Milovana.com

Sometimes I imagine being a first-time user going to the front page, reading the intro there, thinking "Hmm, I'll try that". And then I go to the webteases and the first three teases I click on happen to be 2.* rated teases. And that was the last time I visited Milovana.

I don't wanna talk down on author's engagement, every tease is great to have even if it isn't super-shiny. But, I do wanna do something for the webtease page that puts our best foot forward.

Look at YouTube's frontpage in comparison to Milovana's webtease page. On Milovana you have this giant list where the best spots are just given to the latest teases, regardless quality. On YouTube you have to click like three times to get to the latest videos. On the frontpage you have hand-picked a selection of the best videos.

Now, I recognize that we are not YouTube and the amount of content every day just makes a latest videos page unfeasible for them. But there is something more to that. The first time user will go to the frontpage, find all those little gems and think "Wow, YouTube is super" and the long-term user will still know where to find the latest videos.

So my proposal is to change the webtease page so that there is more "featured tease", "best rated tease this week" etc. The latest teases will still be there but not quite as prominent.

What are your thoughts? I already talked to the team who was in favor of the proposal, so unless someone objects we'll work in that direction.

I Agree...from a "make it desirable" point of view, you're right on, as well as anything to increase searchability.

One concern is how might we continue to give the ego strokes (pun intended) to those who are just starting out, and who will get better with time and practice. I imagine that seeing your work immediately posted at the top of the list is fairly stimulating...i mean reinforcing...

It was for me, as well as being a TOTM nominee.

I've got to say, I REALLY appreciate the time you put into this. I'm hoping to find the time to do another tease soon, with the same style and creativity as my last, but utilizing some of what I've learned from others.

I agree with the whole idea seraph0x but i also agree with zenlover lol, couldn't you just a button to rearrange the teases in order of most rated, most viewed, date? I know that sounds simple and probably will require work but that way you could leave the tease page as is and also make it so newbies can see the best rated tease.

also has any one noticed that people stop making teases after being nominated for TOTM and winning?

zenlover wrote:One concern is how might we continue to give the ego strokes (pun intended) to those who are just starting out, and who will get better with time and practice. I imagine that seeing your work immediately posted at the top of the list is fairly stimulating...i mean reinforcing...

Gotcha. Good point. I do want to keep it that way as long as possible (that new teases get thousands of hits, no matter the quality.)

How to do that? We will definitely keep a box with the latest teases including thumbnails.

wonkywanker wrote:also has any one noticed that people stop making teases after being nominated for TOTM and winning?

Hmm, are you sure? Well, makes sense - retire after your masterpiece! But considering that most authors don't write that many teases anyway I really don't think the TOTM is much of a factor in this. Greeting to submatt in this context who has afaict written more teases than anybody else, won the very well-deserved TOTM and is still going strong.

zenlover wrote:I've got to say, I REALLY appreciate the time you put into this.

And I appreciate your appreciation!

But I have to say there is really no shortage of inspiration. I just mentioned submatt, but there are countless other authors who write so much great material all the time. I mean, take me out of the equation and someone will do a similar site tomorrow. Take the authors out of the equation and what's left? Nothing. So give the credit to those who deserve it.

Yes....yes...yes it would be good to have a way of organizing the teases in rating order.
I am one of those types of person who would check out the worst ones also because the criteria of a majority may not represent my preferences.

I expect I am not the only one on this site who thinks like that!

I think its a very good idea, I also think what wonkywanker said:

couldn't you just a button to rearrange the teases in order of most rated, most viewed, date?

Is also a very good way of going abut this, my suggestion would be to have something like the top ten rated teases being the first ones you see and then a link such as "see more" or along those lines which then takes you to see the list as it is now, latest teases first, with a Sort button allowing you to arrange by date and rating and you could also have a drop down list to arrange by a particular tag.

That way newcomers are welcomed with the best of the bunch and beginner tease makers will still get to have their work at the top of the list as i doubt any newcomer to the site would ignore a "see more" link after seeing the best there is to offer!