A highly engaged audience can be a publisher's greatest asset. More direct traffic, time on site and subscriptions, better performing ads, and increased reader advocacy are all byproducts of loyal, engaged audiences. However, with more and more sources battling for reader attention, converting casual readers into loyal contributors can be a challenge for publishers.
If you look back at the top grossing films in recent years, you’ll notice an interesting pattern: comic book franchises have emerged as a powerful cultural force in the mainstream and show no signs of slowing down. Spider-Man. Batman. X-Men. The Avengers. Chances are you’ve probably watched one of these comic books on the silver screen.
Earlier this month, we asked you for your nominations of the best sports websites on the Internet. Seven sites were nominated and after a week of voting with 1,941 total votes submitted by the community, we now have our winner.
It’s May and many television shows are wrapping up their seasons. For Andy Page, it’s also the busiest time of year for SpoilerTV, a site for TV news, rumors, and reviews, which he started in 2007. Luckily, he’s been building websites for over a decade.
Illustration by Luigi Savino
A safe environment for women seems like an anomaly on the Internet these days, but at The Mary Sue, the community of readers is showing us how it’s done.
One of those readers is JustPlainSomething, a regular commenter who geeks out about nerd culture with a healthy dose of comics, movies, television, and games. An unabashed feminist, she is representative of the type of inclusive environment for women that The Mary Sue cultivates every day. She also deserves serious Internet points when one of her comments spontaneously sparked a meme that the TMS community quickly adopted with fervent enthusiasm. More on that later.
Illustration by Luigi Savino
Okay you guys, I’ve found a real gem for you this week. Emma Hager is a frequent commenter on one of my favorite sites, The Man Repeller. She’s a real standout in their community, and I think you’ll easily be able to see why. She’s the smart/cool chick you want around to give it to you straight about your clothes, your boyfriends, your insecurities, and hopes and dreams. And she’ll do it in the nicest way possible.
For real though, I think we’ve found your newest girl crush. Read on and try telling me you don’t want to be her friend.
Illustration by Luigi Savino
So, you may have heard that there’s a football game this weekend. In honor of the single day in which over 100 million people get together to watch football, we’re featuring one who actually talks football most other days of the year, too. Underdog is a big Denver Broncos fan (lucky him, this year!), and spends much of his time sharing his knowledge, and debating others, on It’s All Over Fat Man (the story behind the community’s name is brilliant — you can read more on their site).
Illustration by Luigi Savino
Mommyish is not your typical parenting site. And LiteBrite, a rad commenter from their community, is the embodiment of their commitment to fresh and open dialogue about what it takes to be a modern parent. Whether she’s commenting on sex, pregnancy, relationships, raising kids, or the occasional story about baby teeth necklaces, LiteBrite is a commenter you want around. Her personal anecdotes lend depth to her opinions, and allow her authenticity to shine through as brightly as her name suggests. Plus, she’s a roller girl. And let’s be honest, a woman who knows how to throw an elbow with a smile is going to be a sparkling addition to any community.
Illustration by Luigi Savino
This week, we turn our spotlight on Inconspicuous Detective, a frequent commenter on Listverse. His favorite site covers a wide range of topics (from gun control to Voodoo to the artist Banksy), and you’ll notice that Inconspicuous Detective’s thoughts and opinions are just as varied. He takes inspiration from an unlikely source: detectives. Inconspicuous Detective lauds them for not just their knowledge, but their wisdom. He draws particularly from two characters that make a rather odd couple. Read on to find out who they are, and don’t forget to share where you draw your inspiration from!
We’ve been focusing a lot lately on the importance of community. When we talk about community, we think of it in two ways — online and offline. Offline, you might be in a weekend biking club, while online you’re a closet hardcore Robert Pattinson fan. So where do you go to bridge the gap? Online, where you can find fellow geeks of every flavor: foodies, gamers, fashionistas, mommies — the list goes on and on. But while you can find satisfaction in one of these two communities, these online and offline interests still remain separate. What can you do to unite the two?