For a low subscription of $30 per year, you will have access to this site plus the entire Webcomics.com archives, one of the most helpful and supportive forums for creative people on the Web, and many members-only offers. Learn More!
Webcomics Weekly is archived at libsyn.com
Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at 8:55AM Banner Advertising is one of the more challenging aspects of promoting your comic. You have to compete for attention in a very confinded space, knowing full well that mot of the eyes are going to move past that space rapidly (as they travel to their intended content).
So, you have two goals:
Steal attention with a compelling visual
and
Entice clicks with a meaningful message
Saturday, May 18, 2013 at 5:00AM Today's Dive into the deeper archive of Webcomics.com takes us to May 19, 2009, when we discussed reading a printer's spec sheet.
So, you've decided to get a quote from and honest-to-goodness printer for your next book run. You've e-mailed a quote request, and you've gotten a prompt response. One that you cannot decipher for the life of you. Fear not, here's a quick guide based on an actual book quote:
QUANTITY: 500- 1,000- 1,500 (10 % overs/unders) SIZE: 8 1/2 X 11 finished, with bleedsCOVER: Printed 4/0, Process, offset printing. Gloss lamination. Supplied by customer: PDF files.Supplied by printer: Color proofs, 1 set, high resolution digital. TEXT: 60 lbs text House brand uncoated offset - Printed 1/1 (Black), offset printing. BINDING: Perfect bound. PACKING: In double wall cartons on skids. FREIGHT: F.O.B. Client: Philadelphia, PA 191** USA- Residential delivery with tailgate. Additional handling, freight or storage is extra TAXES: Applicable taxes extra. TERMS: To be determined - Subject to review. QUANTITY: 500 - 1,000 - 1,500 Total cost: $2119.00 - $2749.00 - $3369.00 Per-Unit: $4.238 - $2.749 - $2.246
Friday, May 17, 2013 at 5:00AM Today's Archive Dive comes from May 8, 2012, when we discussed selling ads on your site.
I was approached by a member who has started actively selling ads on his site (as opposed to running ads from an ad network like Google AdSense or Project Wonderful). The exchange was enlightening, so, with his kind permission, I'm sharing it here.
Q.: I have three ads on my site (a Leaderboard and two Skyscraper ads). All of the ad slots are being taken by companies that "own" that ad slot for that month (they have the option to submit up to five ads of their own to rotate throughout the month). Currently, in total, I am making $250 per ad slot for a total of $750 per month. Am I charging enough for these ads?
In my opinion, I think you're making a big mistake.
Thursday, May 16, 2013 at 8:50AM 
In the recent member survey of potential Hot Seat topics, banner advertising came in second to Character Design, with 13%.
So, if you'd like to participate in the next Banner Ad Hot Seat, please give me the following in the Comments section below...
Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at 9:55AM You have many options when you're running ads from an ad network on your site. You can run straight-up banner ads, of course, but you may choose to include pop-up ads, pop-unders, and in-text ads.
Pop-ups and pop-unders are pretty universally reviled, and most publishers opt out of this kind of ad delivery instinctively. After all, we don't like visiting sites with those kinds of ads, so we don't want to force that on out readers.
But in-text ads present a much more subtle intrusion on our site, and therefore, they might be a little more tempting.
