Gaining subscribers is hardly an exact science, but here are some questions you can ask yourself:

1. Have you updated frequently in the last month? I notice a dip in views/subs during those months when I go on chapter break, because every update is an opportunity to reach new people.

2. Is what is happening in your comic right now, in terms of plot, going to grab people? Are you in the middle of a cool action-scene, or exciting intrigue - or are you just moving your characters from point A to point B? Some things are going to be more attention-grabbing than others.

3. Are you promoting yourself via social media other than the Tapastic-forums? Twitter's a popular hangout spot for webcomic-creators.

4. Finally, are you improving the quality of your comic? No matter how hard or how well you promote a comic, if potential readers go to check it out and are disappointed or underwhelmed by it, they won't stick around. No one is amazing from the start - I know I have more than a few terribly drawn and badly told comics hiding in the dusty recesses of my computer - so all we can do is strive to be better. I had a quick look at your comic, and I can see that your lettering is a bit hard to read sometimes, and it doesn't look like you plan out where the text is going to go before you draw the pictures. For example, there's a panel in your latest episode (the one where there's someone saying "No, I was a ninja too", etc. - and you've had to write the text vertically, so readers have to tilt their heads to read it, because it looks like you didn't think about how much space the text would take up before you drew the panel. You're also missing punctuation here and there - missing question-marks and commas, etc. That can be fixed if you get someone to proof-read your comics, though!

5. It's okay to not gain subscribers every time you update. You keep on doing your comic, and you keep on trying to do better, and value the subscribers you already have! Webcomics is and always will be something you're successful at if you're patient.

One thing I have learned over the years is what I call "perceived effort". That's the notion that readers react well when they perceive that the creator has put effort into their work.
Understand that this has nothing to do with the actual amount of time and effort a creator has put in, but how much effort the reader thinks went into a piece of work.
Perhaps if you were to put some thought into the presentation of your comic, like how you scan the pages, it could pay off with more subs.

My comic Victorian Four20 isn't setting any records for views/subscribers. But I assume it will take a great deal of time and patience to build readership since it's only a few months old.

I mostly promote on Facebook2 and Twitter3. Does anyone else have suggestions for other social media they find useful for gaining viewership?

Since this new Tapastic update, I've been getting way more than before.
I'm doing the exact same thing I did before though.

But yeah basically what @AnnaLandin said.
I'd say promote it where ever you can. Facebook is good one. if you join comic groups, you can get it out there.
Twitter is okayish. DevaintArt too, post in the groups.

Be consistent with style, update regular and you soon be on your way.

I've definitely seen a significant dip in subscriber growth for my two updates since the Tapas update. But I still feel like I need a couple of more updates to tell if it's a fluke, if it just has to deal with where the story is right now, or if it's just that less eyeballs are seeing my comic pop up in their feeds when they're looking for something to read.

Five updates ago, I gained: 7 subscribers.
Four updates ago, I gained: 11 subscribers.
Three updates ago (a page that I felt was comparatively weak, actually), I gained: 19 subscribers.
Two updates ago (first post Tapas update), I gained: 6 subscribers.
So far, with my update last Friday, I've gained: 4 subscribers.

Definitely. It's also good sense to take time to observe trends for your work and brand to help inform your decisions on how to improve, grow and reach more people. Obsessing and worrying and getting anxious aren't helpful, but objective observation is super important ... to any artist. Or anyone at all, really.

There was a bit of a lull after the update for me. But I think that ws due to the bugs and such, since there were delays in when new people could see updates. However I think it's getting fixed since I got a few subs recently.
But what others are saying are important for the long run. Getting subs takes time, keep updating and letting others know about your comic and you'll get them.

Gaining subscribers is not an easy task. I usually only get new subscribers if i've added a page recently and since the recent site changes, i've noticed a slight decline. Your best bet is advertising your comic outside of Tapastic as much as you can and wherever you can using twitter, facebook, tumblr, deviantart, webcomic forums, you name it. Unless your comic is lucky enough to land in the 'Staff Picks' section, getting subscribers is an upward battle for most.

