When a bunch of us started doing webcomics waaaaaay back at the beginning, it was a very different climate. The business model was strictly ad-revenue-based, and many of us were mimicking the keys to success we identified in syndicated newspaper cartoonists (see Cargo Cults).

Both of those factors combined to drive us to update our sites every day — or at least every weekday. It was good for ad revenue, and it made us feel like “professional” cartoonists.

The daily update was a drum that many of us banged loudly. It’s a centerpiece in the original “How To Make Webcomics” book. (You’ll note it takes much more of a back seat in the follow-up “Webcomics Handbook.”) We harped on it in several episodes of Webcomics Weekly. It was a mantra. It was Gospel.

And I still think that, for a beginning webcartoonist, the Frequent, Constant, Significant rule is the best way to grow an audience consistently and reliably.

It’s still important.

But it’s not nearly as important as it used to be. Here’s why…

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