How Prophecyverse Media Skyrocketed to 500K Monthly Visitors

Welcome to our insightful discussion with Prabal Sharma, a dynamic 28-year-old entrepreneur, a writer by heart, and a connoisseur of digital media by profession.

Prabal embarked started his business with his colleague Anweshak Gadag Tejendra. Their company, Prophecyverse Media, has made significant strides in the digital content arena, specializing in the realms of digital entertainment, gaming, and anime. These platforms cater to a demographic known for its voracious appetite for new and exciting content in these industries.

Join us as we unravel the story of Prabal Sharma, a testament to the power of passion, perseverance, and innovation in the ever-evolving world of digital media.

Introduction: Meet Prabal Sharma

SBS – Hi there! Can you introduce yourself and the venture you embarked on?

Prabal – My name is Prabal Sharma, and I am 28 and the co-founder and director of Prophecyverse Media Pvt. Ltd. A writer by profession, I usually spend my free time watching movies, playing video games, and hitting the gym.

I have a Bachelor’s Honours Degree in English Literature, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Mass Communication, and a Master’s Degree in Multimedia Journalism.

I embarked on this entrepreneurial journey alongside my colleague Anweshak Gadag Tejendra, driven by a shared passion for digital media. Our company is focused on creating high-quality published content, thriving in the dynamic world of digital content.

At Prophecyverse Media, we have carved out a niche in the realms of digital entertainment, gaming, and anime through our three primary websites: The Envoy Web, The Game Raven, and The Anime Web. Each platform caters to a unique segment, with a sharp focus on individuals between the ages of 15 and 35 — a demographic known for its curiosity and enthusiasm in reading about these industries.

The success and growth we experienced with The Envoy Web fueled our decision to broaden our horizon, leading to the inception of The Game Raven and The Anime Web. Although these websites are in their initial stages, we are excited about the potential they hold and the diverse audiences they will attract.

Unpacking the Vision

SBS – Share with us your journey leading up to this idea. What inspired it?

Prabal – Certainly, both Anweshak and I hail from simple middle-class families in India. Our paths crossed in London in 2018, where we were pursuing our master’s in digital entertainment at the University of Westminster.

It was during a module called Emerging Journalism that the spark for our idea was ignited. A class assignment challenged us to build a website from scratch, code it, and populate it with original content. At this time, OTT platforms were becoming a sensation, and discussions about the latest binge-worthy shows on Netflix were everywhere.

During a brainstorming session, Anweshak posed a simple question: Why isn’t there a website dedicated exclusively to OTT content? That question resonated with us, marking the moment we realized the potential of our idea. We continued to develop the website beyond the assignment, regularly posting articles. Our commitment was rewarded when a famous Bollywood actor retweeted one of our articles.

However, the real turning point came with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. After completing our course, we returned to India amidst growing lockdowns. This challenging period saw a meteoric rise in OTT content consumption, providing us a unique opportunity. Anweshak and I worked remotely, nurturing the website into something more significant.

Our venture began without any income, a situation exacerbated by the lockdown. But it was this very constraint that drove our creativity and dedication. We recognized the gap in the market and took a leap of faith, leveraging our skills and the evolving digital landscape.

Building the Foundation

SBS – Walk us through the journey of conceptualizing, creating a prototype, and bringing your first product/service to life.

Prabal – The journey of bringing The Envoy Web to life was one of constant learning. The initial version of the website, created during my university days, served as a foundational prototype. However, it required a significant revamp to align with professional standards. We embarked on this transformation by brainstorming ideas for color schemes, layouts, and designs, utilizing WordPress as our platform to weave these elements together.

The name “The Envoy Web” was conceptualized as a nod to our role as messengers, delivering insights and news about online entertainment to our readers. With the growth and diversification of our content, we evolved into Prophecyverse Media, a name that reflected our broader scope and the variety of websites we aimed to develop.

One of the most challenging aspects of our journey was mastering search engine optimization (SEO). We were determined to tackle this in-house, learning everything from scratch rather than hiring external experts. This hands-on approach was not only cost-effective but also allowed us to deeply understand and optimize our content strategy.

Initially, we contemplated seeking investors but soon realized the uniqueness of our concept was not easily grasped in the Indian market at that time. We faced the challenge of building something new and unconventional, requiring us to trust the process without being overly concerned about immediate outcomes.

Fortunately, the nature of online content publishing meant that our initial expenses were minimal. The primary requirements were a computer and a stable internet connection, which we already had. This low barrier to entry allowed us to focus on content creation and website development without the pressure of heavy financial investment.

The Launch

SBS – What was your strategy for putting your business on the map?

Prabal – Launching a business, especially one that heavily relies on SEO, is a test of patience. Our strategy was simple yet challenging: adhere to Google’s policies and consistently publish quality content, with the understanding that it takes time to gain visibility in search results.

When we earnestly began our journey in early 2020, The Envoy Web was already a year old, which gave us a slight edge due to the website’s age. However, it was only when we started posting content regularly that we began to see an uptick in engagement. Initially, we were receiving about 8,000 views per month. However as we continued to refine our content and SEO strategies, there was a noticeable shift by the end of 2020. Our monthly views jumped to around 30,000, thanks to a slight boost in Google search rankings.

This growth trajectory taught us the crucial role of patience in the world of digital media. It was a period of real learning and understanding the essence of “trusting the process.”

Building a digital presence takes time, and understanding this early on helped us stay focused and committed, even when immediate results weren’t visible.

Effective Marketing Strategies

SBS – After your initial launch, which tactics stood out in attracting and retaining your clientele?

Prabal – One of the most crucial lessons we learned at Prophecyverse Media is the importance of not just creating quality content, but also understanding our competition and audience behavior.

