Profile Updates - Do they drive readership?

[BobbyBrandt]

I admit that I don't pay a lot of attention to my profile and seldom update it.

When I see a notification on my control panel that someone I follow has updated their profile, I seldom take the time to check out the update.

Am I missing something?

Does updating a profile attract readers who might be following an author or keep them more interested in the author?

I mean, they wouldn't receive the notification of the update if they weren't already following the author, so establishing and maintain a one-way communication path to readers is the only tangible benefit that I can see. Are there others?

 

[NotWise]

It's a way to cultivate a following that already exists. It isn't very hard to do, so why not?

I haven't updated mine very often. The major update was done at the suggestion of a reader.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I admit that I don't pay a lot of attention to my profile and seldom update it.

When I see a notification on my control panel that someone I follow has updated their profile, I seldom take the time to check out the update.

Am I missing something?

Does updating a profile attract readers who might be following an author or keep them more interested in the author?

I mean, they wouldn't receive the notification of the update if they weren't already following the author, so establishing and maintain a one-way communication path to readers is the only tangible benefit that I can see. Are there others?

I have no way of knowing for sure if readers look much at author profiles much, but I doubt that many do. So update them as you wish, but don't expect too much. My own experience with followers is is that it is easy for them to sign up, but then they basically disappear even if they are still on the list. If say there are 148 followers and two comments on a story, I can be sure that most of them are doing something else.

 

[PeytonMirabelle]

No idea if it matters on driving readership and I think it would be hard to gauge such a thing. I know when I check other author profiles, it kind of informs me (along with their most recent posted story) if they are active on the site anymore. If their last profile update and most recent story are more than two years old, odds are they aren't actively posting, and I can not expect any more work from them ... and even that isn't a sure thing, just an indicator.

I update mine when I post something, because I'm that Type-A personality (read: neurotic) that likes to keep my status current, just because I get antsy if it's out of date.

 

[Emotional]

I always read author profile updates. Yes I saw you did two today.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

I have no way of knowing for sure if readers look much at author profiles much, but I doubt that many do. So update them as you wish, but don't expect too much. My own experience with followers is is that it is easy for them to sign up, but then they basically disappear even if they are still on the list. If say there are 148 followers and two comments on a story, I can be sure that most of them are doing something else.

My experience is different.

While a large percentage of my followers (currently 1085) jumped on after I published my first I/T story, those followers who are fans of my other works, primarily in N&N, are loyal voters and commenters as new stuff gets published here. The numbers may not be as large, but the data bears this out.

I have also received feedback (e-mail) when updates to my profile are seen by some of them. Not a lot, but some.

 

[KeithD]

The unknowable.

 

[Omenainen]

I, as a reader, have occasionally been driven away by too frequent updates. So there’s that. Because I’m also an author, what I want to see in my feed is someone following me or commenting on my stories, not so-and-so’s nth profile update musing on their creative process or promoting someone else’s work or whatever. I follow to see if someone posts new stories, I’m not interested in much else.

 

[Bazzle]

I bemused me that one of the authors I follow did a profile update to announce they were retiring from writing on lit for ever. Only for the next day a story to be published

 

[NoTalentHack]

I update mine fairly regularly, after every two stories or so. In comments on my stories, I will sometimes see references to what I wrote in the update re: new stories I have planned. I also recently updated that I’m going to be slowing down my content here to write some novellas down Smashwirds and Amazon, and I did get some nice mails from folks that gave encouragement or directed me to resources about marketing, etc. So even if it doesn’t add readers, I think it can be good for engagement.

 

[tenyari]

When I see a notification on my control panel that someone I follow has updated their profile, I seldom take the time to check out the update.

Does updating a profile attract readers who might be following an author or keep them more interested in the author?

If you are actually following an author, and didn't just click it as a way to bookmark it, then it can be very useful.

One author I follow uses their profile to announce when new chapters are expected, where to find info on the setting, art, and off-lit discussion of the stories.

I've taken up the idea of using my profile to note where the 'wall of text' background info on a series is, as well as what I'm intended with various stories I have up or plan to write.

I doubt it drives readership to an author, but it can keep readership that's already there and maybe drive them to engage more if you're seeking that.

For me it's not about a one-way line of communication, it's about trying to form a two-way line. If I wanted a one-way line I'd just post the stories and walk away.

 

[gunhilltrain]

My experience is different.

While a large percentage of my followers (currently 1085) jumped on after I published my first I/T story, those followers who are fans of my other works, primarily in N&N, are loyal voters and commenters as new stuff gets published here. The numbers may not be as large, but the data bears this out.

I have also received feedback (e-mail) when updates to my profile are seen by some of them. Not a lot, but some.

That 148 number I have is accurate, which is about a tenth of what you have. I've heard that he I/T category is very popular, but I don't have anything in there yet. I considered one with non-blood relatives, but it hasn't worked out. I also don't have any in novels and novellas, although I suppose I have series that are close to novellas in length.

So readers in different categories behave differently, I suppose. I have a lot in Erotic Couplings, which oddly is one of the least "impactful" categories. Thus generally my followers are not "loyal;" I'd probably call them "invisible." I don't think I've had anybody comment on my profile, but I haven't changed it much recently.

 

[RejectReality]

Most of the value probably goes to people posting long, multi-part stories. It's a means of keeping people engaged if there's ever any gap, and a way to say "here's what happened" if your regular posting schedule gets interrupted by a queue hiccup or something similar.

For the average follower, the notifications of new story postings is the only thing that's going to blip their radar, and that doesn't require doing anything with your profile.

If profiles had status posting and public comment ability for two way communication, it would probably generate more reader interest.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I don't think it makes much difference, since Followers will see new stories anyway. If I've had a long gap between stories, or my latest is something special, I'll update it, but only every six months or so. It becomes a bit spammy if you do it too often.

 

[SirBurnInside]

I've updated my profile a couple of time, mostly when I've been in a bad mood or was annoyed - which isn't the best time to do so - and then changed it back or changed the wording soon after... neither has changed by follower numbers that I saw.

I'm resolved to leave it well alone now and maybe change it once a year at most.

 

[lc69hunter]

I admit that I don't pay a lot of attention to my profile and seldom update it.

When I see a notification on my control panel that someone I follow has updated their profile, I seldom take the time to check out the update.

Am I missing something?

Does updating a profile attract readers who might be following an author or keep them more interested in the author?

I mean, they wouldn't receive the notification of the update if they weren't already following the author, so establishing and maintain a one-way communication path to readers is the only tangible benefit that I can see. Are there others?

I always check when I get the notification, but quite often I don't or can't see what was changed.

 

[SimonDoom]

Every little thing that catches people's attention helps, right? It's unquantifiable, of course, but it stands to reason that whatever you do that gets people's eyeballs on your name or your stories is going to boost readership.

 

[Djmac1031]

I update mine with latest published / coming soon type updates.

No clue whether anyone reads them lol.

But it can't hurt.