How Do Artists Monetize Free Public 'InstaToons'?

"Advertising and Group Purchasing Are Main Income Sources Over Publishing"
Korea Cartoonists Association Presents Research Findings at Open Cartoon Forum

Recently, on social media (SNS) platform Instagram, 'Instatoon' (Instagram + webtoon) created by various people has been gaining popularity. Compared to regular webtoons, Instatoons are shorter in length and can be directly exposed to a diverse audience, leading to a significant increase in amateur artists taking on this challenge.

However, since Instatoons are serialized on SNS platforms accessible to anyone, they are released for free. The structure of Instatoons does not allow for manuscript fees or advance payments, so while artists can become famous through Instatoons, there has been a strong perception that they cannot earn money. So, how do Instatoon artists generate income?

Instagram logo. (This photo is not directly related to the article.) Pixabay

On the 23rd, Yonhap News reported on the analysis of Instatoon revenue models presented by cartoonist and Side B CEO Sung In-soo at the '2024 1st Open Cartoon Forum' held on the afternoon of the 22nd at Content Factory II in Myeong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul. This study was jointly conducted by CEO Sung In-soo and Lee Jae-min, director of the Cartoon Culture Research Institute at the Korea Cartoonists Association.

CEO Sung In-soo stated, "It is difficult to make money through cartoons alone. Instead, if you consistently serialize and increase your followers, corporate marketing or advertising requests come in. This is the main source of income for Instatoon artists."

After directly interviewing five artists who have between 80,000 and 200,000 followers on Instatoon, most said they secure 10,000 followers within 1 to 2 years of serialization and then start receiving advertising requests.

Group purchases were also a significant source of income. Similar to influencers introducing and selling specific products, Instatoon artists receive incentives proportional to sales. It is known that Instatoon artists with over 30,000 followers earn stable income enough not to need to work other jobs. Recently, a domestic pharmaceutical company collaborated with Instatoon artists to launch a nutritional supplement package. They marketed supplements aimed at office workers who relate to Instatoons and are exhausted from their work life.

According to CEO Sung, the five Instatoon artists interviewed all upload comics two to three times a week and actively communicate with their readers through comments.