Is Tapas trying to be Lezhin?

[33rdCenturyCaveman]

1. Provide platform where webcomic artists can publish for free.

2. Explore ways to monetize audience accustomed to paying nothing.

3. ? ? ?

4. Profit.

[Zugaikotsu]

Well, I was just answering the very first question in the topics 'Is Tapas trying to be Lezhin?'

I wasn't in a question for inovation... and sometimes is good to tenderly 'kick rocks' and 'twiddle thumbs' to bring peeps back to reality. Yes, no one has to accept things how they are, but its useful to be aware of all the issues.

And there is always the biggest tarrasque of all, that is the audience. If you dont have a huuuugeee traffic or offers potentially comercial content, it will be very hard to generate money and keep those sites going. Audience has changed a lot these years. Not saying it's your case, but many people here is nostalgic of how back in 2012, 2014, tapas and webcomics in general were an indie safe haven of creators enjoying creators, and readers craving for something deviating from the tropes.

Now we have a wave of readers that want something inspired in korean standars of what would be a 'professional webcomic'. I blame webtoons for that xD but the changes are already here and if Tapas doesnt dance with them, they will be left behind.

[UzukiCheverie]

Well, I was just answering the very first question in the topics 'Is Tapas trying to be Lezhin?'

Fair enough. I'm not chastising you for that or anything for your take on it, because I do still agree with it, I just don't think it's acceptable to just roll over and take it like so many people here seem to think lol

Now we have a wave of readers that want something inspired in korean standars of what would be a 'professional webcomic'. I blame webtoons for that xD but the changes are already here and if Tapas doesnt dance with them, they will be left behind.

They'll also be left behind if they just go with "what's popular". Because, again, why should people use Tapas when LINE Webtoons and Lezhin are doing what they're doing, but better because they actually put in the time and work to get to where they are without mimicking other brands?

I made the comparison already, but it was like when Sony and Microsoft were left in the dust with shitty motion controls that nobody gave a shit about using because they wanted to mimic the Wii. Nintendo, meanwhile, was working on their next innovation (the Nintendo Switch) while Sony and Microsoft were wasting time trying to hop on the motion control bandwagon which had already come and gone. Last I checked, people fucking hate games built entirely around motion controls lol The only ones who have any sort of real stake in that industry now is the Oculus brand.

Tastes and preferences change rapidly, especially when it comes to the media consumption market. If you just latch on to what the "big dogs" are doing, you'll get attention, yes - but it's also just as likely you'll be left in the dust when those "big dogs" come up with something new and you're now left with something that's been oversaturated to the point of people hating it, i.e. Motion controls, Netflix-model streaming services, etc.

Tapas is currently toe-ing a very fine and dangerous line that could make or break them, and with the way they're handling it with their lack of transparency and communication issues - and their obvious branding crisis - it looks like it'll be leaning towards more the latter than the former. "Break them" might be a bit of an extreme comparison, though - rather, they're not going to advance as a platform if they keep mimicking others. They'll just always be "that alternative platform to LINE Webtoons" rather than the best version of themselves they could be. As it stands right now, it's concerning that they're essentially setting themselves up for what will essentially be an "economy crash". Hopping on the bandwagon is fine for now to take advantage of potential profit, but if they're putting all their eggs in one basket without preparing for a shift in the market... they're gonna be left behind eventually.

[Zugaikotsu]

They'll also be left behind if they just go with "what's popular". Because, again, why should people use Tapas when LINE Webtoons and Lezhin are doing what they're doing, but better because they actually put in the time and work to get to where they are without mimicking other brands?

Yes, indeed they need to develop a branding appeal. Talking as a consumer, when I go to webtoons I expect light hearted teen romance. when I go to Lezhin, I want to see male butts being impaled hard (xD), and those maybe are like the marsk of those sites and what generates them most revenue. When I come to tapas, idk what to expect premium wise. Some people might say BL, but there are already tons of quality indie BL here. Premium wise, I still cant see a clean cut on a market niche. But I think they will figure it out this later.

As it stands right now, it's concerning that they're essentially setting themselves up for what will essentially be an "economy crash".

Lolz what you mean with this? xD

[UzukiCheverie]

Lolz what you mean with this? xD

As in, once the market changes interest, they're going to be left with all their eggs in one basket and their future profits with it (assuming they continue to do what they're doing now with just "copying whatever Webtoons is doing".) Because it takes twice as long to keep up with and adapt to a bandwagon (and costs just as much) than to just create that bandwagon and set the bar in the first place. Tapas taking the time it takes to copy another platform can result in them being left with the crumbs when the platform they copied used the time they were using to copy to instead reinvent the wheel. i.e. Like what happened to Sony and Microsoft with their failed motion control models that were done to hop on the Wii's motion control bandwagon - by the time they caught up, Nintendo was already conceptualizing and developing their next innovation, with the release of the Wii U that would eventually become the Nintendo Switch.

