A lot of cartoonists hear the phrase “marketing funnel” and immediately picture something gross, corporate, and manipulative. But a marketing funnel is really just a map of how a casual stranger becomes a regular reader — and how a regular reader eventually becomes a supporter.

For a webcartoonist, the funnel usually has four major parts: social media, your website, your newsletter, and your crowdfunding platforms like Patreon or Kickstarter.

The mistake many cartoonists make is treating all four of those outlets as if they do the same job. They don’t.

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