Steem could work very well as the next big Crowdfunding platform
Steem could be used as a crowdfunding platform. I have already seen one or two posts that are effectively doing that, so I thought I would start a discussion about how to handle that kind of thing.
Basic Funding
A content-creator posts about a project that they would like to work on, and people interested in the project up-vote it, providing some funding. On top of that, they can always transfer Steem to the content creator.
For crowdfunding projects, the content creator would most often set a limit for how much Steem they would need to actually preform the project, and they would still have the option of stretch goals.
The post can even include the traditional supporter rewards, including a reward for a simple upvote, going up for providing funding on top of that.
Incentive to Provide Backer Updates
On Steem, since any post has the potential to increase the writer's fund, the backer updates become a way for the creator to not only keep their fans informed, but also to generate additional funds by getting the post upvoted.
So, on Steem, the creator has an additional incentive to provide content about the project.
Helping to promote Steem as a whole
This gives us another way to promote Steem.
To Creators, we can promote it as a way to get funding, but I think that the greater benefit would actually be that, by having an interesting crowd-funding project, anybody interested in backing it would end up joining and promoting Steem.
Changes to Steemit to Support Crowdfunding
Steemit, as it stands at the moment, can already do everything that I spoke about. To make crowdfunding easier, there should be a way to give creators tips associated with individual projects.
Dedicated Crowdfunding Interface
As a more long-term goal, a front-end to Steem that supports crowdfunding may be a good idea (perhaps funded through the techniques I speak about here). We can use the crowdfunding sites that already exist as a model, with a starting page displaying projects looking for funding, which will then lead to a Steem post providing information about the project.
This is just an attempt to get my thoughts down, what do you all think of the idea?