All in all, my point is that short term, copying works to pull in a quick buck, yes - but long term, there's far more value in setting the bar yourself than trying to meet someone else's. If you're going to try for someone else's bar, you'd best be prepared to beat them at their own game, otherwise there's really no use or value in trying (at least when it comes to the long term which companies like Tapas should be more concerned about by this point).

[33rdCenturyCaveman]

You am assuming that Tapas's website morlocks not know what they doing. But me have sneaky suspicion that they do. Sometimes being best of best am too expensive and being good enough am more sustainable and more likely to win in long run. Let other, smaller companies innovate. Let them shoulder risk. Tapas can follow at leisure and copy what works. Nevermind if it poor imitation at first, they can polish over time.

Consider also that with this kind of business model, it all about numbers and size. Most webcomics not profitable. Most webcomic readers hate to spend money. But gather enough of both in one place and picture becomes different. Suddenly you have titles that make hosting all other comics worthwhile. Suddenly you have so many eyeballs that advertising dollars and ink sales become reliable income.

You see company not being all it can be, me see company that carefully allocate its resources. You see missteps, me see company that can afford to make missteps. In the end it not matter if we happy with things. Important thing is that readership -- and stable of artists -- continue to grow.

[seru]

I have an idea to save Tapas from irrelevancy, but my ideas are not free. :))

[33rdCenturyCaveman]

Will it work on the scale Tapas operates? Will it apply to other genres besides yaoi?

[seru]

Currently, Tapas is copying other companies instead of honing in on the very unique platform they've built from the ground up 2-3 years ago.

On top of that, they are trying to be jack of all trades, master of none. :))

I think I'm giving away free advice. :))))))))))))))

Side comment: Graphite is another webtoon copy. Has anyone heard of it?

[bakasama25]

(Sees people talking about Tapas a webtoon portal. When in fact it's a Webnovel/Webtoon portal)
I think Tapas has more in common with KakaoPage/Book more than anything.

Knowing something about the Korean webtoon companies (there's about over 15 over there) kind of colors my opinion.

[eleoza]

Currently, Tapas is copying other companies instead of honing in on the very unique platform they've built from the ground up 2-3 years ago.

Yes, this.
Quoting something I've read a few weeks ago regarding Tapas; No one ever made it to the top by copying their compeditors.

[Hodge]

If I remember correctly Graphite was even started by a former higher-up at Webtoons. But that flopped lol. WebComics also arose around the same time.

I remember Manga Rock saying they were going to shift to a comic platform app, but no update on that in a while.

@bakasama25 I wish we had that kind of webtoons market here. There really is so many publishers for Korean in comparison to English. Though I guess it's partly just a difference in how English speakers consume comics, but physical comics can't be doing too hot rn.

[bakasama25]

The point I should've made a little clearer is that most Webtoon portals in Korea LOOK the same. It's not so much they're copying each in design, it's more they're designed to have a readable format that's easy on the eyes that kill your phone battery faster.

Here's some examples of the larger webtoon portals:

카카오페이지

투믹스

Daum 웹툰

탑툰

[seru]

Yes, all these comic platforms are the same.

But Webtoons (which is the Youtube of webcomics) and Lezhin(premium version of Webtoons) are the most profitable out of them. Webtoons and Lezhin have very distinct branding which is one of the major reasons they are succesful.

[ailatte]

Isn't Tapas own by KakaoPage? I think a lot of tapas system is just similar or the same as kakao

[bakasama25]

No, it isn't. They simply license some Kakaopage webtoons (which are also mirrored on Daum webtoons), like Dreamside and Adonis. Since you know about KakaoPage, I'll give you a little more info about KakaoPage. Kakao merged with Daum a while back. Now Kakaopage "may be" much bigger than Naver is. Well, at least the market share pie chart at Webtoon Insight, from what I can understand from it.

I've seen some webtoons from Lezhin, Toomics, Comica, and Bookcube on Tapas but KakaoPage webtoons seems to have a larger presence here than the others.

[ailatte]

Oh ok, I thought I read somewhere here that Kakao was either a major investor or a partner, but I don't remember the details. Thanks for the info.

[bakasama25]

Well, Kakao might do invest in Tapas. However, that's the part I don't know about all too well. I know Kakao as a presence in Japan as Piccoma and Kakao messager program.

[geclipseart]

Lmfao

Maybe you could email tapas

[joannekwan]