KEENSPOT PUTS CREATORS FIRST WITH NEW SYSTEM
Cartoonist Tiffany Ross Returns To Keenspot In Response
Cresbard, SD, March 4, 2008 - On the heels of the February 28th news that Crosby Comics had acquired complete control of the company, Keenspot has announced a new system that allows Keenspot creators to retain and control 100% of the advertising revenue they generate for their sites. Cartoonist Tiffany Ross, who left in 2006, has enthusiastically rejoined Keenspot in response.
“With the rise of highly-effective new ad networks and exchanges, we believe few know better than a comic’s creator about how to maximize their ad sales and target the best-paying ads to their site,” said Chris Crosby, CEO of Keenspot. “Combine that with the strong community and promotional aspects of Keenspot, and the new system seems to make for a winning formula. As our members freely share knowledge on how to generate optimal ad revenue, Keenspot drives traffic to their sites using our multiple promotional venues.”
How will Keenspot as a business generate ad revenue under the new arrangement? “Keenspot recoups its costs by running in-house advertising in creators’ unsold default impressions,” said Crosby. “This set-up ensures that Keenspot doesn’t make a dime until after the comic creator has.” Keenspot will also continue generating 50% of ad revenue from some sites under the original contract, as certain creators aren’t interested in handling their own ad streams. Thus far, roughly half of Keenspot’s members have switched over to the new agreement.
Cartoonist Tiffany Ross, who in June 2006 removed from Keenspot her popular Shivae Studios (shivae.net) comics like ALIEN DICE and THE CYANTIAN CHRONICLES and who now makes a full-time living from webcomics, returned to Keenspot after learning about the changes. “While it’s nice to be on your own, there are a ton of advantages to belonging to a group, but the issue that was strongest in my mind when I left was that I needed to earn a living wage… not pocket change,” said Ross. “The moment I saw the direction of the beginning conversations for the changes, I felt like it was the day I first joined Keenspot, when I couldn’t see a ceiling and the opportunities were limitless.”
“Even though the new system give creators more control over their ads, the relationship between Keenspot and its members has actually strengthened,” said Pascalle, co-creator of ZAP! (zapinspace.com), which joined up with Keenspot in 2004. “As creators, we don’t see Keenspot as a springboard company anymore. We see it as a long-term partner that will help us grow our comics.”
Newer Keenspot members like Joseph Kovell of NO NEED FOR BUSHIDO (noneedforbushido.com), who joined in October, are also enthusiastic about the new system. “Keenspot has been a major player in webcomics for as long as I remember, but the nature of the webcomic world has changed so much that Keenspot needed to change, too” said Kovell. “This more collective-like system will allow individual creators a whole new range of opportunities while keeping Keenspot’s greatest benefit: a strong connection with a large number of fellow cartoonists.”
ABOUT KEENSPOT ENTERTAINMENT
Keenspot Entertainment’s stable of web properties includes a network of more than fifty Keenspot-exclusive webcomic sites, in addition to #1 user-generated comics site ComicGenesis.com, which features over 10,000 independent webcomics. Keenspot also publishes books and other merchandise and produces animated shorts under the “Keentoons” label which are distributed internationally by ThunderSquid to mobile phone carriers worldwide including Verizon V-CAST (U.S.) and O2 (U.K.).
100% of the ad revenue? Pretty nice deal. I’m a rather non-knowing person though, so maybe one of our more econimic-minded readers can share their thoughts?