I find it very hard. Mainly b/c I'm new here, but I'm updating consistently(1 page per week. Have not failed to upload on any given week yet) and I got like 1 sub and no comments/likes.
If you wanna read or sub to my series: https://tapastic.com/series/DungeonHeart31
I'd greatly appreciate anyone who would read, comment, sub on my work.

I clicked your comic and noticed that there isn't a series thumbnail? Having an attractive thumbnail makes people interested in your work!!

I only started posting 1 month ago, but somehow my subs went up like crazy and I didn't know why.

I've gotten a lot of critiques before that are very valid, some of which mention things that could drive away potential readers i.e confusion. But if there's one thing I've always noticed in media and feedback, no one really minds as long as it's enjoyable to read. Mind you that doesn't mean don't fix them, there's always room for improvement, but I've read things with very simple art styles that get so popular because it's funny or grabs my attention.

Clarity and enjoyableness. As long as you have those two, it's easier said than done, but as long as you do you will always gain a good audience. Try having those at the top of your priority next time.

@phenomenom9

Step one: go to your Dashboard, click on the Series-tab, and then on the little pencil-button next to your series (marked in red circles here, examples from my own Dashboard view:)

Then scroll down until you reach this part:

I've already got a thumbnail, but if you don't, the box will be empty and you will be able to click on it to upload an image from your computer, as long as it's 300x300 pixels!

As for how to make it cool.... Well, look at the thumbnails of series you like, and try to figure out what about them you think is cool, and then do something like it! Lots of people put the faces of characters in their thumbnails!

Do people find you take a hit if you take a break to catch up and try and do more detailed, quality work?

We took a longer break after our first story arc, but now have content loaded up until September. I worry though that following our second arc if we take a break, then we will also lose folks.
I've loaded up design content, but will that frustrate folks looking for more story content? is it better not to update than to update with some "bonus" material?

Zip Kramer - Saviour of the Cosmos5

I'm finding it kinda hard to get subs too... There are people reading the pages, but I suppose the slow nature of my storytelling may not be that attractive in the beginning, oh well...

I think it has to do with advertising all over the place and updating frequently, that and as they said above thumbnails. I've only started about a month of updating and I can't update but every two weeks. So I actually understand why I can't get subscribers that and I actually have my comic all over the place ironicly as much as a lot of people don't like posting to tumblr a lot of my fans come from there or smack Jeeves but I've been updating for over 2 years there and it's no where near as high as a lot of people on taptastic have over 1.5k subscribers so it can be a bit heart breaking to see others have so many.

But all in all I say not to give up. don't stop doing what you love even for the few that subscribe remember to also do it because you have something you want to share to the world and if you love your story the. Don't stop and always share there always bound to be people that will love seeing and reading your work.

I didn't expect any subscribers anyhow. It's not like I make comics for the main demographic here, or people in general.

I've gotten used to being invisible and irrelevant. I should probably sign up for some international spy organisation work soon.

I'm at exactly 98 subs and its so close to 100 that. Its. Making. My eye. TWITCH.

Otherwise, it been pretty steady and I'm more than happy at the numbers I do have and get.

Ha! You sound like me when I was at 48 subscribers, I was like "Just hit 50 dammit!!" and now that I'm at 71 I know the whole thing will just start over again as I get tantalizingly closer and closer to 100... pfft

Oh yeah, its a Cycle of Pain. I was this way at subs 23, 48, and 73. And I will be just as twitchy later on.

well I think it would really take much time and effort for us to gain subscribers. I also have 1 subscriber but I hope it'll grow 'coz i've just returned in tapastic just a few days ago. you can check it out here if you want to https://tapastic.com/series/AFRO2
but as i've said, it would really take much more time before we get a load of subscribers. Also, we have to make our comic great in terms of storyies or humor 'coz as I have observed viewers are not just into art style or how good your art is but they want a good story or a funny story no matter how your drawing look like. Based on my observation ^.^

The subscriber rate for Radio Silence4 seems really strange! It's been hovering for a while around the same area, but with my return to Tuesday updates, it shot up 10+ people overnight. It wasn't even a particularly exciting page! It could be the increased frequency or just that I posted on a Tuesday in the early morning. I guess I'll try another Friday and see if it makes even a dent in the subscriber amount this time!

