full image - Repost: Want more webtoon readers from social media? I analysed how the most successful creators marketed their comics so you don't have to (from Reddit.com, Want more webtoon readers from social media? I analysed how the most successful creators marketed their comics so you don't have to)
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I've worked in media and marketing for almost a decade, and webtoon marketing has to be one of the HARDEST types of social media marketing there is. It's so niche, and social media is so chaotically algorithm-driven, that it feels like going to a convention and just yelling about your comic in the main hall — alongside all the other creators that are also yelling. You know your target audience is there, somewhere, but you don't know how to reach them.And yet, when it comes to getting new readers, social media can be one of the most powerful tool in a creators' arsenal. Which is why I examined the most successful tactics for webtoon marketing, and put them into one huge blog post, which includes case studies that demonstrate how each tip has worked for creators. You can read the full guide here, but I'm also gonna go over the top tips in this post.Did I miss anything out? Tell me in the comments!Focus on what works for youDon't burn out! It's better to pick just one or two social media platforms and specialise your content, than spend all your time posting everywhere. And because different things work on different platforms, pick one that suits what you already love doing — and will reward you for doing it.Do you enjoy producing beautiful illustrations? Instagram. Are you already a member of the webtoon fandom? Reddit or Tumblr. Do you love to network and talk to other creators? Twitter/X. Are you a video queen? TikTok, of course. You can always add more later!Tap into what readers of your genre find appealing.Everything you post on socials is basically a trailer for your comic, but rather than just doing general teasers, work out what your audience wants — and then give it to them.For romance, spotlight your hot lead character. Mystery? Drop hints to encourage theorising. Comedy? Share entire scenes from your webtoon: don’t hide your punchlines! If you’re not sure what readers want, ask yourself what you find interesting about your genre. That’s a good place to start!A great example of this is u/AudreyFish — she makes the most of her hot leading man and emphasises the cuteness of I'll Keep Your Secret's main romance.https://ift.tt/Afl1NVF it paid off: she got 1000 subscribers on Webtoon just two months after publishing! Check out her Instagram for more examples.Post full illustrationsWhen producing a webtoon, you have to be as economical in your art style as possible. But when it comes to social media, taking some extra time to produce full-blown illustrations can really pay off. After all, much of social media is image-driven, and illustrations are pretty pictures!You can even do this in the run-up to your webtoon being published, using the illustrations as a way to get your followers interested in your characters. This is something that u/GhostBunny0101 used to build anticipation for her vampire romance comic Scarlet Symphony. Her characters (especially Lucy and Dahlia, the comic's secondary romance) were already beloved on her Instagram long before they appeared in the comic. https://ift.tt/BKn1mFw illustrations to endear your followers to your comic is a great way to ensure that when you publish, you've already got an audience. And it worked! GhostBunny has 3,500 subscribers, just four months after publishing on Webtoon.Create mini-comicsI know, you're already creating a comic: why should you create more? But this is a tactic that has paid off big time for some major Webtoon creators. Pick a situation that would demonstrate your characters’ personalities, make the art as beautiful as possible (you can spend a little longer on this than you would an average webtoon episode), and voila! A perfect way to get people emotionally invested in your characters.This is how Marsoid, author of popular comics Long Exposure and Ride or Die, marketed the comics before they were released… and the comics now have four million, and one million views apiece.Make use of memesYou literally cannot go wrong with memes. Whether it’s a static image, text-based post, or video, tapping into trending memes is a great way to introduce your webcomic to new readers. You can use this opportunity to show off your characters’ pesonalities, eccentricities, and sense of humour. Plus, because memes are social media trends, the algorithm loves them — and that’s a great way to get your comic on people’s feeds, even if they aren’t already following you.Cultivate a communityYour readers aren’t just passive consumers of content, and social media is the best way to interact with them and build a sense of community. Ask them questions about your comic and share their replies. Do fun polls about plot beats or characters. If they draw fanart of your comic, share it!In-jokes are also a powerful way to create that in-crowd feeling. I'm currently obsessed with how Curryuku — author of Webtoon Original Not So Shoujo Love Story — absolutely slays the Twitter game. One of her running jokes is that she is actually the actress Jenna Ortega.https://ift.tt/YE2T3Ic like this give her followers the opportunity to get in on the joke — the top reply is “everyone say thankyou jenna ortega” — while those outside her fandom might fall for the prank. When you google Not So Shoujo Love Story, one of the suggested searches is literally “written by Jenna Ortega?” Hilarious.Draw fanart from popular fandomsA great way to hook in new readers for your webtoon is to draw fanart from popular fandoms. Has a new season of Stranger Things dropped? That hashtag is gonna blow up, so if you enjoy the show and have some spare time, drawing fanart could get you new followers — who could then become readers of your webcomic. Of course, the best way to do this is to pick a fandom that has the same themes or genre as your comic, so that when you get new followers from the fanart, they're already in your target audience. For more tips on how to market your webcomic on social media, check out the full blog post! I also did a comprehensive analysis on the culture of each platform — including Reddit and Tumblr! — and what works best for each one.So yeah, let me know if there's anything I missed, or if there are any tactics for marketing comics that you found particularly effective or successful.
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