Looking at "viewed" numbers...

Indeed, a very interesting thread. One thing interested me particularly--the statement that repeat views don't add to the views total. So I tested it and it seems to be true. Also, if you view twice within the currency of your Author Page views list, so that you should see both views listed, the earlier one disappears. Makes sense, good engineering.

Now, I had always assumed that the views of my longer, more challenging or even better stories were increased by readers coming back to finish them, to try to understand them or to enjoy them again. Now I understand that I am wrong on that.

In that case why do some stories (assume same author, similar length, similar resume) attract many more readers than others? Is it the title? Or the resume?

My guess is that it is both and I will now do a little research into resume v views.

There is also the interesting fact that a good posted comment seems to spur additional views, even of stories that have been "up there" for years. How come?

Would be grateful for any light anyone can shed on these questions.

Geoffrey Stirling.

I think I can answer one of those questions.

When someone comments on a story, that comment appears on the main page. Other people will see that story's name and the fact that someone commented on it. If the title interests them they will read it, increasing the views.

Where's that then Goodgulf? I looked at Features/Activity and can see that someone has commented, but not on what they have commented.

Geoffrey Stirling.

"Latest Comments" on stories are visible bottom left on the front page (Home). Or at least a notification that a comment has been made.

Best regards,
Gloup

@Geoffrey

On the navigation bar, you can select Submissions>Comments and see several pages of recent comments.

Explore the site! There are wonderful ways to find things.

Just as Goodgulf, I have noticed that a comment often generates several views during the coming hours. Sometimes, there are unexplained bursts which I presume relates to the "lucky dip" function causing several readers to land on your story out of the blue. I'm not certain how that function works though, if it randomizes every new attempt, or if it points to a story per day/hour or so. However, most rewarding appears to be in the latest loaded bunch. If you are, it seems as if people enjoy your story, they go to your profile to look for more of the same.

Well said.
Me too. I do consensual spankings both in rl and on paper. Otherwise it's abuse.

Statistically, it appears as if including the term "spanking" in the title often attracts more views. As several have pointed out before me, that is indeed a bit odd considering the theme of this page, but people are people I guess. It's an important trigger word for most of us. Including something which indicates that it is a sci-fi or fantasy related theme often results in the opposite. "Teacher" often is an encouraging term as well, in particular if the title insinuates that it is a young female teacher getting her buns toasted.

Edit: I couldn't help testing my theory on the latest loaded bunch. Out of 28 submissions from the most recent rotation December 10-11, 7 contains the word “teacher” or “spanking”, at the moment holding the viewed positions 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9 and 18, where the odd one is part 72 of an ongoing serial, why it falls under the category “less viewed than previous parts”. Based on this, I suggest that your next story be “Young female teacher gets spanked”.

Glagla
Another apparent trigger is "Back to School." This is the title of my most-viewed story. The phrase also appears in the title of my 3rd most viewed story. Both of these were loaded to Bottom Lines back in 2007, two years before LSF was started, and thus never got exposure on the"latest loaded" list, which generates many views. Neither is among what I consider to be my best work. And yet they are much-viewed.

It's also a common title here at LSF (perhaps THE most common), and most of these stories also have high numbers of views (though not the later episodes in the couple serials, likely for the reasons already mentioned here).

The title implies an adult returning to school, for one reason or another, and (of course) getting spanked, which must be a theme that resonates.

So, how about my latest, The Unofficial Minutes of the School Board? Posted on 25th November so 20 days ago and 265 views so far, which, for me, is pretty good.

The resume states, accurately that it is about minutes of a meeting to agree a punishment policy for a 19th C girls' school. It doesn't say "no actual spanking" but it should.

I admit that it contains the word "school" and those who look at the icons will see that it is M/fff.

The only thing that would draw me to that story, if written by another, would be curiosity at the very odd title.

Geoffrey Stirling.