Gaining sub is sorta slow process I have to admit. Lot of the time your series will get washed away in the new and fresh section with new comic being updated. My series is :Rebirth7, it's quite new, I only just posted it almost a week ago or so! On Tapastic, every day I gain a few subs or so, around 3 or 4. Until now I only have around 60-70 subs haha. But surprisingly enough on Webtoon4, :Rebirth does a lot better at gaining subs despite I have never tried to advertise it as hard as I do with my Tap link. (I gained over 800 subs in a little more than 3 days ;; _ ;;) I feel like I need to raise my bar to try my hardest and not failing all these people the pressure is real

As long as at least 100 people are reading your comic, I wouldn't worry about subscriber count that much at all.

I think everyone here is on point with the tips and advice.

My comic, Cryptic Yume, has only 13 subscribers. Even though that's not much, I say to myself, "Well, at least I have readers." Haha But yeah, don't feel bad. Over the years, I've learned to do a few things:

1. Promote yourself (advertise your work). Project Wonderful and other places are good sites to advertise. More info about that here: http://forums.tapastic.com/t/free-self-promotion-through-project-wonderful/9627

2. Go on Social Media and share your work (Facebook, Twitter, Tapastic, DeviantArt, etc.)

3. Make comic friends. Show your support to other comic creators and like/comment their work. Helping them to improve and giving them constructive criticism helps. Oh, be sure to be friendly!

4. Schedule. It's best to have a schedule for your comic and keep your readers updated. For example, I'm going to have my comic updated on Mondays and Fridays. Try to be flexible with the schedule, to make it easy on yourself. If you have to do one day of updating, that's fine! Just make sure you draw sketches and post them to keep your readers interested.

5. Strive to improve. Once you share your work with others to see how you can improve your comic (such as groups and forums), people are willing to help. Now, you'll get good criticism that'll definitely help. Then you'll get criticism that might hurt you. But don't let it get to you! Stay humble and listen. Yes, it's good to stick up for your work and what you believe in. But just humble and positive.

6. KEEP ON DRAWING, MY FRIEND. This is very important. Drawing and telling a story are your passion. I can actually see that in your comic. As long as you keep drawing, ask for reviews on your comic to improve, and never give up, something good will happen. Keep practicing and drawing.

7. Last, but certainly not least, have confidence in your work and in yourself. Like I said, never give up. Keep on drawing. Heck, if you have 5-10 subscribers, that's something! But as long as you keep telling your story and sharing your work, you'll get more subscribers.

And remember: It's not about getting subscribers and being popular. It's about the passion and not giving up on your gift of art and storytelling. I hope this helps.

Yeah it's hard for me though. I always unpopular in everywhere LOL~ but I keep doing things that uninteresting maybe~ i wonder how the other get their followers/subscribers in such a beautiful way hohohoh~

@ms94maychan Don't feel bad, maychan. Hey, I only have 13 subscribers. I feel bad at times, but do my best to stay positive. I'm really grateful to have someone enjoy my comic. I would like to aim for at least 50, but hey: Patience, right? Lol

Yeah thats right. Stay positive~~ I need to focus on my comic first instead of subscribers heheee. I'll slowly make improvements if that's the cause of my comic not catching any others eyes x)

Hey, it's going to be alright. Just keep practicing, keep drawing, and keep sharing your work. I hear that advertising helps as well, along with social media.

Oddly enough, I get the most these days when I haven't updated for a bit. Used to get a surge WITH updates. Not too worried though. My comic is to make me happy and help me grow.