How did you guys get your first 25 subscribers?

[JojoMasterofDojo]

A lot of us (including me) are extremely new to posting stories/comics on Tapas. For people who have been posting here for awhile, what did you guys do in order to gain enough traction to get the 25 subscriber milestone? It would be immensely helpful if you could post any tips that you know of to reach this lofty goal a little bit more faster.

Thanks!

Jojo

Edit: Alright a lot of people are saying "I had a nice thumbnail", while that isn't exactly an option for me as I am a terrible artist I could certainly try to find a better image for my thumbnail that may attract more viewers. Thanks for the information everyone!

[GesuGesu]

I just had a nice thumbnail and pretty enough art to attract people within the first post. The story didn't even start yet and people were subscribing.

[rmdooley]

Interacted with people on the forums, checked out other creator's work and built a rapport, promoted and participated in the community

[JojoMasterofDojo]

I see, for me personally I can't draw at all so I stick to making novels. Perhaps I can try making an attractive hook I suppose.

[JojoMasterofDojo]

Neat. I never really did check out other people's work, but to build a reputation I suppose I have to sooner or later. Thank you!

[droidmonkey1]

I'll tell after one more subscriber

[KoreanTacos]

I was patient, and I guess people found my comics. I honestly don't remember.

[375]

I just kept at it I guess. Constantly posted on a schedule, made some good friends that would check out my work on here! It takes time and patience.

[phen]

Definitely search around for other novels/comics that you'd be interested in and leave some kindness, encouragement. Connecting with fellow creators is one of this community's best advantages -- you can learn so much from peers while giving each other much-needed boosts in morale (what's a more invigorating force than someone who's work you admire also admiring yours?)!

It'll take some time but just browse around and keep your horizons open. There's some wicked talent and skill on this site and some equally humble and amazingly generous creators.

You can also fine-tune your story synopsis with a good hook -- it's one of the first few things that leave a big impression. Asking questions, short, vivid prompts, exclusive factoids... these kinds of things can really draw potential readers in if orchestrated just right.

[catluckey]

I told my friends at another art site about my story and invited them to subscribe. I came here to the forum and interacted, showing the cover. I also subscribed to different artists' comics too. Made sure I put up advertisement allowed here at Tapas. Created a decent Banner and Thumbnail/Logo (icon) that represented my story. Made a summary that wasn't too long and had a hook. Hope this helped.

[djwaglmuffin]

Totally organic, tbh.

The first few weeks I posted went really well and I am trending at least a few times a week so it IS building. Very slowly, but hopefully that trend stays upward. After June, I think most of the subs came from people sharing my work on Twitter or Tumblr.

[JojoMasterofDojo]

Most of my friends would think my hobby is pretty cringy, so I refrain from telling most of my friends that I have a tapas account. I'll take your ideas for the summary and the hook though, but for the summary did you mean the summary of the entire series or off each section. Thank you for your comment, very helpful!

[catluckey]

You're welcome! I'm very happy I could help.
The summary is for the whole series/comic. Like this:

The Watchman :: The Watchman Cover | Tapas

[J.Z.Castillo]

I had a nice thumbnail and my first few uploads were pretty big, like 5 to 10 pages each

[dawgofdawgness]

Some people believed in me :^) this is cheesy but I don’t know if I’d even continue my webcomic if those first couple of people didn’t support me and my work !!

[Wumbl]

Make a really nice thumbnail - work on making it as true to the feel of the story as possible. Promote your stuff in the forums. Update your comic regularly. Seek improvement wherever you can!

There's really no wrong way to do it. So long as you believe in your work and find others who do too, you'll get there!

[spicy_sweets]

I had a pretty thumbnail and got featured in Staff Picks in June (and still am??) so that's probably where they're coming from.

[ZombieOwl]

I posted A LOT when I first started because I was so excited to be doing a comic. It helped with visibility and showed potential subscribers I was active.

I would not recommend posting at a high volume(in my case it was twice a week, every 3 days or so), because you can get burnt out. You can try making a buffer of pages or something if that is a path you want to follow though

[Kato-san15]

Well, this comic I didn't do much publicity, but I publish a page every day. I think that since it's a comedy thing, it attracted people faster.

[BTS]

I got mine from Webtoon, so I really appreciate those guys a LOT. Thanks guys!

I started in Webtoon, but since they changed the rules, I had to look for another app. And pretty much told my Webtoon subscribers that I had to leave, since I've got no other choice.