So, if no one can actually concede decent time to keep our advertising and relations going, I could check into unloading part of my current workload and manage some time to produce this content even if not as often as I'd like...I assume I could manage a couple days interval of checking in for updates/content, which would be better than not at all.
That said, what I believe our main problem is: We are not being seen.
Not even for the people that WANT to see the Guild.
To give an idea, I check the Cartographer's Guild daily with the laptop I'm currently in (and thus my Google search engine algorithm is already tweaked to include results relevant to it) and still, I couldn't get a first page match for the Guild with all these indexes:
Search Example2.jpgSearch Example1.jpgSearch Example3.jpgSearch Example4.jpg
Keep in mind the images that appear in Google (from tuts and maps from the Cartographer's Guild) only appear there because I did open them early on before I saw this thread, so they wouldn't even be there for a new fresh user.
That means that being a niche of a niche our flow of viewers already is quite low and not increasing our organic appearance on what supposedly is relevant to us, we're dead in the water on the ol' big internet.
That said, my proposal to change this status is:
- Improve our organic SEO
---- Keywords - We need to be seen close or along with stuff that pertains to us, even if not directly related at first thought. That starts with correlating the Cartographer's Guild to keywords like "maps"; "cartography"; "fantasy"; "geography"; but goes beyond "RPG"; "epic worlds"; "world-buidling" and luckily we'll reach a point where we can even get good positions for stuff like "digital art"; "painting"; "ink"...
To do this, we need to go to the basics (which can do wonders, for everyone)
Dunno if you already use it into our code (and Google block most of the "good" stuff these days as black-hating >.>) but we need more appearance of relevant keywords, in content here in the guild generated on a continued rate and also around the internet.
The more Cartographer's Guild appears along maps, fantasy, map-making, map tutorials, RPG maps, creating maps, and such in posts around the internet, more organic indexes are generated and thus we rise up on searches.
---- Cross-referencing and Backlinking - The Cartographer's Guild link needs to appear more on other relevant websites and thus getting us flow back from them. We need to be on RPG forums, Gaming forums, Fantasy Forums, on people facebooks, profiles, Deviantart, Blogs...and for that to happen we need not only our members to put the Guild where they can (their profiles when doable, remember to include the link into posts, sometimes advertise it to friends or a community they have a relation with...) but also to actively generate that content (which brings us back to the need of someone to do this).
---- Continual consistent human content - Stuff for people to read, learn, absorb, criticize. Could be as simple as allowing a broader audience to check the Cartographer's Choice... or commented tutorials...or specific techniques shared by our members... highlighting some maps...
- These previous steps are preparations for the real revenue increases (even though adds would gain from those):
---- Monthly Magazine/Bundle - We already have an incredible source of awesome maps in the form of the Mapping Challenges and I believe we could use that as a constant income of content to be turned into revenue. What if we bundled the Challenge maps or at least the top 3 or so, with some added discussion or interview of the authors about the map, techniques used or problems involved during the making process and sold that for an approachable value (think $3-$5 usd) and allowed the use of those maps for personal purposes? Or if authors are ok with going further we could even allow those maps free of use, keeping authoring rights?
That way the authors would have more material of their own around the internet promoting their art meanwhile the guild has a renewable source for income. If we made these appear on enough medias (Here, partner sites, FB, Twitter, Insta...) we might get good rates here.
---- Coaching/Tutoring - Produce a model between the Guild and its members, where we could elect "Guild Certified Tutors" of sorts. Anyone could then, hire these GCT guys for some ammount/monthly and this person would get direct attention/teaching from its GCT. We would need to establish rules and guidelines for it to work and also to guarantee that the GCT is providing proper tutelage and the student is doing its part.
Not sure how feasible this would be, but it would be an awesome system if competent artists would be interested for such system.
---- Cartographer's Choice - What if the Guild could advertise and monetize the CC choice? We could establish a set price for it and every Choice the guild would advertise it on its own/partner channels, adding the possibility of purchasing the art piece to be used by its buyers, authoring rights preserved. This deal would then be split 50/50 between author and Guild.
---- Updated Tutorials - We could update and give a better layout for tutorials and monetize them. Specially GIMP that changed quite a lot sometimes get new users a bit off and even some Photoshop steps on some Tuts are not quite direct, so we could do a better documentation and formatting and provide them more readily available in more resources, as a Cartographer's Guild Product with authoring by their respective creators.
---- Donations - I believe we can still rely on them. Just need to make it clearer to see and find, imo. Not sure how feasible a revamp of the front page would be, but maybe something that better emphasizes the Donate and WHY do we need it.
---- A Continual Series of Maps - Create some sort of "Cartographer's Guild XYZ Maps of the Month", where XYZ could be specific, relevant, practical maps...like squared or hexed battle maps...dungeon maps...random locations maps... these bundles could then be sold for X amount. Not sure how much interest authors would have to contribute to this pool of maps on month basis, tough.
These are just some quick ideas...
I also would like to add that many, if not all, of my suggestions go directly into authors comissions and time/reward relation and I clearly understand I'm proposing something that directly impacts the craft (and thus income) of many of you, if not on a large scale, at least in part.
That though, I believe is still a good deal for authors since their work would be more seen around, work which is normally left here in the Guild without much use. I assume from a quick glance that could be a good trade-off for both the Cartographer's Guild and the Artists.
What you think?
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