When I started posting a new story today, "Jill's Journeys", the download statistics were what I expected -- low tens and twenties to start.
Suddenly, the number of downloads of Chapter 1 jumped by 400.
Downloads for subsequent stories are about what I expected.
Are there a group of bots downloading first chapters?
Ha-ha, I can see it now, a bunch of porno-bots (or literary-bots, if you prefer), frequenting SOL just waiting to boost random author's download counts.
Somehow, I find that quite unlikely.
Suddenly, the number of downloads of Chapter 1 jumped by 400.
It's all in the site's help pages:
https://storiesonline.net/h/27/how-are-the-access-stats-gathered
Basically, the first chapter will always have a disproportionate number of downloads because of browsers' preloading it whenever somebody visits the index page, even when they actually jump to the last chapter from the index.
I can understand the huge number of first chapter downloads. I'm confused about something else. I posted two chapters at the same time (Chapters 29 & 30). The download numbers for Chapter 29 are considerably less than those for Chapter 30. This is the first time I've posted two chapters at once, is this normal?
The download numbers for Chapter 29 are considerably less than those for Chapter 30. This is the first time I've posted two chapters at once, is this normal?
Yes, very normal.
If you check the download numbers for all the chapters you'll find there is no correlation between chapter download counts. Because the system doesn't keep track of who downloaded which chapter, each time a chapter is loaded it counts and if reloaded it counts too. So if a reader loads the chapter it counts as 1 download, if for whatever reason he closes the tab or his browser crashes, then he loads again, it counts as another 1 download.
The only reliable trends are that the first chapter has huge download count because of pre-loading, and the last chapter seems to always have more downloads than the couple of chapters before it because a lot of readers jump to the last chapter to vote or change their vote.
The only reliable trends are that the first chapter has huge download count because of pre-loading, and the last chapter seems to always have more downloads than the couple of chapters before it because a lot of readers jump to the last chapter to vote or change their vote.
I know you've said (if I'm remembering correctly) that posting chapter-by-chapter generates an exaggerated download count.
Is there any way to judge the "real" or "more likely" download total for a completed story posted chapter-by-chapter against a multi-chapter completed story posted all at once?
bb
Is there any way to judge the "real" or "more likely" download total for a completed story posted chapter-by-chapter against a multi-chapter completed story posted all at once?
I would estimate that chapter 2's downloads should be closest to actual reader count who've read the story. Chapter 2 isn't pre-loaded and I would guess most people would read chapter 2 before dropping the story if they were going to.
I would estimate that chapter 2's downloads should be closest to actual reader count who've read the story. Chapter 2 isn't pre-loaded and I would guess most people would read chapter 2 before dropping the story if they were going to.
OK, got it, thanks.
bb
I would estimate that chapter 2's downloads should be closest to actual reader count who've read the story. Chapter 2 isn't pre-loaded and I would guess most people would read chapter 2 before dropping the story if they were going to.
I've always thought the download count for the second last chapter to be the most accurate for the actual readership, simply because the those jumping to the end to give a low score will hit the last chapter, but only those interested in the story will read the second last chapter after having read those before it, and will then go on to read the last one. However, you can't tell this until after you finish posting the story
Checking the stats on my own stories, the second last chapter has the lowest download count for the majority of the multi-chapter stories. So I think the theory holds up reasonably well.
Is there any way to judge the "real" or "more likely" download total for a completed story posted chapter-by-chapter against a multi-chapter completed story posted all at once?
You should really compare stories posted all-at-once, with those posted once-a-day for a comparison of download counts, ignoring the first chapter counts entirely.
You should really compare stories posted all-at-once, with those posted once-a-day for a comparison of download counts, ignoring the first chapter counts entirely.
You're right. That is exactly what I was asking, but I neglected to make it clear I was comparing a chapter-by-chapter posted daily. My own recent daily chapter-by-chapter download counts support Lazeez's observation of exaggerated first chapter downloads.
bb
