Mythical Society
Bringing Mythical to Life with Payload
By the numbers: The impact of Payload
In the first 72 hours after launching, the Mythical app and website recorded stunning metrics that spoke to a transformed experience for its fans.
More than 1 million
Video interactions on a site that was essentially a YouTube clone built on Payload, Next.js, and React Native.
3 minutes
Average engagement time per user, an increase of nearly 20 percent over Mythical's prior iteration.
Over 21,000
Logged-in users, along with 14,000 app downloads, showcasing the cross-platform experience.
One of the most popular YouTube channels in the world, Mythical Society had a problem.
The stack underpinning their website and app content—primarily WordPress and Memberful—was struggling to keep pace with their engaged community and the demands of content operations.
Partnering with Clock, an innovative agency that specializes in creating engaging digital experiences, Mythical stared down the challenge by selecting Payload to connect the dots.
THE CHALLENGE
Limitations with WordPress, hybrid approach stifle user experience
Partnering with Clock, Mythical faced the challenge of overhauling their website and app to not just more efficiently deliver content, but to also enhance (and increase) engagement—a non-negotiable for their audience-centered ethos.
Fragmented content management
Mythical required a single platform to manage it all—one that could enhance publishing efficiency while allowing complex content structures.
A developer's dilemma
As Mythical sought to transition more subscriptions from free to paid, it required a developer-friendly platform to support necessary customizations.
Clunky user experience
With a website & app that often fell short in usability, there was a clear need for a platform that could facilitate a better user experience on the frontend.
THE SOLUTION
A platform that is content-first and developer-friendly
A modern, open-source solution
On behalf of Mythical, Clock chose Payload as an ideal solution due to its open-source nature and integration with modern technologies like Next.js and React.
A better way to manage digital content
Payload’s intuitive admin panel solved Mythical's content creation struggles—the ease of content creation & updates permitting them to better focus on creative efforts.
Automated community management
With the integration of advanced community automation tools using Payload, Mythical was better able to manage its large community more effectively.
A headless CMS that sets a new standard
The successful deployment of Mythical’s new website and app using Payload alongside Memberful didn't just set a benchmark for the company, but perhaps an industry.
The collaboration with Clock through the use of Payload’s advanced extensibility and customization did two things: it demonstrates that, when done right, a YouTube-driven creator & community can enjoy success on other channels. Second, that technology can be a boon, not a barrier, for creativity and user engagement.
Mythical's digital offering now exemplifies the potential—and, perhaps, sets the standard—of what can be accomplished using modern, innovative technology to shape a compelling digital experiences.
The power and flexibility of Payload genuinely stood out, and it didn't take long for me to put it right at the top of my recommendations for a headless CMS.
Payload was created because agencies needed a better solution.
It was built from the ground up to give developers a platform they enjoy working with, and an admin experience that clients will love to use.