[Solved] Reduced visibility for Scheduled Chapters?

[Lysander_Works]

Though I consider this a smaller deal than most of the bigger bugs out there, I think it is worth investigating whether this is a real thing. I was gonna let it go, but apparently I'm not the only one who feels something is off between scheduled chapters and view counts plummeting.

The allegation: Scheduled Chapters, when released, do not enter the same 'recent' and 'update' filters that manually releasing a chapter would invoke, reducing overall visibility that a book was recently updated with new chapters. Which specific element is not updated? I'm not too sure about this either.

I don't yet have a massive or substantial reader/follower count, so it is much harder for me to put to the test on my own; the numbers would not be conclusive coming from me. As for what is happening and how, I think this would need more of a passive investigation since it would take time to confirm or look into. The biggest picture is as follows:
If scheduled chapters result in less views (for any possible reasons), then it is something authors should at least know about before making use of the feature, (unless there are plans to fix the bug, assuming there really is one). I want to repeat the point that, I would not have made this post at all, if it were not for the element that I am not alone in feeling like there is something going on with this feature.

Other authors? Feel free to add to this thread if you have any relevant information, perhaps a testament to having tested this yourself. I don't think it happens to every author anyway, but the more data, the better.

Why do I specifically care? It bothers my peace of mind. If there is even a tiny chance that 'latest updates' or similar background algorithms for released chapters are being avoided due to the scheduling feature, I would want to know, as to avoid using it until the bug is resolved.

 

[Corty]

As someone who schedules 3 weeks ahead, I never noticed anything like that. My average views on scheduled chapters are pretty even.

 

[melchi]

Bedroom battle.... oh my

 

[Lysander_Works]

One user, John_Owl has mentioned this pattern, and another who looked into it (though unsuccessfully as they are not established enough for views in the first place). Like I said, it may all be nothing. I might just be delusional. I just want to be sure one way or the other.
How is the saying? You want to know when you are right or wrong, not just guess?

 

[Kaze_NG]

One user, John_Owl has mentioned this pattern, and another who looked into it (though unsuccessfully as they are not established enough for views in the first place). Like I said, it may all be nothing. I might just be delusional. I just want to be sure one way or the other.
How is the saying? You want to know when you are right or wrong, not just guess?

You seem to be posting multiple chapters a day. Im not entirely sure about it, but i once read, that there's an anti-spam mechanism here, that gets you flagged if you post too much. If such a system really existed, I'm sure that it would've been triggered for you, meaning your new chaps wont show up in the latest updates.

 

[Lysander_Works]

Like I said I don't know for sure. The OCD of it I'm sure very few others have or care tho.

 

[Piisfun]

You seem to be posting multiple chapters a day. Im not entirely sure about it, but i once read, that there's an anti-spam mechanism here, that gets you flagged if you post too much. If such a system really existed, I'm sure that it would've been triggered for you, meaning your new chaps wont show up in the latest updates.

It has to be pretty fast for that to trigger just based on scheduled posts; it is basically just to stop people from hogging the first page of updates on the main page.
The other ways to trigger it are re-arranging chapters or deleting and re-posting chapters.

Though I consider this a smaller deal than most of the bigger bugs out there, I think it is worth investigating whether this is a real thing. I was gonna let it go, but apparently I'm not the only one who feels something is off between scheduled chapters and view counts plummeting.

The allegation: Scheduled Chapters, when released, do not enter the same 'recent' and 'update' filters that manually releasing a chapter would invoke, reducing overall visibility that a book was recently updated with new chapters. Which specific element is not updated? I'm not too sure about this either.

I don't yet have a massive or substantial reader/follower count, so it is much harder for me to put to the test on my own; the numbers would not be conclusive coming from me. As for what is happening and how, I think this would need more of a passive investigation since it would take time to confirm or look into. The biggest picture is as follows:
If scheduled chapters result in less views (for any possible reasons), then it is something authors should at least know about before making use of the feature, (unless there are plans to fix the bug, assuming there really is one). I want to repeat the point that, I would not have made this post at all, if it were not for the element that I am not alone in feeling like there is something going on with this feature.

Other authors? Feel free to add to this thread if you have any relevant information, perhaps a testament to having tested this yourself. I don't think it happens to every author anyway, but the more data, the better.

Why do I specifically care? It bothers my peace of mind. If there is even a tiny chance that 'latest updates' or similar background algorithms for released chapters are being avoided due to the scheduling feature, I would want to know, as to avoid using it until the bug is resolved.

What sort of times are you scheduling for? If you are scheduling on the hour/half-hour, it is possible that your chapters are being shoved off of the front page by other scheduled posts set to release at the same time.

 

[Lysander_Works]

It has to be pretty fast for that to trigger just based on scheduled posts; it is basically just to stop people from hogging the first page of updates on the main page.
The other ways to trigger it are re-arranging chapters or deleting and re-posting chapters.



What sort of times are you scheduling for? If you are scheduling on the hour/half-hour, it is possible that your chapters are being shoved off of the front page by other scheduled posts set to release at the same time.

It is not too consistent, but generally about 30-40 minutes apart. Also, I still have not been able to confirm if the time setting matches my local time zone, which should be eastern standard. For all I know that right there could be the issue, but cannot confirm, not easily anyway.

I will be having some with a few hours of separation this very week.
That said, if I do get the chance to log in and see the confirmations of publication times, and log in again (within same day) and see if the view counter ticks up or not, that should help provide more data. If views go up even a little within that timeframe, I will drop this right here and assume it was dumb luck prior.

 

[Dec]

about 30-40 minutes apart

That's waaaaay too close. A safe bet is a couple of hours apart (like ~5 at minimum, preferably 2 chapters a day).
No wonder you are being limited.

 

[Lysander_Works]

That's waaaaay too close. A safe bet is a couple of hours apart (like ~5 at minimum, preferably 2 chapters a day).
No wonder you are being limited.

Interesting. See? I knew somebody knew something obscure that I wouldn't.
I can do hours apart on certain days but not every time.

 

[Dec]

Interesting. See? I knew somebody knew something obscure that I wouldn't.

This is common knowledge you can find on this very forum tho. It was asked multiple times

 

[Lysander_Works]

This is common knowledge you can find on this very forum tho. It was asked multiple times

Well, I didn't think anyone had asked about it, so I didn't have the mind to search for it. I'll be more diligent going forward.

 

[Lysander_Works]

Alright, so looks like the real issue is posting more than one chapter in the segment of a single hour. Whether manual or scheduled, each published chapter should be spaced out by about 62 minutes. I'm gonna assume this fixes the problem going forward and mark this as solved.