About a year ago I bought an iPhone, my first mobile phone ever actually, and I quickly started seeing possibilities for what could be done with that beautiful touch screen. One of the first things I did was play with the idea of creating mobile comics tailor made to fit that screen size, as opposed to chopping up existing print works and trying to squeeze them in there. Because of the way the browser worked on that screen, sliding through comic pages was a dream, a match made in heaven. I also tested making animation for that screen size. Anyone who has ever worked with video and animation on a computer can immediately imagine how freeing it is to work for such a small screen. No HD file sizes or waiting ten minutes for a sequence to load. Creating comics and animation could be fun again. So shortly after those tests, iPhone Alchemy was born. I created the site and immediately started blogging about the iPhone, my experience with it and about digital media on it and mobile platforms in general. I also put up the first comic I completed for the iPhone screen free. It didn't take long for visitors to start pouring in. I even got a couple of write ups on magazine and review sites. I created an OS Commerce store which was graphically integrated seamlessly into the site. I started selling other comics, image packs and a few animations for $0.99 each. Then I started an Adwords PPC campaign, mostly based on image banners. More visitors poured in. Some even registered in the OS commerce store. SOme signed up for the news letter. I got lots of email with praise for the site and about the free sample comic. People liked it. Still, there was not one sale. After struggling for months with different ideas, different PPC campaigns, putting up a few hentai (adult) titles, even putting the works on sale for $0.25 each, nothing seemed to be working. I eventually took down the store, and put a few titles up for free. I haven't messed with the site since that time. Unfortunately, it is still something I really want to do. To this day, the site, and its mobile counterpart which is read directly on the iPhone, gets hundreds of uniques per day. The free comics are downloaded over 100 times per day. There must be some interest. (Strangely a lot of traffic comes from Malaysia and another country in Asia which I forget) Is this something people like but are just not willing to pay money for? Is it possible I simply promoted it wrong or in the wrong places? Is it just plain a bad idea? MObile content is already a billion dollar industry in Japan and Korea. I know it is much smaller in the US, but growing by well over $100 million per year. I am not quite ready to give up completely. Being also an animator, I really want to do a full animation series of short mobile episodes, maybe weekly. Unfortunately it is looking like I need to be prepared to do this just because I want to and put it up for free, because it doesn't appear to be making any money. I am by no means an expert marketer (obviously) but I just didn't think it could be that difficult to sell this. What am I missing?
See, i'll be honest with you here as I feel you are really looking for some straightforward answers: 1. Your site needs to be revamped...right from the template to content. (I wouldn't give a second look to that template) 2. If you need visitors to come and then get hooked to your site, you need to find a need..and fill THAT! 3. Well...it's good..you have posted comics and all..but all i see when i go to ur site are some 3 unknown comic series with a download button..naah..not something some1 with an iphone/touch would wanna have. 4. Put up comics for online reading, and provide some "Daily featured updates" on your front page itself and make sure your users know that they can read your comics online on their iphone itself. You prolly got about 10 seconds to impress/unimpress a visitor after which he/she will just close the tab - yep..end of story. 5. So you kinda have to bring upon the impression they need and keep them hooked for longer. For that think what YOU YOURSELF would need to stay on the site for longer than 1 minute on a first glance. You could provide funny pictures perhaps? (Check darkroastedblend for example - google it if u dont know it already). 6. Try out something innovative and think from a 3rd part perspective when providing content, so that you can do much better. 7. Last but not the least...keep up the same enthusiasm you have now..and work hard..and then harder..and you shall definitely hit jackpot sooner or later My good luck 2 u ~ Win Z
... bla, bla, bla. If you write short messages, maybe someone will read. You are not Aristotel. Write shortly. BTW, which affiliate network you use for promoting iphone (products)?
Thanks for the advice. 1. I never would have thought of that. I picked a template I personally liked best and went with it. Used it on most of my sites actually. Unfortunately, I can't think of why another template along similar lines would be any better. 3. This has always been my biggest concern. There is a lack of name brand content. I did talk to TOKYOPOP about trying to get some of their popular titles up there, but they were only interested in going the other way, possibly running my titles on their mobile site. 6. I am thinking to do a made-for-mobile animated series which is meant to be watched directly on the iPhone. I agree that people will want to read the comics directly on the iPhone and I do provide that. It used to be on the front page (a link to that) and on the front page of the OS Commerce store. I recently trashed all that. Thanks again for the advice. I will rethink the site. Unfortunately, it still sounds like, even if I can achieve much higher viewership with new and constant content, I will be continuing to do so for free...
I do not use any affiliate network. I am creating content. I did not think a brief message like "What's wrong with this site?" could fully explain my problem.
I DISAGREE... to hell with lazy asses who are illiterate. It was perfect length, and love the potential with your site. Needs a bit more tweaking... just seems a bit new, which turns people away. Overall GOOD LUCK! If you need any help getting marketed/promoted, let me know and I'll gladly help.