Is anybody currently meeting the requirements for Patreon sponsorship on Line Webtoon?

[Laht]

At least it seems readers still have freedom to subscribe or not. There are some webtoons that got on recommended but never got much subs. Just like some featured series never got popular.

It's still sad to see odd favouritism though. I actually want to find new series to read. Not the merry-go-round of few that I saw for months.
Sometimes I see nice potential series that has posted regularly for months and they're still about under 500 subscribers. Too far on pages to be seen. The authors usually give up. I really would love to see the continuation to some of them. Of course opportunities can't be given to everyone.

Well, on January there are still 280 qualified series out of 26.500+ on Discover. Some on the list will be moved to featured, but I guess February will still have more people.
I hope we'll know what "new functions for Discover section" LW is preparing soon.

[Zugaikotsu]

I'm curious, too. And you're right. Sometimes is embarrassing how much they try to shove some series through out throats... one of those series is in spotlight for months, and they won't give up until they get 100k, even tho this series isn't either the best one from the author, nor the most popular... well... as you said, there is SO MANY better stuff with no promotion. But that's it. Not everyone can get a spotlight. Basically, you need to be loved by senpai.

[AllisonGal]

Can I know which webtoon you refer that has risen overnight? I don't know which! Hahaha. Maybe a clue would work...

There's 2 BL in the top, one is heavily promoted several times in recommended for months and months, and front page banner that's how it was able to be in the top. The other BL has never appeared anywhere but suddenly one day when they dropped 1000 reasons to live, it suddenly rose to take the top spot without any effort, any progress. It was placed there. it's called 'OHK" (edit: I use initial coz people were complaining about names)

[AllisonGal]

It's still sad to see odd favouritism though. I actually want to find new series to read. Not the merry-go-round of few that I saw for months.

you're right, but I wouldn't mind seeing those for months if the system was fair and they truly earn those spot, I mind because most of the top are cheated to be there, it's not a real thing. You still see a very few top comic who deserve to be there and made it on their own but most is fake.

I'm curious, too. And you're right. Sometimes is embarrassing how much they try to shove some series through out throats... one of those series is in spotlight for months, and they won't give up until they get 100k, even tho this series isn't either the best one from the author, nor the most popular... well... as you said, there is SO MANY better stuff with no promotion. But that's it. Not everyone can get a spotlight. Basically, you need to be loved by senpai.

that's very true. there's also a comic "OTB" (edit: people were complaining about name so I'm using initials) no offense to the creator but we gotta stay with the truth here. Webtoon keeps shoving this down our throats for months and months, already in the front page 3 times when 20,000+ comics can't even appear. Now it has over 200k which is the result of webtoon's cheating. If they like it so much it's best for them to feature it right away and let the other discover artist breathe better and try to survive more fairly. except for the discover creators they favor, webtoon's treating the rest of discover creators like trash. very sad.

[yurineseventeen]

Did webtoon actually heavily promote hero-kun?
I mean, I didn't think LW would promote any story with explicit sex scenes (even if they are censored) o_o

[SedateCanopy]

I knew it. Haha. I'm kinda thought its MysuccubusGF too and that. Yeah, it dominated the top 1 spot lots of times iirc.

[AllisonGal]

Did webtoon actually heavily promote hero-kun?I mean, I didn't think LW would promote any story with explicit sex scenes (even if they are censored) o_o

Webtoon don't want to promote it openly because of these scenes but it definately wants it on top. so they'll use another type of cheating which is to simply place it there on top. Webtoon seem to be using this type of cheat for other comics too These seem to be glued to their spot, they don't advance or fall. Their likes and subs and comment overall doesn't show enough power to actually be able to stay there. Just observe you'll see how fishy it is. Many comics more popular than these all fall back but somehow these never move, how do ya all think this happened? same thing as 1000 reason to live and OHK. They probably program these to stay there.

I knew it. Haha. I'm kinda thought its MysuccubusGF too and that. Yeah, it dominated the top 1 spot lots of times iirc.

yes, that comic has also been promoted and shoved down our throats for months in recommended. Sadly, it wasn't able to advance at all on its own until the day webtoon stepped in and made it one of the top.

[SedateCanopy]

Wait what about the current Discover comic in the front page: Dream Catcher (2nd time appearance) and its link is broken again. Poor webtoon..(Or is it just me?)

[Anotheryou]

I don't know if OHK get help from webtoon.. but, you can see that she upload her comics almost daily on september.. that's why she get subscribers-viewers more quickly than others. After that OHK have NSFW scene, and that's mean it attract more horny readers .
As you can see, BL have their own magic, as well as porn.

[ashersz]

Happened to me on the mobile app but works on the desktop... weird

[AllisonGal]

my take on this: Updating daily was a technique creators used to do earlier on and it did help in the past, many were able to get in 1st page by doing that. since the favoritism started last year, that technique doesn't work now. updating daily isn't helping. in fact it pushes you even further down.

Although OHK did update almost daily in september may have made her get subs faster but to actually be able to beat all the comics in first page directly to the very top, that's impossible unless you got some massive esposure help from webtoon. For example the comics they are promoting nonstop in fresh and recommended are not going to the top overnight, you're seing them go up the ladder after months of exposure it gets to top. But OHK with no exposure get there overnight? really? I know it can attract more horny readers but many BL have that and it doesn't go to top like that although they get many subs..

The top comics are pretty powerful and looking at OHK likes and stats and comments back then it wasn't enough to be able to top everyone, I've seen comics 2-3 times more powerful and they can't get anywhere near the top 10 comics at all. but somehow OHK with no exposure is able to do that overnight? this is fishy as hell. It's pratically impossible if you were in page2-3 from months and months to suddenly get to #1 or 2 over1-2 days and nonetheless without webtoon's help in promoting it anywhere. It's obvious something is going on here, it's the same as with 1000 reasons to live. Placed there by webtoon, no effort, no nothing.

