Views, reads, and votes

[SimonDoom]

One of the mysteries of analyzing statistics at this Site is that it's impossible to know exactly how many people have read your story to the end. The "views" statistic tells you how many times your story has been clicked on. It doesn't tell you how many people, after clicking on the story, actually read it.

Presumably, the "read" number is somewhere between the "view" number and the "vote" number. For my stories, the mean ratio of views to votes is around 90:1, so that leaves a huge gulf in the data to try to interpret.

My questions, for the sake of gathering anecdotal information on this topic, are these:

For every story you click on, how many do you read to the end?

For every story you read, how many do you vote on?

I have no hard and fast data on my own habits. I'm guessing, somewhat. But my guess is that I read no more than one-tenth the number of stories I click on.

I do not vote on all the stories I read, but for me personally the view:read ratio is much higher than the read:vote ratio. That is to say, I'm unlikely actually to read most stories I click on, but if I do bother to read them I'm relatively likely to vote on them.

If my self-assessment is correct and if my habits are not that different from those of the normal reader, then it seems reasonable to conclude, for standalone stories, at least, that the vote number is closer to the total read number than is the view number. So if a story has 10,000 views and, say, 110 votes, then it's logical to assume it has been read fewer than 1,000 times.

 

[Haulover]

One of the mysteries of analyzing statistics at this Site is that it's impossible to know exactly how many people have read your story to the end. The "views" statistic tells you how many times your story has been clicked on. It doesn't tell you how many people, after clicking on the story, actually read it.

Presumably, the "read" number is somewhere between the "view" number and the "vote" number. For my stories, the mean ratio of views to votes is around 90:1, so that leaves a huge gulf in the data to try to interpret.

My questions, for the sake of gathering anecdotal information on this topic, are these:

For every story you click on, how many do you read to the end?

For every story you read, how many do you vote on?

I have no hard and fast data on my own habits. I'm guessing, somewhat. But my guess is that I read no more than one-tenth the number of stories I click on.

I do not vote on all the stories I read, but for me personally the view:read ratio is much higher than the read:vote ratio. That is to say, I'm unlikely actually to read most stories I click on, but if I do bother to read them I'm relatively likely to vote on them.

If my self-assessment is correct and if my habits are not that different from those of the normal reader, then it seems reasonable to conclude, for standalone stories, at least, that the vote number is closer to the total read number than is the view number. So if a story has 10,000 views and, say, 110 votes, then it's logical to assume it has been read fewer than 1,000 times.

I'm a bit picky about deciding which stories to read, so my ratio of clicks-to-full-reads is probably higher than most. I probably fully read about 80% of the stories I click on.

I probably vote on about 1in 10. Yes, shame on me ... I'll try to be more diligent going forward.

I think I've left exactly one comment - ever. (It was complimentary.)

But the people in this forum are not representative of the average reader. It might be more revealing to as the question in one of the more public boards. Let us know if you do so - I'd like to follow the thread.

 

[KeithD]

I read nearly zero stories on Literotica. I'm here to write, not read--or to compare what I write to what anyone else does (I'm fine assuming everyone else is dropping gems here). When I read, there's some special reason that's drawn me there, and the reason usually compels me to finish the read and vote it, if not necessarily to comment on it unless I genuinely have something very flattering to post. As an author here, I'm well aware that, in the Lit. system, any vote lower than a 5 is not helpful to the author.

 

[SimonDoom]

It might be more revealing to as the question in one of the more public boards. Let us know if you do so - I'd like to follow the thread.

Excellent idea. I just posted such a thread on the General Board.

 

[NoJo]

I do what I suspect most people do, read a paragraph or two and either stop reading the story (99% of the time -- I'm very hard to please) or else read to the end. If I liked it, I vote 5, otherwise I don't vote at all.

 

[SamScribble]

I too follow the NoJo method. If I get past the first two or three paragraphs (and that's not very often), I usually read through to the end. If I like what I read, I usually leave five stars - otherwise I don't vote.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I too follow the NoJo method. If I get past the first two or three paragraphs (and that's not very often), I usually read through to the end. If I like what I read, I usually leave five stars - otherwise I don't vote.

I'll click in, read a paragraph or three, click out (mostly) or continue on. If it sorta kind continues to grab me but not quite, I'll sometimes jump to the end to read the last half a page (something I often do with not so good books from the library). I'll only vote on something I read right through (but even then, not always) and it'll be a 3 (rare), or a 4 or 5. I'll comment occasionally on the fives, using my account name.

For a long time I've worked on the assumption, gleaned from my own chaptered stories and their voting patterns, that the Read/View ratio is probably no more than 20%. But after my recent experimental story cycle with short chapters increasingly getting longer I'm no longer sure, because the 6th chapter got twice the number of Views of the 4th and the 5th; then the 7th and 8th chapters (a Covid 19 supplement) dropped back to 60%.

