Wattpad newest program allows authors to earn income through ads

[Xianxia]

Wattpad just need Patreon integration and the future will be rosy for Wattpad top authors. Or Wattpad can create its own version of Patreon.


https://techvibes.com/2016/08/17/wat...writers-future

In their next step in monetization, Wattpad is introducing an additional layer of advertising with the plan to pass the majority of earnings onto the content creator.

The ‘Futures’ program will introduce video ads that run between chapters and eventually be available to any writer who chooses to opt into the program.


“We know how challenging it can be for writers to monetize their work, online in particular,” explained Suzanne Spence, Wattpad’s Head of Global Brand Partnerships in an interview with Techvibes yesterday. “We are creating a scaled way for writers to make money and in some case truly change their lives.”

Each month 2.3 million writers post content on Wattpad, attracting around 45 million monthly readers. Since the program launched in beta this summer, invited writers have made upwards of $1,000 per month.

“We are very data driven in our approach,” explained Spence, “We are seeing a 95% view-through rate on the ads so far. Thats an amazing indication that this is a way that our community can have an additive experience or at the bear minimum not feel like it’s intrusive.”

Here's what the ad prompt will look like





This is a smart way to keep the web novels on Wattpad FREE. Just need to add in Patreon or something similar to readers who want to support their fav authors financially.


Qidian in China has a different approach. First 100 chapters free. (each chapter about 2000 words). Each chapter after that is $0.01-$0.02.

The top web author on Qidian earns about $15.6 million a year in royalties according to the Wall Street Journal. It will take a while before the top Wattpad author can match that if ever.

In South Korea, there is the online novel website munpia.com

First 25-30 chapters are free.
After that, it's 100 Gold Coin (about $0.09) per chapter. A lot of the top authors there are writing full-time from the royalties.


In Japan, web novels are free on the novel site syosetu. The popular web novels there are poached by publishers. About 100+ web novels have been traditionally published.


Overall, China is the most advanced with thousands of full-time professional web authors. South Korea is second.

[Xianxia]

Some more details.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/b...d-revenue.html

the new program will feature “interstitial” advertising between chapters of works posted on Wattpad. Gardner said the program, which will initially run video ads, will eventually include display ads as well. The ads will be placed every few chapters and will also appear every 30 minutes during a reading session.



According to Gardner, about 100 writers invited to be part of a beta test earned nearly a $1,000 a month through the program. Some, she noted, earned nearly $2,000 a
month

While Wattpad Futures will be invite-only for writers at its launch, Gardner emphasized that the program will use criteria beyond an author's popularity on the site. She said that the genre and subject matter an author writes in will be important but, ultimately, more writers will be recruited for Wattpad Futures than previous programs.

If I'm running Wattpad, the first thing I would do after this move is allow for Patreon integration for the top authors.

As the second thing, I would buy the English rights to popular Chinese and Korean web novels. They shouldn't be that expensive.

Hire translators to translate them to English.

With this move, Wattpad will now have a large and popular fantasy catalog.

Wuxiaworld fan translation of about 15 Chinese web novels now have a monthly unique of 2 millions readers. Wuxiaworld hits the billion page views about 18 months since its founding.

Wattpad has the potential to be so big that in 10 years time, a talented author first choice isn't with the Big Publisher or self-publishing through Kindle but Wattpad.

This is happening in China right now where for many talented authors, web novel is their first choice since that is where the money and readers are at.

[HarryT]

"at the bear minimum"???

This claims to be a writers' forum?

[MikeB1972]

Originally Posted by HarryT

"at the bear minimum"???

This claims to be a writers' forum?

You are completely correct, it should be the bear necessities.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by MikeB1972

You are completely correct, it should be the bear necessities.

Precisely!

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by HarryT

"at the bear minimum"???

This claims to be a writers' forum?

Why are you blaming Techvibes' typo on Wattpad?

[Xianxia]

Here's the info that should make talented authors happy:

According to Gardner, about 100 writers invited to be part of a beta test earned nearly a $1,000 a month through the program. Some, she noted, earned nearly $2,000 a month

And this is without Patreon integration.

Spoiler:

Here are some example of authors and web authors who are doing well using fan patronage.

https://www.patreon.com/seananmcguire

797
patrons
$8,847
per Short Stories

https://www.patreon.com/nkjemisin

882
patrons
$4,884
per month

https://www.patreon.com/Wildbow
Author of the web novels Worm, Pact, and Twig

465
patrons
$2,366
per month

https://www.patreon.com/daman
Author of the web novel The Divine Elements

186
patrons
$1,412
per month

https://www.patreon.com/stantlitore

137
patrons
$1,280
per month

https://www.patreon.com/monicabyrne

274
patrons
$1,147
per month

https://www.patreon.com/uelaramchek
Author of strange fiction hosted on his website http://www.northofreality.com/

106
patrons
$1,127
per month

https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2458567

261
patrons
$767
per month

https://www.patreon.com/user?u=517039
Fanfiction writer at fanfiction.net

32
patrons
$712
per month

https://www.patreon.com/etaski_fiction
Author of adult fiction at www.redsister.net/ and www.literotica.com

104
patrons
$488
per Mega-Chapter

https://www.patreon.com/bluephoenixnovel
Author of the web novel The Blue Phoenix

64
patrons
$437
per month

https://www.patreon.com/wiz
Author of web novel Apocalypse Now and The Gemstone Chronicles

23
patrons
$396
per month

https://www.patreon.com/DianneSylvan

74
patrons
$324
per month

https://www.patreon.com/TurtleMe
Author of the web novel The Beginning After the End

36
patrons
$266
per month

https://www.patreon.com/AlydiaRackham

37
patrons
$107
per chapter of the adventure.

Wattpad Ad Earnings + Fan Patronage (Patreon etc...) will be a killer combination that will result in a lot of full-time authors.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Why are you blaming Techvibes' typo on Wattpad?

Because it claims to be a direct quote from "Suzanne Spence, Wattpad’s Head of Global Brand Partnerships". It is, therefore, a reasonable belief that this mangling of the English language originates from her.

[DiapDealer]

I'm more concerned with the constant harping that Wattpad needs to become Patreon.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Because it claims to be a direct quote from "Suzanne Spence, Wattpad’s Head of Global Brand Partnerships". It is, therefore, a reasonable belief that this mangling of the English language originates from her.

It's not in the press release, so this came from either an email or a phone conversation.

I have a high tolerance for homonym typos in emails; I would have fixed this one without comment. For that matter, someone's "correction" might have introduced this error.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I'm more concerned with the constant harping that Wattpad needs to become Patreon.

It should have become a retailer/distributor.
http://the-digital-reader.com/2016/0...ories-adverts/

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by HarryT

It is, therefore, a reasonable belief that this mangling of the English language originates from her.

Not really. What if it was a transcription of an in-person or phone interview with her? Typos belong to the people who type them--not to the people who speak words that are pronounced similarly to others that are spelled differently.

To me, it's much more reasonable to assume that Techvibe botched it, than to believe that Spense said it wrong.

[Cinisajoy]

I just want to know grizzly, black, brown, or polar bear.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Not really. What if it was a transcription of an in-person or phone interview with her? Typos belong to the people who type them--not to the people who speak words that are pronounced similarly to others that are spelled differently.

To me, it's much more reasonable to assume that Techvibe botched it, than to believe that Spense said it wrong.

Whoever is responsible, it's unprofessional, and shows the danger of relying on spell-checkers.

[Nate the great]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

I just want to know grizzly, black, brown, or polar bear.

Teddy, obviously.