Are Tapas forum users and Tapas readers the same group of people?

[CallMeMattheww]

So lately I've noticed a "strange" difference between Tapas readers and Tapas forum users, mainly in that forum users don't seem to represent the majority of Tapas readers, like at first I thought that all the readers from Tapas use the forums to communicate with creators and each other but I've come to notice that the forum is mainly full of creators and a few "odd" readers (Odd in the sense that they don't represent the majority of Tapas readers)

For example Tapas readers have a very unified / collective hive mind as to what they like and don't like in terms of stories, genres, concepts etc... but I've noticed that Tapas forum users have a very wide and varying range of likes and dislikes and also a lot of forum users seem to, on some level, disagree with what Tapas readers like, mainly in relation to genres, stories and even art-styles, so it got me thinking, are Tapas forum users and Tapas readers the same group of people? because it sure doesn't seem like it.

[skicoak]

... but I've noticed that Tapas forum users have a very wide and varying range of likes and dislikes

That's debatable.

Perhaps you just haven't seen the Forum Hive Mind because it tends to get locked and unlisted when it rears it's ugly head.

[JRHoch]

80% of the forum is just skicoak using different names.

[ble]

This post was flagged by the community and is temporarily hidden.

[skicoak]

80% of the forum is just skicoak using different names.

Ha! More people would agree with me if I was that MANY people!

[Tobirone]

Very much so but that also isn't that strange is it?

If you buy an apple and you like it, you will buy more apples. You may or may not even talk to the person who sold you those apples but the chances of you making an indepth discussion about apples with that person who sold them will be pretty rare. Maybe you'll say "those are tasty" or "I like how they are sour and sweet at the same time". You might even add "when I was younger I used to eat apples similar to those", but that's it.
You do not have to go in deeper. And I think that's the same with creators and their consumers (readers). Consumation always will be like that. The broader the fangroup grows though people who want to actually talk with the creator indepth will be bigger, though the chance for that will remain the same.

[JRHoch]

So you're saying the OP is comparing apples to oranges?

[Tobirone]

Lol. Almost. I'd rather say that creators do not only buy apples but also create them and in it already have a common basis to talk about. ^^

[skicoak]

Apple eater looking for apple grower ( UNPAID)

[Tobirone]

[Kann]

Most of Tapas readers don't go to forum, but most Tapas forum users are also Tapas readers. I think... xD

[joannekwan]

A very large percentage of readers are on mobile, and aren't even aware of Tapas' desktop functionalities like the profile walls. SO it's unlikely they know about the forums too.
That's why the majority of forum users here are creators. Of course we creators are consumer/readers too, but we tend to see and desire things a lot of average non-creator readers don't.

[JRHoch]

Everything is done in good humor.

[skicoak]

Nope... more like "writer" who was watching Game of Thrones and said mistakenly to self "I can do that" looking for Artist to do years of working for me, must be able to work from story I haven't wrote yet ( UNPAID)

[JRHoch]

that is a popular request...

[Kura]

Most readers aren't really aware of the forms because it doesn't show up in the app, so the forums demographic of tapas readers is the percentage of 'readers that ALSO create comics' part of marketing your comic is 'being active in the art/comics community' so this is not really surprising to me and also likely why you are seeing the disconnect in taste.

Usually when I spot a reader only poster they are trying to find the name of a webcomic they forgot the name of, in the past they would show up and start up "Who LOVES BL?? Raise your hand ^^/" type threads, but they seem to be showing up less. (this does not count the writer looking for artist threads, as I'd count writers as artists)

[spicy_sweets]

Most readers don't know the forums exist in the first place, so they stick to comments. Creators use this joint to market themselves, get to know each other, and share content we find.

[mong2]

Pretty sure most non-creator readers don't even know the forums exist. I didn't for the longest time and I started off as a desktop user. I can't remember how I first stumbled in here, but I left pretty quickly seeing all the creator specific topics (I thought this was a place just for creators). I only came back when there wasn't ads for months and wanted to see if there were any information about it