 

[jsmiam]

The one benefit to a bit of mystery is that it would also be a mystery to the click-fraudsters.

On the other hand, it would be so easy to figure out how it all works, it’s very likely any serious fraudster already did it.

I would vote to let the mystery remain mostly a mystery. The method, even if it turned out to be trivial and simple, is still in a way a trade secret (I’m in a kind and benevolent mood today apparently).

So, distantly similar to us not knowing exactly how sweeps work (if we did then it would be easier to cheat), maybe we shouldn’t try too hard to learn the views vs read formula either. I’m curious too of course, but somehow In my case, I can put this one out of my head.

 

[SimonDoom]

Ha ha. I should have known.

I followed Haulover's wonderfully reasonable suggestion to repost my questions to the General Board, to get, I hoped, a broader cross section of Literotica readers than what is represented here at the Author's Forum.

I posted my question at about 11:40, almost four hours ago.

Since then I've gotten one response, from a courteous person who informed me he never votes.

Other than that, nothing. Crickets.

But, in the meantime, the following threads at the General Board have been active:

Let's Talk About Star Wars

ha, ha bitches!

Women with Hairy Muffs II

God Bless Texas!


Haulover, we meant well, but this isn't going like I'd hoped.

 

[Bramblethorn]

My questions, for the sake of gathering anecdotal information on this topic, are these:

For every story you click on, how many do you read to the end?

For every story you read, how many do you vote on?

At a very rough estimate, maybe 50% and 10% respectively. A lot of the other 90% are cases where a 5 seems too high and a 4 seems too low.

If my self-assessment is correct and if my habits are not that different from those of the normal reader

That bit there is the tricky part. I suspect as authors we're more aware of votes than the average reader.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Haulover, we meant well, but this isn't going like I'd hoped.

Why on earth you thought the GB was any more representative of Lit readership than us lot here, I don't know. Maybe you should try the Politics Board for extra insight. I'm sure it will be balanced and rational; delivered with tact, sophistication, and good grace.

 

[SimonDoom]

Why on earth you thought the GB was any more representative of Lit readership than us lot here, I don't know. Maybe you should try the Politics Board for extra insight. I'm sure it will be balanced and rational; delivered with tact, sophistication, and good grace.

I knew enough about it not to have high hopes. But its participation rate is so much higher than what we have here that I thought or hoped that there'd be at least some extra input that would be useful.

But I can't compete with the "ha ha, bitches" thread.

 

[KeithD]

Ha ha. I should have known.

I followed Haulover's wonderfully reasonable suggestion to repost my questions to the General Board, to get, I hoped, a broader cross section of Literotica readers than what is represented here at the Author's Forum.

Most GB posters don't seem to even realize this is a story site. I can't imagine why you'd think they were Lit. story readers, let alone any other cut at story readership here.

 

[SimonDoom]

Most GB posters don't seem to even realize this is a story site. I can't imagine why you'd think they were Lit. story readers, let alone any other cut at story readership here.

I guess I thought that among all the numbers there must be SOME readers. I mean why would you come to Literotica in the first place? There are infinitely many other social media available on which to bleat one's weird political obsessions.

 

[Comentarista82]

My questions, for the sake of gathering anecdotal information on this topic, are these:

For every story you click on, how many do you read to the end?

For every story you read, how many do you vote on?

There are exceptionally few stories I click on that I don't read to the end. The only exceptions are these: one, who is an "author" but strictly cuts-and-pastes everything. I won't name said person, as I suspect everyone knows whom I refer to. I certainly vote that drivel appropriately (and I've stopped reading anything that "author" produces). Aside from that, the only time I start to skip or might stop midstream is when the author of a tale introduces elements that are unbelievable or otherwise "not advertised" in the tags for the story nor in the introduction. I'd say I fully read 95% of what I click on, as if I don't feel it will interest me, I don't bother.

I vote on nearly every story and comment (99.5% easily); the only time I don't vote is when it's an author that I respect and/or the author's story content is usually so good that when I stumble onto what I feel is that author's "one off," I will comment to that effect and not vote.

I will say what "hooked" me significantly was the 2019 Lit contest for "best of,"
which directed me to some really interesting and different stories within areas I enjoy reading. I'll sadly admit I wouldn't have read as many without that, since there is such a huge volume of stories to read, so not surprising I missed those. I would hope if the "best" stories came out in a polling fashion each month, that such a device would draw more readership to the contenders.

