Announcing The Webcomic Word of Mouth Project.

Garneta · Post by **Garneta** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 10:34 pm

SergeXIII wrote:
Legendary wrote:Follow these simple steps:

1. Make webcomic
2. ????
3. Profit!
That sounds so damn familiar... this is going to bother me...

Out with it man! What's that from!?

South Park. The underpants gnomes have a big billboard in their underground lair saying: 1. Steal Underpants 2. ??? 3. Profit!

Starline · Post by **Starline** » Fri Nov 17, 2006 11:08 pm

I know I'm jumping into this thread late in the game because its 3 pages in, but I wanna say how weirdly coincedental this whole project is. I told myself earlier in the week that I wanted to start linking my favorite or new comics that I've found the Candi news page and I did. And even more strangely, Cortland's comic is the first I listed. It's like he psychically tapped into my head and said, "Link Comics. Mine too please."

Dutch! · Post by **Dutch!** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:25 am

So...basically...yes. This is a glorified links page, no?

TRI · Post by **TRI** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:55 am

Kind of... except that it's not really a page.

Dutch! · Post by **Dutch!** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 3:25 am

Yeah. Cool.

Just clarifying exactly what people are explaining here. It's all jake.

A noble idea.

Hilarioushenry · Post by **Hilarioushenry** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 7:24 am

Sounds like an interesting idea. Too bad I have a hard enough time updating my comic on a regular basis, or I'd probably participate.

Americangothic · Post by **Americangothic** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 8:19 am

Having a new comic myself, I think it's cool.

I've been reading comics for a couple of years now and I am STILL discovering new ones all the time...ones I wish I had found before...little ones that may not have great art but make me roll on the floor.

Sky

Shishio · Post by **Shishio** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 8:52 am

The thing about links pages is that they hardly direct any traffic to the comics listed. People don't go in-depth on websites, just in and out. Links on a front page provide much more traffic to the site being linked.

I'm not saying just link to any comic, just link to comics you like. The idea is to convince people to help promote comics they like, not just link to everything on the web.

I'm not asking anyone to disrupt their news posts or anything, but if you feel that strongly about it, you could always place a "link of the week" on your site. I mean, a lot of webcomic creators bitch about how hard it is to get readers, a lot don't have the ability to promote themselves effectively for whatever reason(s). I thought it would be nice to encourage the community to help itself, but what do I know?

Swikan · Post by **Swikan** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 9:41 am

What I really like when I visit comics and link to others is when the comic has a personal recommendation with the link. Even on the links page, if the owner of the site says, "I enjoy this comic alot because the art is so beautiful." or something. I am more likely to check out a comic with a comment because I want to see if I feel the same way as a cartoonist that I already enjoy.

I think this is a great idea, Shishio. I will revamp my site soon and will be sure to put a place on the front page for my personally recommended comics!

SergeXIII · Post by **SergeXIII** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 11:17 am

Just curious, how many comics do you know have linked you?
G'nerds2000 has been linked by... four.

Killbert
Concesion
Essence
Go Fish

Legendary · Post by **Legendary** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 11:35 am

Nine. Ten if you count How Not To Run A Comic.

Others:
There's A Civilization On My Fork
Jack of All Blades
The Fortuna Saga
Angst is A Five Letter Word
Thinkin' Lincoln
Tracy and Tristan
Hazard's Wake
Pillars of Faith
Dangler

Swikan · Post by **Swikan** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 11:52 am

Two have links to me in their links section!

Welcome Back to Roxboro
and
Pessimistic Sense of Inadequacy

YAY!

Glambourine · Post by **Glambourine** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:13 pm

I like the link-of-the-week model more than the endorsement for endorsement's sake model, pretty much for the reasons bustertheclown laid out. I'm planning to start a review-of-the-week section on my site next week, mostly because I dig writing reviews, but also because it's not a bad endorsement model--five hundred odd words about why you like (or don't like) a particular comic is going to get more people to check out that comic than a link button any day, however pretty it may be. (Even negative reviews generate hits and some measure of audience--I tend to look at negatively-reviewed comics more than positively-reviewed ones, and I don't think I'm openly mean enough to poison anyone's mind about a comic I review anyway. If they dig it, they'll make up their own minds once they've found it.)

Dutch! · Post by **Dutch!** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:32 pm

Shishio, it's a good idea, for true. I don't think anyone here is arguing the fact. Seems some are just thinking of more effective, or at least more suitable, ways to implement that idea for their own personal time restrictions and such. I like the idea of giving a comic a plug for a week and then rotating to a new one. If I can remember and fit a quick plug into my own little news box, then I'll be doing so.

Swikan · Post by **Swikan** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:38 pm

glambourine wrote:I like the link-of-the-week model

I agree on this. A linky with a few words about the comic and why you like it. I think that's what I'll do.

In a review site, I will also look at negatively reviewed comics to see if I agree with the reviewer. Reviewing comics is not for me, though.

Warofwinds · Post by **Warofwinds** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 12:47 pm

I usually don't bother saying anything about anyone's comic unless it's something good. I think enough people get their work bashed here that they don't need me doing it too. I say why I like it, and that's that. People can decide what they don't like on their own time.

Thanks to this thread though, I will definitely be trying to link more people more often.

SergeXIII · Post by **SergeXIII** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 1:23 pm

Okay here are the two comics I did while i was recovering from surgery last summer.

http://gnerds.comicgenesis.com/d/20060802.html
http://gnerds.comicgenesis.com/d/20060805.html

I had a lot of free time then as I couldn't move or even sit up, so I spent time reading some CG comics at random and reviewing them (they all ended up on my links page once I actualy made it) zam. Idealy i would like to do this every update as the project advises, but I fear I lack the time as of now in college (you know, doin' the whole college thing. Liberal Arts= no free time), so I would only be able to do this in the summer.

When I link under these time constraints such as the current guest week (thanks everyone who contributed btw) and this comic I can really only spare enough time to skim through a comic and tell my audience what it is about. I'd like to go back and review them for summer or winter break but for now thats how it is.

Escushion · Post by **Escushion** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 1:30 pm

I've probably been linked by a dozen or so, for them liking mine or for something I did for them.

I'm not sure if I should get in on this considering my comic has about a week and 2 days left until hiatus. I suppose I can try throwing a couple in there just before the stoppage; no reason not to try sending a few hits their way

.

TRI · Post by **TRI** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 1:55 pm

Or when you go on hiatus you could plug a few comics by suggesting your readers read them during your absence.

TRI · Post by **TRI** » Sat Nov 18, 2006 2:04 pm

The former content of this post can be found here.

Comic Genesis Forums

Announcing The Webcomic Word of Mouth Project.

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