Newbie question about views

[AwkwardMD]

Tags are the only way your story will be found among the pile once it's off the category new list.

Always tag your work. It's way more important than it seems.

 

[MelissaBaby]

EDIT: As far as I know, Literotica's story search function only searches story tags, not titles or contents.

Nope. I just did an experiment. I didn't realize the importance of tags when I started, and did not use any. I just did a story search for "Alvin" and all my Mary and Alvin stories popped right up.So it does search titles.

 

[AwkwardMD]

Nope. I just did an experiment. I didn't realize the importance of tags when I started, and did not use any. I just did a story search for "Alvin" and all my Mary and Alvin stories popped right up.So it does search titles.

I corrected my post to include titles.

 

[IWroteThis]

EDIT: As far as I know, Literotica's story search function only searches story tags AND titles, not contents.

The default search is titles and text, but you can switch to just titles or just tags. I don't see any way to search titles and tags in a single search.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I corrected my post to include titles.

Uh...sorry, but I just searched for "Londonderry", the name of the town in the series. Never in a title, never tagged, but the stories showed up in the search.

 

[AwkwardMD]

Even then, though, on the main Story page of the site, the tag search is very near the top and the story search is below the category listings. The tag search is simply placed with better visibility, like putting the expensive cereal at eye level while the cheap stuff is by your ankles.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Even then, though, on the main Story page of the site, the tag search is very near the top and the story search is below the category listings. The tag search is simply placed with better visibility, like putting the expensive cereal at eye level while the cheap stuff is by your ankles.

True.

 

[AwkwardMD]

Uh...sorry, but I just searched for "Londonderry", the name of the town in the series. Never in a title, never tagged, but the stories showed up in the search.

I stand corrected. That didn't use to work like that. I tested it once in, like, 2016 and hadn't tried again since, accepting it as fact.

 

[AwkwardMD]

Uh...sorry, but I just searched for "Londonderry", the name of the town in the series. Never in a title, never tagged, but the stories showed up in the search.

Also, thank you for double checking me.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Even then, though, on the main Story page of the site, the tag search is very near the top and the story search is below the category listings. The tag search is simply placed with better visibility, like putting the expensive cereal at eye level while the cheap stuff is by your ankles.

I worked for a short while in a supermarket and noticed a few tricks, like when bananas starting getting black spots, they would put them in a basket in the baking aisle, hoping to inspire shoppers to make banana bread, or put displays for soda or beer at the end of the snack aisle, on the theory that just picking up your pretzels or Doritos would make you think you were thirsty.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Also, thank you for double checking me.

You're welcome. I was just wondering how badly I had screwed the pooch by not tagging those stories.

 

[HelenL]

Maybe - it was an oversight including that word, I had meant to delete it before publishing as the story evolved. Too many things to remember.

Then aficionados of the category read and commented or added it to favorites, e.g. @HelenL @Nynah @redgarters @Aoife_from_Ulster etc. They didn’t seem to view it as touristy.

I'll have to remove myself from the evidence list here, I'm afraid. I clicked on the story from the Valentine's list. In fact I'm glad I didn't see the tagline until later. I can't really see it making that much difference, though. Neither tagline seems at all negative, and many stories in LS include the word lesbian.

 

[FrancesScott]

I'll have to remove myself from the evidence list here, I'm afraid. I clicked on the story from the Valentine's list. In fact I'm glad I didn't see the tagline until later. I can't really see it making that much difference, though. Neither tagline seems at all negative, and many stories in LS include the word lesbian.

Thanks for clarifying and reading.

To clarify myself, I didn’t for a minute think that including lesbian in the subtitle was negative. It was more that it gave away a plot point.

 

[SimonDoom]

Also, thank you for double checking me.

One can search by tags, by titles, and by titles AND text. Attached is a screenshot of the search page.




To maximize the chances of one's story being discovered via search, I recommend:

1. Include the maximum number of tags for your story -- 10. The length of the story is irrelevant. The key is to maximize visibility by search.
2. Be honest in your tags and tagline. Disclose what the story contains. Don't be coy. Don't worry whether some will be repelled by the content. Those aren't the readers you are looking for, so there's no point in being worried about that. You're trying to maximize eyeballs and attention on your story, and you're also trying to let the readers who are looking for your kind of stuff find you.
3. There are "trigger" words that will attract attention, and be mindful of that in your story titles, tags, and taglines. For instance, I have a story with the word "bikini" in the title, AND as a tag, AND I included "beach" in the tagline. That story was published almost 9 years ago and still gets 80 to 100 views every day despite not having a red H. I think the use of key words in the title, tags, and tagline continue to get attention for that story that it otherwise would not get.

 

[NotWise]

You’re saying the number of views is essentially totally beyond the author’s control and just a factor of random stuff.

But (ignoring silk’s story) #4 on the LS new list got more views too. With a much lower rating.

No. You control the category, your user name, your title and your short description. While you do control the category and short description, potential viewers on the contest list won't see them until after they've registered a view.

What you don't control is the exact position your story has on the New list or Category hub.

Title and short description have a considerable effect on views. Make careful choices. It's the same if your story is on the open market, where some publishers won't even give the author a choice about the title because it's a marketing decision.

