Page view count?

[E K Stokes]

Is it possible this could be wildly inaccurate in some cases. I started reading a newly posted story, Luminosity book two, it was posted today. Then I went to book one to read the first story of the saga, link here: https://gayauthors.org/story/paren01/luminosity/  The first chapter got a massive 11000 plus page views and chapter four some 6000, for a story of 8 chapters with a last chapter page view number of 600. This just doesn't seem right? It gives the story over 26000 views and if this figure is completely inaccurate then it might be for other stories and the rankings that get produced for most read by genre? 

 

[ReaderPaul]

@E K Stokes --  I might have some insight here.  If I understand @Myr in some of his previous posts, page views are generated every time someone clicks the link for that chapter.  So if someone starts the first chapter, then loses the connection and has to re-click the link, that counts as a new page view for that chapter.  If someone clicks the link for chapter 2 and then goes back to chapter 1 to check something, that counts as a new page view for chapter 1.  Sometimes is is also possible to click on a chapter by accident, and I am guilty of that.

I would be happy if Myr or @wildone or another admin would let us know if I have come close to the answer to your question.

[Myr]

Lots of factors play into it.  but Stories almost always have that pattern.  Especially stories posted over a length of time.  (Say once a month).  Some people will reread all posted chapters before reading the new chapter.  Or the author may have posted the first chapter on a slow day on site, so got a lot more clicks than usual.

Views are only an indicator. Reactions, recommendations, and reviews are more reliable indicator of how people are enjoying a story.

@ReaderPaul, pretty much yes.

[E K Stokes]

I do have another question with regard to number of page views, it's this: a click on xxx commented on chapter xxx or xxx reacted to a comment or xxx quoted you, all these are notifications received and obviously if you click on the notification you get taken to the page. I presume all these clicks on the page (chapter) count as page views and are not subtracted from the total of page views, so the total page views is not a measure of readership at all, just interest or current popularity. It would seem impossible to get any accurate readership number other than (perhaps) a total of chapter reactions, likes etc. When @Myr you say 

On 2/10/2024 at 1:12 PM, Myr said:

Views are only an indicator. Reactions, recommendations, and reviews are more reliable indicator of how people are enjoying a story.

that succinctly sums up the situation. However, I hazard that most people regard views as reader numbers which it isn't at all. I wonder if it wouldn't be better all round not to show page views and perhaps have an indicator of popularity arrived at by number of chapter reactions per week? There may be other more sophisticated ways to arrive at popularity, but that doesn't seem bad. Or even without any measure of popularity there could be a simply list of new stories published each month, perhaps by genre. All a lot of work to do and maybe not worthwhile as the site has lots of ways already to find stories that interest. Of course you could have a simple poll for readers choice of best story of the week, month, which is easy and already part of the system.

My thoughts, I'm sure you've already had similar ideas and suggestions so no reply is required and I hope this is ok to add here as it's more discussion than request or seeking help (If it's the wrong place you can move it somewhere else).

[Myr]

5 hours ago, E K Stokes said:

Or even without any measure of popularity there could be a simply list of new stories published each month, perhaps by genre. All a lot of work to do and maybe not worthwhile as the site has lots of ways already to find stories that interest. Of course you could have a simple poll for readers choice of best story of the week, month, which is easy and already part of the system.

Um no.  There is no such thing as a simple poll, nor is it representative of what gets read.  At any given time 75% of site traffic is in the Stories system.  Views is far and away a better method to capture that than a poll ever would be.

As for new content posted, we do that already. Every Sunday. It's called the weekly wrap up:

https://gayauthors.org/blogs/blog/258-gay-authors-news/70-the-weekly-wrap-up/

 

We also provide a weekly update on different genres:

https://gayauthors.org/blogs/blog/258-gay-authors-news/323-reading-reports/