 

[Vix_Giovanni]

I will say what "hooked" me significantly was the 2019 Lit contest for "best of,"
which directed me to some really interesting and different stories within areas I enjoy reading. I'll sadly admit I wouldn't have read as many without that, since there is such a huge volume of stories to read, so not surprising I missed those. I would hope if the "best" stories came out in a polling fashion each month, that such a device would draw more readership to the contenders.

There’s a monthly tally for the highest rated stories featured in the same Awards section as the annual contest. Hope this is helpful.

 

[LupusDei]

For every story you click on, how many do you read to the end?

For every story you read, how many do you vote on?

I think I click on about three stories for every I read to completion, and that number increases over time.

Many, if not most of those I click but don't read remain open in a background tab for a long time, then are dropped without looking at it or sometimes some are saved to a "read later" list, but may be dropped from that too later, sometimes without revisiting. If I actually start to read, I very rarely abandon it, even if it's truly awful. It's more likely I won't return to a story I don't like if I get distracted somehow, than me just going away intentionally.

I vote on almost every story I read to the end, and that too had increased over time.

The value of my votes had increased as well, especially since coming to understanding that 4 is seen as downvote. Still, I don't give fives out automatically. I don't vote if I conclude that I wasn't the target audience for a story featuring specific fetishes and try not to punish for content, although I have allowed myself a few exceptions when I indeed think people should be advised against reading that accidentally. However, the sure way to get a low vote from me is if a story has clear potential to be what I crave, and makes attempt to go in right direction but fails badly to deliver or present.

 

[roxymoves]

Views, reads and votes

deleted

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Recent story (follow-up coming in a few weeks): https://literotica.com/s/the-strippers-and-the-stepson

 

[SisterJezabel]

It depends what sort of mood I'm in! I vote on most stories I get to the end of. I read a lot of the Covid competition entries, even those in the incest section which I usually avoid like the plague. I didn't vote on these though as I knew I would not be objective.

Getting swept up in the emotion though can cause negative reactions- non con stories where the woman is voiceless, powerless and made to be subservient to the man and the story indicates this is going to be forever will always get 1 vote. I know some people like them but I believe there is a philosophical difference between BDSM (which I do not know that much about I admit) and non-con/reluctance. If you write a story about taking a woman to your off-grid mountain escape and fashioning her into the subservient obedient woman who will do anything you demand, change woman for person of colour and see if it still appeals.

 

[Kojak01]

For every story you click on, how many do you read to the end?

For every story you read, how many do you vote on?

Like other that have replied, the first few paragraphs decide a lot.
If I make it past the first few paragraphs (maybe one in two), I usually finish unless they suddenly turn too clichéd (ex-soldier turns out to be super-influential and super-rich, John Doe surprisingly is a martial arts expert who can take on ten at a time, ten-inch-cock, etc.) I vote on all stories I read past the first few paragraphs, even those that I abort later. I'm also not afraid to hand out one star ratings. Everything is better than no feedback.

I'm rather picky with what I click on. Many categories I don't read at all, in others I only read stories with high ratings or authors I've enjoyed in the past. Some authors I avoid completely because they just don't fit my taste. I'm sure I miss some real gems that way but I'll just have to live with it.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I start reading way back when. If the title didn't intrigue me, I wouldn't click on it. If I started to read I would read to the end... Unless something made me click back... usually "She had 44DDDD breasts" or "He had a 12" cock" immediate click back.

On the other hand, I rarely vote. The only time I will vote is if the story was so unusual or so very, very, good, that I just have to give the author a vote. Usually a 5*.

Of course if the story was such a stinker and I suffered through to the end, I also vote, most likely a 1*.

On those very good stories I may also leave a comment. The same goes for those stinkers I suffered through.

 

[SimonDoom]

Thanks to everyone who's given feedback so far.

The most interesting thing about responses so far is that they're all over the map. Some people, like me, view many stories for every one they actually read. Others read through most of what they click on. So, while interesting, the responses so far may not shed any further light on what the average view:read ratio is.

And an update on the General Board: no further response to the same question. No interest at all.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I wonder if the database that stores all the information on these stats also stores if page 2 was clicked. Of course for stories with only a single page that would be meaningless or from the App as you don't click you swipe and I doubt that is sent back to the site.

Just a thought.

Would love to see the database layout.

 

[vanmyers86]

You might try the General Board Lounge. They're a little more relaxed there. I avoid the General Board itself - too frenzied for my tastes.

 

[Enchantment_of_Nyx]

Thanks to everyone who's given feedback so far.

The most interesting thing about responses so far is that they're all over the map. Some people, like me, view many stories for every one they actually read. Others read through most of what they click on. So, while interesting, the responses so far may not shed any further light on what the average view:read ratio is.

And an update on the General Board: no further response to the same question. No interest at all.

I'm going to guess your phrasing wasn't quite in the GB style. It could be entertaining to try to revise your query to tempt the GB denizens.