Self promotion option?

[Rob_Royale]

In the author's note of my latest story, I mentioned two other stories I'd done. I added links, in case a few readers wanted a comparison. Now my stories always see an increase in views when a new story posts, but those two stories got five times more attention.
Maybe adding "If you liked this story, try this one <link>" to my authors notes might not be a bad idea?
Or does that feel too desperate and attention seeking?

 

[NotWise]

You could view that as a favor to your readers.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Actually, it sounds like an interesting idea. Adding a link at the bottom of your story that points the reader to a story of yours with a similar theme makes sense, and it's absolutely not excessive self-promotion or anything like that, in my opinion. The reader is already there.

 

[alohadave]

Or does that feel too desperate and attention seeking?

No one else is going to promote your work. Self promotion may feel like desperation, but it works.

 

[SimonDoom]

Seems like a great idea to me. It helps you, and it helps your readers. Win win.

 

[TheLobster]

Ugh, look, when I wrote this, it was supposed to be a joke, but at this rate…

 

[intim8]

In the authors notes of my latest story, I mentioned two other stories I'd done. I added links, in case a few readers wanted a comparison. Now my stories always see an increase in views when a new story posts, but those two stories got five times more attention.
Maybe adding "If you liked this story, try this one <link>" to my authors notes might not be a bad idea?
Or does that feel too desperate and attention seeking?

That's what I did in my latest (Pictures of Her, link in my sig). Not only did the two recommended stories get a bump, but I asked for votes, comments, and follows. All of those saw off the charts numbers per view on that story.

 

[intim8]

Ugh, look, when I wrote this, it was supposed to be a joke, but at this rate…

My thread about doing it was called "smash that like button".

As long as it's done in a way that is unobtrusive and not passive/aggressive or desperate sounding, this is an accepted and expected thing in free to view media now.

 

[THBGato]

It's fine. You can even do it to other people's stories.

I'm always surprised more people don't use hyperlinks in their stories here. It's part of the medium. I've started to include a link to anyone who has been an editor for me, for instance, as a thank you.

 

[Rob_Royale]

It's fine. You can even do it to other people's stories.

If I was inspired by a particular story, I certainly would. Great suggestion.

 

[lovecraft68]

I wouldn't bother, but if it works it works. Only way we get paid here is through attention do whatever you can to get it.

 

[lovecraft68]

It's fine. You can even do it to other people's stories.

I'm always surprised more people don't use hyperlinks in their stories here. It's part of the medium. I've started to include a link to anyone who has been an editor for me, for instance, as a thank you.

That's a nice thing to do.

Unfortunately, I wouldn't do it because my blessing to someone could be a curse because they could end up being visited by my trolls. Its why I ave very little on my personal fav pages.

Too bad things can be like that here.

 

[gunhilltrain]

In the author's note of my latest story, I mentioned two other stories I'd done. I added links, in case a few readers wanted a comparison. Now my stories always see an increase in views when a new story posts, but those two stories got five times more attention.
Maybe adding "If you liked this story, try this one <link>" to my authors notes might not be a bad idea?
Or does that feel too desperate and attention seeking?

Usually, I only link to other related stories, say in the same series or which are prequels. But it seems like a good idea to find any connection you can and promote it. I'm going to doing more of that from now on.

 

[gunhilltrain]

My thread about doing it was called "smash that like button".

As long as it's done in a way that is unobtrusive and not passive/aggressive or desperate sounding, this is an accepted and expected thing in free to view media now.

YouTubers are not shy about using any self-promotion tactic (including links) that they can think of.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

It's fine. You can even do it to other people's stories.

I'm always surprised more people don't use hyperlinks in their stories here. It's part of the medium. I've started to include a link to anyone who has been an editor for me, for instance, as a thank you.

I wouldn't want any of my haters bombing someone else's work.

 

[gunhilltrain]

That's a nice thing to do.

Unfortunately, I wouldn't do it because my blessing to someone could be a curse because they could end up being visited by my trolls. Its why I ave very little on my personal fav pages.

Too bad things can be like that here.

That's kind of a dark situation you are in. How did you inadvertently "collect" your personal trolls?

 

[lovecraft68]

That's kind of a dark situation you are in. How did you inadvertently "collect" your personal trolls?

Forums, here and the years I spent on the General board, but its more ghosters here than posters. I'll say something here and it shows up in a crappy comment or nasty anon feedback.
The LW trolls who follow me around to tell me all my male characters are simps and cucks...like me.

Fortunately, most of my stories have large enough numbers that they can't bring the score down too much, but others don't have that luxury.

For the same reason, if I comment on a contest story I do it anon.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Fortunately, most of my stories have large enough numbers that they can't bring the score down too much, but others don't have that luxury.

Yea I'll never have that luxury. I'll never be popular here. I will never have an even moderately sized following let alone a large one, so my haters have an easy time making sure that I will never have a Red H.

 

[mirafrida]

It would be a nice site enhancement if (akin to the "other stories like this" list except hopefully more useful) they automatically offered a few links to "other stories from this author you might like."

 

[TheLobster]

It would be a nice site enhancement if (akin to the "other stories like this" list except hopefully more useful) they automatically offered a few links to "other stories from this author you might like."

Or, in case of Loving Wives, "other stories from this author you might hate."

 

[intim8]

Usually, I only link to other related stories, say in the same series or which are prequels. But it seems like a good idea to find any connection you can and promote it. I'm going to doing more of that from now on.

Yeah, my story was in Romance, and I linked to two others of mine that are in different categories, but have a romantic feel to them. I included the description, category, and word count with the links. Make it as easy as possible for the reader to decide to click it.

I really do like the idea of linking other people's stories if any of mine would be too much of a stretch. First, spread the love to other authors I like, but also, give the readers a good overall experience so they are more likely to come back.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Forums, here and the years I spent on the General board, but its more ghosters here than posters. I'll say something here and it shows up in a crappy comment or nasty anon feedback.
The LW trolls who follow me around to tell me all my male characters are simps and cucks...like me.

Fortunately, most of my stories have large enough numbers that they can't bring the score down too much, but others don't have that luxury.

For the same reason, if I comment on a contest story I do it anon.

I've been dealing with various forms of social media for years, but I've become more careful recently. At the moment, I post in AH more than other forums. But if a conversation starts going the wrong way, I just drop it. Maybe I'll say something like, "never mind," or maybe I just won't respond at all. Even if I "know" people here, there is little point in arguing with them.

I've don't think I've ever posted anything on the General Board.

 

[oneagainst]

Definitely do this. I always have a link to my other stories in the footer to click on once the reader is done with the current story.

I took it further in Only Consenting Adults, with quick clicks in the intro section to backstories, when a character appeared in OCA for the first time. This linked a lot of stories together in a framework for readers to navigate through.

Base traffic counts due to the network effects are sitting at around 3k reads per day across the catalogue, after factoring out the spikes from new work going live.

 

[yowser]

As for linking within stories, as far as I know, I'm the only one to have a story with a link to a particular food dish mentioned in Russ's Recipe Repository thread. I'd love to think that those who like the dish would also like the story (and vice versa).

Food plays a role in more than one of my tales, and I'm intrigued by the idea of networked connections.

 

[Trionyx]

How does one do a link in a story? So far I’ve only been putting in the site address of the story.