[Jenny-Toons]

Oh gosh, and honestly?
They're doing those creators a bad deal. No one wants to believe that their work only got somewhere because of favoritism. A lot of people want to think that they earned those subs and views and that they're actually good at something.

But Webtoon doing that is basically "without us, you wouldn't get here on your own" -- like their efforts are all in vain and that it's all about " not what you know but who you know" 24/7 (which shouldn't always be the case).

Even worse, this can set them up for bad taste of medicine, especially younger creators who end up thinking they'll just be given things on a silver platter. And they'll have a rude awakening if they branch out to other places and find out they might not get as well-received.

I don't want that for anyone, honestly. It might feel good in the moment, but I dunno -- knowing that your "effort wasn't enough and that favoritism was your only route" leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

[Zugaikotsu]

Yes, in the long run, this might be tragic. And they dont even need to leave webtoons. When senpaii gets fed up of promoting a comic and it falls into oblivion, most times the author gives up,

[LordVincent]

I feel like the conspiracy theories are going way out of control here. I still believe something fishy is going on, but trying to confidently speculate as to what that something is or act like we know what it is, when we have no reliable information to base it upon, is unprofessional and might actually hurt us more than help us.

Let's stop any confident claims that Webtoons is cheating the system to promote this or that comic, because it is simply unfair. Many of the specifically targeted comics that have been mentioned in this thread already came from creators or groups that had an established audience and style. Them gaining traction fast is simply natural, since people have already heard about them and some fans jump on it to boost it early. Claiming this is webtoons cheating these people into success is harmful and ignores the hard work these people put in for many years to build their audience. It also does us no good in regards to learning a better way to success.

Let's wait and observe before making assumptions and spreading rumors. Good thing to keep in mind for us all individually is that if you present yourself as irrational, jumping quick to assumptions, or other unprofessional behavior, then there's a risk that companies that could be potentially interested in hiring you or getting a contract with you will get a bad taste in their mouths and may not want that anymore.

This being said... if webtoons are cheating the system in any way, then I think it would be by forcing unsubs. Some people have found themselves unwillingly unsubbed from comics, so this is a theory that actually has a basis. I see no reliable evidence implying that webtoons is cheating people into gaining subs, however, besides natural promotion techniques. If anything, there is a group of the webtoons readers that are ganging up to upvote or downvote comics, but that is not something webtoon can control.

Here's an important thing though: The unusual amount of lost subs could be manipulation. Or it could simply be a bug. Because this is a thing that I've recently learnt has happened on other sites too. Bugs are a thing
Regardless of whether it's a bug or manipulation, the unwilling unsubs need to stop.

[ashersz]

Agree completely. We have no idea how they work in the backend so pointing fingers at creators as well is a bit harsh.

[Haku]

I've also been checking this topic occasionally, hoping to gain some insight on webtoon stats, the new pledges, and how it's re-adjusting some things. But I also agree that pointing fingers or name dropping series is quite unprofessional and counter-productive in trying to prove a point that theres some claimed corruption behind Webtoon's stats. I do think it's important to be wary and question how a system works, and everybody here does not want to feel they're posting their work under an unfair system. It's hard to keep track of other people's webtoon stats but my own, and even that I have trouble keeping track of (i wish there was a more reliable stat check on webtoons, like tapas' dashboard) but so far I don't quite see any "cheating" of gaining subs. Views per update is something that is more in the creator's control.

[Zugaikotsu]

im on agree that give names so openly is complicated, but I believe that what allison and the others were trying to say is that the possible 'cheating' is the same titles gaining many and many spotlights for neverending moths. Of course the authors has their merits, but it's easier to get more track if you're always higlighted. No matter how good you are, if people don't know you exist, you're not getting attention. I understand they promote those people to generate more and more traffic, but... it's tiresome. Both as an author and as a reader. But well, what can we do? That's the internet's logic: if you're already popular, everything comes for you, if you're not, you need to find a way to go through this. I already gave up. I'll keep working and wait for the best.

[Haku]

Keep on being productive and working is the best anyone can do! Popularity is definitely something out of your control, but the work is in your own hands, and only you alone can make the most out of it. It really sucks how things seem unfair and that many series aren't getting the spotlight they deserve. But one thing that a peer told me that has carried me on, was, "You will always be unhappy if you think about the things you don't have." Celebrate that you can create a webcomic in the first place, not many people can.... its tough!

[Zugaikotsu]

Yes, that is what I try to do. Keep doing my best, the happier I can, because well, many people seems happy with my stories. Maybe someday some senpai will notice me?

[Laht]

The only thing I'm sad for is the lost of potential great authors. I love hard working people, and I believe that even if something got popular suddenly but never do anything to maintain the popularity, the fans wouldn't stay.

When I see a nice fan base, I usually can see why they like a person's work so much. And I'm glad they make a nicer place, because I believe the world has enough of negativity.
Discover has a lot more variety now, a lot of different opinions. The majority of the readers now are kind, understanding, witty and funny. I've seen the wave of toxicity, it is now a much much nicer place.

It's nice of LW to give out concrete incentive, it gives traffic & attract talents. It's still their freedom to give out to those who they think benefit the majority. It doesn't benefit anyone if the place is associate with negative rumours. There are still issues to be solved, I like the platform over all and I hope it'll became nicer and nicer.

I like to encourage artist to create, even as pure hobby, if that makes them happy.
Without authors, there would be no stories to read.
It would be sad, a place with no stories.