Adopt Ideas?

[Bababooey]

Hey! I have a problem that I'm sure many other adopt makers struggle with. My adopts don't sell well. I thought I knew what interested people but things like this aren't black and white. I feel as though my adopts are either too generic or too niche, so I'm wondering if you guys could tell me what kind of species and aesthetics you gravitate towards or would like to see.

Thanks!

 

[Judge Spear]

So a few questions...

What numbers are you pulling in for your pages?
Can you provide examples of your adoptables?
Can we also see your personal characters?
Where are you selling?
What are you charging?

 

[RenSoul]

I'm kind of in a similar boat to you, as an aspiring adopt maker myself!

I do feel like the adopts market can be rather saturated, and the ones that sell well seem to be adoptables from artists who are already well established in their niches. However, I'm sure that's not the whole story. I also suspect paid ad space helps people pull in interest, as do ongoing OC projects or skillful fanart of popular existing properties.

What would you say your own niche is, for starters? Would you be willing to join multiple sites, if you haven't already, in order to expand your following?

 

[TyraWadman]

Post them to FA instead of FAF and you'll probably sell them betterrrrrrrrrr!

 

[Bababooey]

So a few questions...

What numbers are you pulling in for your pages?
Can you provide examples of your adoptables?
Can we also see your personal characters?
Where are you selling?
What are you charging?

I only advertise on Discord and here since I didn't have any attention anywhere else.
My adopts have been too cheap because they weren't selling at higher prices. Around $10. Even at $10 they weren't selling.

I just made a colored sketch of an alien rabbit space bounty hunter (that's a mouthful).
I designed her after getting some ideas from other furries. Not sure if she's promising or not. I don't know if I should finish her, or what to sell her for if I do.

Here's a personal character of mine:

What would you say your own niche is, for starters? Would you be willing to join multiple sites, if you haven't already, in order to expand your following?

My niche is definitely monsters and aliens. I could try advertising on Twitter again. There's just a lot of competition.

 

[BadRoy]

I'd need more information, but it sounds like visibility might be your problem if you're only announcing adopts on FAF and Discord. No matter how good your work is those are small audiences.

RE: The designs you've posted here. They're not bad, but they're certainly not 'broadly appealing' if you know what I mean. When I make adopts I usually pick a basic-bitch species (fox, wolf, big cat, the usual suspects) and give it something to make it mine. Also sex sells if that's a road you're on. A little sex appeal never hurt anybody.

 

[RenSoul]

Post them to FA instead of FAF and you'll probably sell them betterrrrrrrrrr!

I've posted some of mine to FA and I haven't gotten that much interest personally. Is success there about upping your tag game, or perhaps through posting enough reminders?

 

[BadRoy]

I've personally posted some of mine to FA and I haven't gotten that much interest personally. Is success there about upping your tag game, or perhaps through posting enough reminders?

Tags and reminders won't make a huge difference if you don't have a large enough follower count. That's really the limiting factor.

 

[RenSoul]

Tags and reminders won't make a huge difference if you don't have a large enough follower count. That's really the limiting factor.

I've figured as much. I'm always surprised when relatively new-seeming accounts pull in a lot of interest quickly, but I'm willing to bet they might just be investing in ads on the side or the like.

 

[TyraWadman]

I've personally posted some of mine to FA and I haven't gotten that much interest personally. Is success there about upping your tag game, or perhaps through posting enough reminders?

Base palettes can sell if you're patient and persistent enough. But if the palette isn't something that appeals to a lot of users or doesn't offer much more than other adopts flooding the main page, there isn't much you can do except wait!

 

[Judge Spear]

Here's a personal character of mine:

My niche is definitely monsters and aliens. I could try advertising on Twitter again. There's just a lot of competition.

I was hoping to see an adopt you actually did finish and put up for sale...

I can only say the Axel character is very clear and clean. His contours and patterns are sharp and easy to tell. And he's all around realized. He looks like something I could see people buying. While simple, the abstract gray background with it's rough gradation also adds a tone to the design.
Keep that same energy if you decide to finish that rabbit. This won't guarantee a sale, but it's important to show you care. The appeal of a fully rendered base to less artistically inclined people is providing something they can use as reference for commissions. As much visual information as reasonably possible.

One of these designs I made to put up for sale. The other two are mine.
You might be able to pick it out but I think it's clear all of them are very close in time I spent. Try to match the quality of your own personal designs with ones you wish to sell. That's the best direct advise I can give you.

And yes, take it from me, selling them is quite hard. At pretty much all levels. I'm sitting at what many people consider a lot of followers and only one person wanted to purchase the one design of the three. And if you do not have a significant following, it almost feels futile. Especially on FA or any other gallery sites where there's no means of signal boosting or reliable methods of self advertising (I believe reposting counts as spam on FA). It takes time and great consistency to be able to sell anything on such a saturated medium. So don't feel bad. We're all struggling.

This site may aid you a *little* bit. https://ych.commishes.com/