Digital Comics Platform 'Piccoma' Ranks No.1 as the Manga App with the Highest Global Spending

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Kakao Piccoma's global digital comic platform 'Piccoma' was revealed to be the number one comic app with the highest paid usage by consumers worldwide throughout 2021.

According to the '2022 Mobile Media and Entertainment Status Report' by data.ai (formerly App Annie), a data and analytics platform, Piccoma ranked first in consumer spending among comic (books and reference materials) apps worldwide. Since first achieving the top spot in global comic app revenue in July 2020, it has maintained this position.

Kakao Piccoma analyzed that Piccoma's steady growth was driven by a strategy that 'provides a new way and enjoyment of experiencing comic content' targeting both online and offline comic fans as well as mobile users who had not previously engaged with comics.

Piccoma applied ▲UI/UX tailored for users enjoying content on mobile ▲the 'episode segmentation' method dividing one comic volume into episodes such as 'Episode 1, Episode 2...' ▲introduction of 'Wait and Read for 0 Yen' ▲and author-first management represented by 'Work first' principles.

Additionally, the report indicated that in 2021, consumer spending growth in Japan's comic app sector contributed the most, recording 1.7 trillion KRW. The total usage time of comic apps in Europe and the Americas also increased.

Piccoma France, which launched its service in March this year, is establishing itself by simultaneously offering Japanese-style manga, popular in France, and webtoons optimized for mobile environments.

Kim Jaeyong, CEO of Kakao Piccoma, said, “This achievement is based on a strategy to reach not only existing comic fans but all users consuming content on smartphones,” adding, “We will provide an environment where existing offline content can be accessed anytime and anywhere to reach more viewers and create a larger comic market.”