I love reading personal anecdotes, it give an interesting behind the scenes read for that page or situation, and as a reader you can start to get to know the artist. I totally agree with that. I think readers like being able to get to know the artists behind the comic.
Totally agree, that the success of some series is because it's relatable to the audience. Or perhaps the artist successfully found their target audience, and was able to connect with them. People like when a comic pulls them in instead of being pushed to it. And that can definitely work across all genres, it just takes finding those interested in it and drawing them in with the art and story.
There's a balance between good art/story and good public relation on the artist's part. I think the days of being the quiet comic making hermit, posting to the void, and successfully getting noticed are over. For example, if Bill Waterson started making Calvin and Hobbes today, posted it to one spot on the internet, and was never published in the papers or anything beyond just his one site, would Calvin and Hobbes see the same kind huge fan base?
Bill's success can largely be because he was syndicated in the newspaper, and entered the homes of millions in the funny section. He didn't promote C&H, it was just accessible and people were pulled into it by the art/story. As artists, I think we have to keep exploring new ways to be engaging and accessible to our audience (newspaper is no longer a thing haha).
Questions and food for thought statements are good starters, however, for readers that are speed reading and don't bother with the artist descriptions or for silent readers that keep to themselves (bless you guys for reading however, it's difficult to know whats working without the feedback ), it may require another approach.. I've seen artists have success with the like/comment/share bummers at the end of a comic, and that maybe enough to remind the speed readers and silent readers to interact as well.
Recently, I've been getting more into livestreaming art requests, how-to drawing demonstrations, and working on a new comic page stream. It started out slow, however, I'm seeing interest for that raising. I'm also seeing it as a positive method for readers to get to know me, and for me to get to know/hang out with my readers & fellow artists. (love you guys, mwuh mwuh!)
Maybe at the end of the day, to get more engagements it is required to fully get to know the audience currently reading the comic. Once you know them, it may become easier to address statements specifically geared toward them, plan out events they'd appreciate the most, and develop fun sketches and random art around the silly conversations had with them. Being more localize in promoting, and perhaps drawing more people in through being a warm genuine artist, rather than a hermit artist casting out general wide net spam promotions. No one wants to be caught in a net haha
Like BrandonPewPew mentioned on twitter, an audience tends to be more responsive when they feel like they're being included, like PewDiePie's Bros or Snailord's Angler Army. /*rattles my Angler chains/*