Monetisation & Revenue
Lifetime Value
Also called: LTV, customer lifetime value, CLV
Lifetime value totals what one supporter pays you from first sale to last. A $5 monthly membership that lasts nine months carries an LTV of $45 before fees. The figure sets the ceiling on acquisition: if a member is worth $45 and it costs $20 in ads to sign one up, the sums work. Creators undercount it because a single $5 sale looks trivial next to a sponsorship, and 100 members renewing for two years outearns most sponsorships anyone in that position is being offered.