We realized early on that our audience preferred in-depth content over basic news. They were more engaged with explainers and feature articles that delved deeper into films, series, or characters. This insight guided our content strategy, leading us to focus on articles that resonated most with our readers.

Regarding promotional strategies, we discovered that the best friend of a publishing website is streamlined SEO. We didn’t rely heavily on traditional promotional tactics like social media campaigns or pay-per-click advertising.

The impact of this strategy was significant. When we started publishing articles that garnered maximum clicks, we noticed an increase in the time spent on our website and a reduction in the bounce rate. This was a clear indicator that we were on the right track.

For entrepreneurs starting out, my advice is to deeply understand your audience and tailor your content accordingly. While it’s tempting to diversify promotional efforts across various channels, sometimes focusing on what truly works for your business model — in our case, SEO — can yield better results.

Current Success and Future Horizons

SBS – Give us a snapshot of your business today, and share a glimpse of your future plans.

Prabal – Prophecyverse Media has come a long way since its inception. Today, we’re proud to say that our business is thriving and profitable. We’ve partnered with Mediavine, a renowned US-based advertisement management company. This partnership has been instrumental in monetizing our websites effectively, generating a healthy income stream of about $5,000 a month on average.

Our viewership is growing steadily, currently averaging over 500,000 visits a month. This growth has allowed us to expand our team, and we now have four full-time writers dedicated to content creation and publishing. The team operates remotely, which has proven to be efficient for our business model as we do not require physical office space.

Looking at the future, our primary goal is to further grow The Envoy Web and ensure that our newer ventures, The Game Raven and The Anime Web, catch up in terms of audience engagement and content quality. We’re continuously exploring new strategies to enhance our content and expand our reach.

Our long-term vision for Prophecyverse Media is to become a leading name in digital media, known for quality content across various entertainment genres.

Lessons in Building a Digital Media Empire

SBS – What key takeaways or beneficial lessons have emerged as you’ve built your business?

Prabal – There have been several bumps along the way that have shaped our approach and strategy.

Initially, our focus was primarily on Google AdSense and targeting the Indian audience. However, this approach didn’t yield the profits we anticipated. The pivotal moment came when we shifted our focus toward the American audience and partnered with a dedicated advertisement company. This significantly boosted our revenues.

We also experimented by launching a soccer publishing website aimed at the UK and European markets. However, this venture faced challenges due to the intense competition in sports coverage and limitations in the types of articles we could produce remotely. This experience was a tough lesson in understanding market dynamics and the importance of niche focus.

On the brighter side, our time as foreign students in London was invaluable. It ingrained in us a strong work ethic and provided us with crucial skills in media, publishing, and SEO. This foundation was instrumental in overcoming the challenges we faced.

Another factor that played in our favor was timing. The rise in digital content consumption, especially during the pandemic, provided an unexpected boost to our business. This, combined with our SEO-focused strategy, aligned perfectly with the prevailing trends.

Digital Tools and Platforms

SBS – Which tools or platforms have been of great value for running your business?

Prabal – There are so many I could name but the ones that have proven to be indispensable for us are firstly, WordPress. It stands at the core of our operations. It’s the platform we use to build and manage our websites.

Google Search Console is another essential tool. It offers invaluable insights into our website’s performance in Google search results, helping us understand and optimize our site for better search visibility.

Google Trends is another tool we frequently use. It helps us stay on top of current trends in the digital entertainment world, enabling us to create content that is timely and relevant to our audience.

Slack is also an important one. WhatsApp was our go-to initially but Slack is much more user-friendly and helps streamline work.

For SEO, various tools have been instrumental in refining our strategy. These help us with keyword research, tracking our search engine rankings, and analyzing our competitors.

Lastly, Adobe Photoshop is our go-to software for image editing. High-quality, compelling images are essential for our articles.

Inspirational Resources

SBS – Are there books, podcasts, or other mediums that greatly influenced or motivated you?

Prabal – Absolutely, there have been several sources of inspiration and learning that have significantly influenced my journey as an entrepreneur.

One particularly instrumental medium is YouTube, specifically, various podcasts.

A channel that stands out for me is Income School. I’ve been following them since the early days of our venture.

While their focus isn’t on journalism specifically, the basic principles they discuss about online content creation and website management have been highly applicable and insightful for our work.

In addition to Income School, I regularly follow podcasts by Nikhil Kamath and Ranveer Allahbadia for motivation. Their insights into entrepreneurship, business strategies, and personal growth have been a source of inspiration.

Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

SBS – What advice can you offer entrepreneurs gearing up to launch their first business?

Prabal – One crucial lesson I’ve learned is the importance of understanding your audience deeply.

It’s essential to not only create a product or service that meets a need but also to continuously adapt and refine your offering based on customer feedback and market trends.

In our case, recognizing our audience’s preference for in-depth content over basic news allowed us to tailor our content strategy effectively, which was pivotal for our growth.

Another common pitfall I’ve observed is the tendency to overextend in the early stages. It’s important to start small and focus on building a solid foundation before expanding.

This approach allows you to manage resources more effectively and gain a deeper understanding of your business model. For us, focusing initially on one website and mastering the art of SEO before expanding to other areas was key to our sustainable growth.

Additionally, patience is important. Especially in businesses like ours that rely on SEO and organic growth, immediate results are rare. It’s crucial to trust the process and stay committed to your long-term vision, even when progress seems slow.

SBS – If our readers are eager to delve deeper into your business, where should they head?

Prabal – The Envoy Web, The Game Raven, The Anime Web, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Emails: prabal@theenvoyweb.com, anweshak@theenvoyweb.com
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