in terms of funded projects, with more than 16,000 success stories. However, games is the most lucrative category, with $219m pledged for just over 1,300 successfully-funded projects.
Rivals include Indiegogo, which recently raised more than $40m in venture capital funding, and sector-specific sites like PledgeMusic for musicians, Unbound for authors and Distrify for filmmakers.
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