I'm in the process of developing a website for my ongoing comic series, which includes various storylines and asides. I'm looking for advice on essential features that would enhance user experience. Besides having effective navigation options—like the ability to start from the beginning, read the latest episode, and bookmark where you left off—what other elements do you think are crucial for this kind of storytelling site?
4 Answers
Having dedicated pages for your main characters is a great idea, especially in a fictional setting. Including character backstories, history, and even a genre description could improve SEO and help readers find your comic more easily. Also, consider a 'Meet the Author/Illustrator' page to connect with your audience.
Exactly! It can provide all that background information that isn't detailed in the comic but enhances the overall storytelling.
Since your site will be image-heavy, prioritize performance for different devices. A lot of sites ignore this, especially for iPad users, leading to poor experiences. Consider using various image formats like WebP and AVIF, and implement lazy loading and CDNs to optimize load times. Also, don't forget accessibility—detailed alt text for images is crucial!
This has been on my mind a lot lately!
Are you creating the site for fun, or do you plan to sell anything alongside the comic? I'm working on my own comic about space cats getting into hilarious situations, too. For me, it's more about the fun than monetization, but I'd love tips on creating a great website for it!
We'd like to eventually sell a physical book and some merchandise featuring our characters.
Consider giving your readers a way to pick up right where they left off. This can include features like resume buttons, an episode history section, and hover previews for each episode on your archive page. Many comic sites lose readership because they don't help users recall where they stopped reading, so focus on building a return-friendly experience!
Totally! That's what I meant by the bookmark feature!
I love the idea of a lore section! It can really enrich the comic experience.