What do you do if you stop getting subscribers?

[dlbucci]

I started Super FTC back in July and got to about 6 subscribers by the end of August. In September, a more popular artist (DynamoToon) shared my comic with their subscribers and I got about 10 new subscribers. But since then, I've gotten only 3 new subscribers (and none through out December).

Is there something I'm missing? I feel like I should have more subscribers by now, so I don't know if my comic isn't good enough or if I'm just not "advertising" enough (as in, not interacting with the site enough, etc.).

[ToonDoctor]

Be grateful for those that follow you already. Each of them count. The readers you have today will not be your last ones. So don't focus on the numbers. Focus on telling the story that you want to tell.

[okellymx]

Your art style isn't something that most people would jump for so it will take a while to gain subscribers. Also, interacting with the site is good for gaining viewers. Your colors are a bit on the harsh side, I can hardly focus on reading because the colors are so vivid. Not every comic gets tons of subscribers in the same time based on various factors. Like @ToonDoctor said appreciate those subscribers you have. It is better to have 10 loyal fans than 100 who don't really care.
After a while your readers will let you know what you are doing wrong. Just because your comic is good doesn't mean you'll bathe in subscribers either.

[Kayke]

If gaining a following is important to you, there's nothing wrong with actively working toward that... and advertising definitely won't hurt. I think the best way to go about it is to set little micro goals for yourself. I know that's what I do when I feel like my follower count is stuck. Like if I notice I've been at the same number for a while on a site, I'll say "I want to gain 5 new followers by (insert date here)" and then I'll work toward reaching that goal.

A good way to do something like that is to make sure all your social media is linked to each other so that if you have more followers on one site they can trickle onto your other sites. Like I have more Tumblr followers than Twitter followers so when I post on Tumblr I always make sure to link to my Twitter.

Another thing to do is to stay active on the site. Respond to things other people post and leave thoughtful or funny comments. This will help you engage with other artists, but also other readers who like the same things you do. I've found over time that people who are interested in the same things as I am, tend to like my work since it's influenced by the comics/shows/games I'm passionate about.

[Dranif]

Be active (this is including interacting in the comments of the comics of others), promote your comic on social media, participate in webcomic related events (like the #webcomicchat on Twitter), and above all else, appreciate the subscribers you've got, even if it means showing it by interacting with them in the comments and or holding events.
If they see signs that you care, they'll come.
Some readers also enjoy seeing the creator improve in writing and/or art over time.

[AffectedMind]

I just keep going? I don't really look for subscribers if I have a few days without them. I just do what I usually do. Keep going with the series and fool around in social media.

[TristanJensen]

I keep making stuff...
...
Yup

[L4213]

cry in a puddle and ponder the futility of life~

just kidding~ i'd probably just continue updating it like normal, but i'd probably try to do an event or anything special to either gain audience interaction, or to spread the word~ anything to make people have even a short glance will do

[shazzbaa]

I think it's impossible to evaluate if you have fewer subscribers than you "should" have if you've been going for less than a year, honestly. Some comics get lucky, but many don't really pick up until after that point. When I was first starting out, a more successful webomicker than I told me that you have to update faithfully for 2 years before you can really evaluate how you're doing, and I've definitely taken that to heart.

That said, do you share your comic much outside of tapastic? I don't know if there are a bunch of sprite/pixel comics on here I don't know about, but it seems as though Tapastic leans toward illustration-based art, so that might make it harder for you if you're primarily advertising to this community!

[ratique]

Keep working and keep improving. Think about what you can do to get better at drawing or storytelling and then practice practice practice.

Readers will come the better you get - that is truly the easiest and also the hardest way to be successful.

[niinasalmelin]

Everything everyone else has said and be patient with it. There's dozens and dozens of comics updating every day, so it'll take time for your audience to find you. Just don't give up

[fighterxaos]

Keep posting. I'm making, hardly any gains and I know my extremely rushed style isn't helping. I just keep posting and hope people find my two series fun anyway.

[BraveHeartTatsumaki]

Like everyone say, keep posting, my numbers stopped at 42 and haven't gotten any new one in weeks xD All I have to do is keep continuing and do our best, at some point someone will get interested and suscribe

[iasucomic]

Make friends with famous people and get them to recommend your stuff. That's my plan!

[colinwmd]

I don't worry too much about subscribers which is good because I don't have many! Actually, I've not gained any for several months. So maybe I should be using the advice in this thread...
This is my first comic though and I've only been going a year so it has been more about experimentation and seeing what I can do than having any expectation. I think my humour might be a bit hit and miss (if I go by reddit popularity) which may not help. I'm always excited when I post a new comic but looking back at some I'm less excited (and others are still great of course!)
When I start my longer story comic I'll be a lot more interested in subscriber numbers as I'll want to know that there are people enjoying it. Fingers crossed...

[Vikiro_Hop]

I usually just keep putting stuff out, but a satanic ritual every once in a while has had a positive effect.

[VermillionWorks]

I wouldn't know, because I don't keep too close an eye on my sub numbers.
Seriously, don't do it too much, it'll drive you crazy.

[monotone_ink]

Keep making content and get active with the community.
When people know who you are, they'll want to check out your stuff.

[jacintawibowo]

@Kaykedrawsthings's got the right idea!
The amount of subscribers I get usually slows down when I take an internet break or haven't talked with the webcomic community in a while. Twitter and the Tapastic forums here are a great place to meet new faces!

[demthorshie]

I've been here for a little less than 2 weeks so I haven't really started keeping track of subscriber frequency. But I have noticed that every time I update the comic, I get a few subscribers. So I guess my solution so far is keep uploading pages, that and being active in the forums doesn't hurt either.