Are webtoons promotions really algorithm based? - what is your opinion

Bobler09 2019-01-31 07:30:33 UTC #1

Hey everyone, how are you I have wondered about this for a while now already. I feel like some promotions definitely feel like they are algorithm based, like the "fresh pick" one, that always and constantly updates monday night (in my timezone). while other sections, like the frontpage ones (like rising star, binge-worthy, or the genre specific ones) update definitely more irregular, only partially or not at all, which gives me the suspicion that they are not.

what is your opinion on this? are all the promos algorithms? just partially? or none at all?
would be super interested to hear your opinion on this matter

Pandastrophic 2019-01-31 07:39:14 UTC #2

Yeah those aren't meant to be algorithm based, they're staff/editor picked.

denaliah 2019-01-31 07:45:41 UTC #3

I think the only thing that's purely democratic there in terms of promotion is the discover top 30/sort by popularity. Some of them I suspect is a mix? Like if the algorithm picks up a new series that's gaining popularity quickly the staff might feature it on rising star? <--this one is pure speculation though.

Samuraiflame 2019-01-31 07:46:55 UTC #4

Few months ago, I think @soxu asked WT at a convention how comics get promoted, and they said it was all algorithm based (but this was like last year so who knows if they've updated it since then)

tbh it feels like some promotions only update when WT sees a new comic they want to promote, and other weeks they'll just leave their front page/recommended the same for 2+ weeks

HOT Today used to update daily so I thought it was partially algorithm, but now it's just whenever they want ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Seems like they're currently on an 8-day rotation with the front page

Buurd 2019-01-31 07:53:10 UTC #5

This bugged me a lot because I thought it was cool finding new comics when it updated daily. Now the name hot "Today" is really misleading. I saw the same stuff on it for a week before made it just like every other promo section

beta1042 2019-01-31 07:56:02 UTC #6

I do think "staff picks" is staff picked. Or I would hope so lol.

I really wish they had a section(or couple sections) that was algorithm based where the algorithm made sure no comic reappeared in that section more than once, so that it was always truly new comic recs for me.

Samuraiflame 2019-01-31 07:59:20 UTC #7

Never forget 5 Weeks of Spirit Warriors @Bobler09

graveweaver 2019-01-31 07:59:57 UTC #8

I think a pool of comics is generated with an algorithm according to some parameters, and staff takes a look at them and picks from it. I say this because one time I was put in two sections on the front page at the same time (Special and i think hot today) - I think if an editor had handpicked my comic should not be on there twice lol. However I dont think its purely algorithm because how do you decide what is "editors pick" or something as vague as "brand new world" lol

Bobler09 2019-01-31 08:00:36 UTC #9

lol, yeah, sliiiight bias there XD

Nachi 2019-01-31 08:41:47 UTC #10

My guess would be there isn't an algorithm for most of the categories (maybe except for hot today). I've recently been in Editor's pick and if it was algorithm, I seriously have no idea how I would have gotten there. I wasn't doing particularly good in terms of new subscribers, likes, etc.

I don't keep a close eye on those categories, so sorry to ask, but... Spirit Warriors have been there for five weeks? Wow. Well, that mut have been a great help!

AllisonGal 2019-01-31 20:19:12 UTC #11

I think all their sections are manually pick. The only thing that's not manually picked is the weekly hot where it's automatically the 6 top comics that updated within 7 days that gets on there.

Also top 30 looks to be algorithm most of the time but sometimes it's manipulated manually. I say this cause there was a comic that didn't update for more than 2 weeks and in a matter of 1 hour after being updated was already in the top 2 rank in top 30. How is that possible when more popular comics can't make it up to top that fast. And that comic happened to be a big favorite of LW, so yeah top 30 is often manipulated manually too.

But of course if anyone ask them they won't say the truth, they'll probably say it's algorithm then they'll try to avoid the subject. I mean how many people emailed them questions about this and other suspicious thing and never got answered.

scythe 2019-01-31 23:15:46 UTC #12

I've received every promotion Webtoons can give you short of being featured, all more than once, one of them (the thumbnail at the bottom of the homepage) I've received several times. Yes, I've been extraordinarily blessed, but I also see it as being rewarded for my work, consistency and future potential. It's my understanding that all of these have been staff picked. One I know for certain was a staff pick because I got an email from them about it.