Setting Up Ghost as a Patreon Alternative on ServerStadium

Introduction

In the landscape of digital content creation, monetization is a key aspect. Ghost provides a powerful, fee-free alternative to Patreon, allowing content creators to set up their own membership and subscription platform. Hosting Ghost on ServerStadium’s infrastructure (VM Pricing, Dedicated Servers) ensures that you have the necessary resources and control to manage your content and subscriptions effectively.

Setting Up Ghost as a Patreon Alternative on ServerStadium

Prerequisites

• A ServerStadium VM or dedicated server (VM Pricing, Dedicated Servers).
• Basic knowledge of server administration and website setup.

Step 1: Select and Prepare Your ServerStadium Server

1. Choose a Server: Opt for a ServerStadium server that meets your expected traffic and storage requirements for your Ghost platform.
2. Server Setup: Update and upgrade your server:

   sudo apt update
   sudo apt upgrade

Step 2: Install Node.js and Nginx

Ghost is built on Node.js and is often served using Nginx:

1. Install Node.js:

   curl -sL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_14.x | sudo -E bash –
   sudo apt install -y nodejs

2. Install Nginx:

   sudo apt install nginx

Step 3: Install and Configure Ghost

1. Install Ghost-CLI:

   sudo npm install ghost-cli@latest -g

2. Create a Directory for Ghost:

   sudo mkdir -p /var/www/ghost
   sudo chown $USER:$USER /var/www/ghost
   cd /var/www/ghost

3. Install Ghost:

   ghost install

   Follow the prompts to complete the installation.

Step 4: Configure Nginx as a Reverse Proxy

1. Set Up Nginx for Ghost:

   Configure Nginx to reverse proxy requests to your Ghost instance. Edit the Nginx configuration file for your domain.

2. Restart Nginx:

   sudo systemctl restart nginx

Step 5: Set Up Ghost as a Membership Platform

1. Access Ghost Admin Panel:

   Navigate to http://your_server_ip/ghost and complete the setup for your Ghost admin account.

2. Configure Memberships and Subscriptions:

   In the Ghost dashboard, configure membership tiers, subscription plans, and payment gateways (Stripe integration for handling payments).

Step 6: Customize and Launch Your Platform

1. Customize Your Ghost Site:

   Tailor your Ghost site to match your brand, content strategy, and membership offerings.

2. Launch Your Platform:

   Announce and promote your platform as a Patreon alternative to your audience.

Conclusion

Your Ghost platform on ServerStadium is now ready to serve as a Patreon alternative with 0% fees, providing you with full control over your content monetization strategy. For further guidance, visit our knowledge base or contact our support team.