Promoting One's Self

My neophyte ass feels like it's taking the Bird Box Challenge with trying to find a link for basic self-promotion. I can't believe this hasn't been addressed ad nauseum on these fine boards, but a search is turning up zip.

Any charitable souls care to enlighten me with a link?

Much obliged in advance.

Nightwaves said:

My neophyte ass feels like it's taking the Bird Box Challenge with trying to find a link for basic self-promotion. I can't believe this hasn't been addressed ad nauseum on these fine boards, but a search is turning up zip.

Any charitable souls care to enlighten me with a link?

Much obliged in advance.

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What are you referring to? I don't understand your question.

SimonDoom said:

What are you referring to? I don't understand your question.

Click to expand...

Well, from adding a simple link to my stories (like you have) to any additional actions that would raise the profile of my relatively-obscure collection of stories. I'm also noticing the installments in my new, ongoing series don't seem to be linking themselves to one another.

Like that.

Nightwaves said:

Well, from adding a simple link to my stories (like you have) to any additional actions that would raise the profile of my relatively-obscure collection of stories. I'm also noticing the installments in my new, ongoing series don't seem to be linking themselves to one another.

Like that.

Click to expand...

By some happy fate I know just enough HTML so that I can put my own links in my stories. And yes, I guess it does help to guide readers (a handful perhaps, but that's something) to other things I've written on the site.

I believe the administrator can add a link for you but it's actually quite easy to do it yourself; you only have to use one simple bit of coding:

https://www.w3schools.com/tags/tag_a.asp

Nightwaves said:

Well, from adding a simple link to my stories (like you have) to any additional actions that would raise the profile of my relatively-obscure collection of stories. I'm also noticing the installments in my new, ongoing series don't seem to be linking themselves to one another.

Like that.

Click to expand...

I don't know of any way to effectively promote your stories on Lit. Some people have used blogs (external to Lit) to promote their stories. It's hard to get readers to the blogs, and it seems like the general experience is disappointing.

The link that Simon (and many of us) have is in the signature. See the user control panel (User CP link at the top left of the screen) to set your signature. Only participants in the forums will see your signature.

Is your new series "Tits are made for sucking?" If so, then I see three chapters linked. Nothing else in your stories list is more recent or named so that the site would link them to the series.

OK.

The best way to promote your stories is to write stories that are favorited by readers, and to gain followers. As favorites grow your stories will become exposed to a larger and larger body of readers.

I think participating in the Author's Hangout increases one's exposure and gets some extra reads, though not a lot.

I have a Twitter account that I use to promote new stories. I think it very slightly boosts readership, though not much.

Thank you, gentlemen! This is a good start.

Contest entries are usually seen by more readers. Write and submit your best in several categories, or maybe in just one where you want to focus. Pandering never hurts. Link to your stories in your .sig so forum readers can find you. Keep on writing.

You can augment advertising of your Lit. stories by posting announcement they've posted here:

http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=181349&page=139

This would be a good place to give background on the story to make it more enticing to a reader.

No matter how much you try, the main traffic to your stories is when a new installment/chapter/story is posted. That’s no guarantee, though. That just means if you are posting, say, chapter 6. Those that read it may go back and start from the beginning. Once the story leaves the headlines, how popular it is determines if it gets a little red “H”. If your story was really popular it makes the hall of fame/ top list somewhere in 1-250. Page one of the hall of fame stays visible in each category. People like that shit.
Honestly, most of the top stories on the top lists are boring. Their ratings keep them there.

The most viable ways to promote your stories on this site are hinged on two factors( and I may be wrong, but it’s how I see things). One, post something often. It keeps your name visible. Two, post a link to your stories in your signature. There’s nothing wrong with shameless self promotion. Most authors here in the AH do it.

As a side note, I read very few stories here; however, I’m more apt to read a fellow authors story who posts here in the AH than some random story in a category - simply because they have a link. Most authors here will say I read something by them and left a comment.

Lastly, there’s always word of mouth. Often times, people start a thread in the AH for authors to share their “best” story. It’s an opportunity to promote your best work. I’ve found quite a few stories to read that way by my fellow peers.
Kant

NotWise said:

I don't know of any way to effectively promote your stories on Lit. Some people have used blogs (external to Lit) to promote their stories. It's hard to get readers to the blogs, and it seems like the general experience is disappointing.

The link that Simon (and many of us) have is in the signature. See the user control panel (User CP link at the top left of the screen) to set your signature. Only participants in the forums will see your signature.

Is your new series "Tits are made for sucking?" If so, then I see three chapters linked. Nothing else in your stories list is more recent or named so that the site would link them to the series.

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Promoting from outside the site is indeed difficult I suppose. (I don't have an interest in my own blog right now - probably never will.) However, the sheer number of readers on this site - and some of them read widely here, God bless them - seems to provide a large potential audience.

The site "groups" stories in a series. I like to provide a link at the top of a story to at least the previous one in the series - maybe even more of them. It makes it easier for a casual reader to find more of your work.

gunhilltrain said:

Promoting from outside the site is indeed difficult I suppose. (I don't have an interest in my own blog right now - probably never will.) However, the sheer number of readers on this site - and some of them read widely here, God bless them - seems to provide a large potential audience.

The site "groups" stories in a series. I like to provide a link at the top of a story to at least the previous one in the series - maybe even more of them. It makes it easier for a casual reader to find more of your work.

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Okay, so you know, when you post a story that’s a series, towards the bottom of the page on the right, Lit lists other stories that are in the series and links them. Most people see that if the story is of interest. Kant

Kantarii said:

Okay, so you know, when you post a story that’s a series, towards the bottom of the page on the right, Lit lists other stories that are in the series and links them. Most people see that if the story is of interest. Kant

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The site also promotes stories with the "Similar Stories" list at the end of a story, and the "Recommended for You," "Contest Winners," and "Recently Popular" lists on the category hubs. There's also the Hall-of-Fame and the Top List. It's hard to manipulate any of those promotions, since they're done entirely by the site. Writing a popular story is the only real way to get the story promoted.

Nightwaves said:

My neophyte ass feels like it's taking the Bird Box Challenge with trying to find a link for basic self-promotion. I can't believe this hasn't been addressed ad nauseum on these fine boards, but a search is turning up zip.

Any charitable souls care to enlighten me with a link?

Much obliged in advance.

Click to expand...

I just took a peek at your catalogue of stories. One of your earlier 2010 stories has 249,036 view, 13 comments and 52 to favorites. Your most recent story 12/18, has 25,481 views, 4 comments and 22 favorites and as earned the H designation. The comments are mostly positive, even more so on the latest one. All of the stories are over the 4.00 mark with three over 4.50

I put this here so that perhaps the more experienced authors might be able to gauge your progress, etc.

Probably the one best thing you can do to build up a readership base is to simply keep your name on the list of new stories as much as possible. I have picked up a lot of tips about writing erotica here on this Forum, so if you have the time that may help. Every author is here for varying reasons, some are semi professional and some are hobbyists. Those who have been here longer have a larger fan base built up over the years. It has been said many, many times here that the most important things are to write more, read other's work more, and most important...write the story you have to tell because it will be your best work.

PS: You may or may not know it, but you're posting to the most popular category on Literotica. So, the readers are there, you just have to give 'em what they want in order to get the chewy bone reward

You guys are awesome. Seriously. Thank you for all the constructive comments!