You can't set the position, but (unless this has changed very recently) you can influence it. Entering a contest always puts your story near the top of the list. Post your story when few other people do, and you'll be very near the top. Stories in one or two categories are always at the bottom of the New list. Don't post to NC/R, and you probably won't be at the bottom. Stories in other categories seem to get mixed up in the middle. I've never figured out what determines the order.

 

[AwkwardMD]

I think the use of key words in the title, tags, and tagline continue to get attention for that story that it otherwise would not get.

These are the dark arts of submissions. Ancient and mystic.

 

[SimonDoom]

These are the dark arts of submissions. Ancient and mystic.

I think, after years of observation, that it's much less mysterious than some people seem to think it is. You don't have to choose between "it's all completely random" and "something weird is going on." There are things you can do that will, over time, have an impact on views, but not always in predictable ways, and a sensible author embraces both of these facts. To me, that mirrors reality in almost every walk of life, so the site doesn't seem so mysterious.

It's not fruitful to look at a sample of two stories and wonder why there are differences, because there are so many factors that MIGHT be involved and we don't have the tools to determine exactly which factors created which effect and to what degree. The better approach, IMO, is to scrutinize the site's tools and practices over time and take the long view. People fret too much about the short term.

 

[FrancesScott]

Post your story when few other people do

How do I know that in advance?

 

[AwkwardMD]

I think, after years of observation, that it's much less mysterious than some people seem to think it is. You don't have to choose between "it's all completely random" and "something weird is going on." There are things you can do that will, over time, have an impact on views, but not always in predictable ways, and a sensible author embraces both of these facts. To me, that mirrors reality in almost every walk of life, so the site doesn't seem so mysterious.

It's not fruitful to look at a sample of two stories and wonder why there are differences, because there are so many factors that MIGHT be involved and we don't have the tools to determine exactly which factors created which effect and to what degree. The better approach, IMO, is to scrutinize the site's tools and practices over time and take the long view. People fret too much about the short term.

I merely meant that their value is less obvious at first glance, and the effective use of them is usually the mark of master.

 

[old_prof]

I merely meant that their value is less obvious at first glance, and the effective use of them is usually the mark of master.

Tags are probably another thing in the long list of things I still have to learn.

My sense is that most readers do not use the tags significantly outside of a handful of odd categories like fetish, where so many different kinks are jumbled together. I read a lot here for a long time and was blissfully ignorant that stories were even tagged. I read in a handful of categories and purely got things off the new list and the recent (7-day and 30-day) top lists, both on categories I was interested in.

I kind of expect that the new and recent lists are where most view come from for most stories. That fits the general expectation that your first week or so is crucial.

After that, I think it's from continually publishing, so you get people to look at your older catalogue.

Beyond that it's going to be search (tags yeah!) and stories the site recommends for you. I've heard theories of how those are determined, but none seem to really fully explain the stories I get recommended to me.

Maybe the new cards, with tags on them, will make tags more important. I do use them in the lists that provide them, but since the new and top lists still don't, their impact is muted for my perspective.

 

[THBGato]

It could be something as simple as your use of "a lesbian couple" in your tagline: perhaps readers feel that should go without saying, given the category, and making it explicit marks you as a "tourist".

Late to the party, but don't discount this.

LS readers LOVE first-time-with-a-woman stories. @old_prof has put a subtitle that makes it clear his story is one of those.

Yours makes it clear your story will be about an established queer couple. Unless they already have a fanbase, those stories are far less popular: there is none of the frisson of the flirtation, the getting together, the overcoming of barriers.

Now, ironically, your story did have that last one, but readers weren't to know from your title/tagline.

Genre within categories matters.

 

[SmilingLez]

Literotica witchcraft and magic beans.

Somethings on this website are a mystery.

Witchcraft in this feed,
Magic beans go viral fast —
Likes sprout overnight.

 

[SimonDoom]

Late to the party, but don't discount this.

LS readers LOVE first-time-with-a-woman stories. @old_prof has put a subtitle that makes it clear his story is one of those.

Yours makes it clear your story will be about an established queer couple. Unless they already have a fanbase, those stories are far less popular: there is none of the frisson of the flirtation, the getting together, the overcoming of barriers.

Now, ironically, your story did have that last one, but readers weren't to know from your title/tagline.

Genre within categories matters.

I'm no expert on Lesbian Sex stories, since I've never written one and don't read too many of them. But this seems like sound advice to me. Always listen to those who actually have experience with, and success in, a particular category.

The "first-time" appeal cuts across categories. There's an inherent appeal of a story that chronicles a person's first exploration of a sexual experience, and it doesn't matter whether it's LS, or incest, or exhibitionism, or anal sex, or whatever. So, signaling to your potential readers that your story has that feature is a good way to draw interest, and to turn them on once they get to the story.

 

[PapaRomantic]

If you know the male population of Literotica in general, many of them are could be classified as "icky."

To them, the fact that they see "young" woman in the description is going to call to them.

I don't know if this a factor or not. Personally, I'm more likely to read an 8.3k story than a 1.7k story. But I suspect his description is what makes his story more appealing to the ick fans.

 

[YmaOHyd]

Personally, I'm more likely to read an 8.3k story than a 1.7k story

Far as I know there's no way for that to affect views, as story length isn't visible until you click into the story.