I have theories about AO3, but not enough data to thoroughly test them :)
1) Newer fics are more popular. This sounds obvious, but I honestly think that the popularity of AO3 as an archive is growing more and more everyday. A fic posted two years ago would get fewer hits/kudos/comments than the very same fic posted today. So even though "After Hours" is over two years old, being posted to AO3 recently will be a boost.
2) Tagging matters. A lot. I'm not entirely sure yet which tags/sorts of tags matter the most, but a well-tagged fic will get more traffic.
3) Pairing matters. Duh. But really, that's the only thing that can explain why your Draco/Albus fics, in general, haven't gotten as many hits/kudos as your HD fics. Many people look for HD and ignore other pairings, no matter how good the fics or authors.
4) The kudos/hits ratio thing is really fascinating, because I've been tracking the stats for bottom!Draco (I stepped in as a co-mod a few weeks ago). And the top three fics for kudos/hits ratio are fics that otherwise haven't been very popular. They're small, quirky fics that maybe have narrow appeal. But they seem to have found their audience. Not as many people are reading them, but the people who are reading them really like them. Go figure.
5) Length of fic matters. Longer fics get more hits and more kudos and more comments, in general.
6) And sometimes fics are just awesome and get the recognition they deserve. And that is how I account for the high stats for "Draco at Nineteen". :) And because capitu recced it, and I recced it, and gracerene recced it, and basically, it's awesome and everybody loves it :)
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2015-09-29 06:52 pm (UTC)1) Newer fics are more popular. This sounds obvious, but I honestly think that the popularity of AO3 as an archive is growing more and more everyday. A fic posted two years ago would get fewer hits/kudos/comments than the very same fic posted today. So even though "After Hours" is over two years old, being posted to AO3 recently will be a boost.
2) Tagging matters. A lot. I'm not entirely sure yet which tags/sorts of tags matter the most, but a well-tagged fic will get more traffic.
3) Pairing matters. Duh. But really, that's the only thing that can explain why your Draco/Albus fics, in general, haven't gotten as many hits/kudos as your HD fics. Many people look for HD and ignore other pairings, no matter how good the fics or authors.
4) The kudos/hits ratio thing is really fascinating, because I've been tracking the stats for bottom!Draco (I stepped in as a co-mod a few weeks ago). And the top three fics for kudos/hits ratio are fics that otherwise haven't been very popular. They're small, quirky fics that maybe have narrow appeal. But they seem to have found their audience. Not as many people are reading them, but the people who are reading them really like them. Go figure.
5) Length of fic matters. Longer fics get more hits and more kudos and more comments, in general.
6) And sometimes fics are just awesome and get the recognition they deserve. And that is how I account for the high stats for "Draco at Nineteen". :) And because capitu recced it, and I recced it, and gracerene recced it, and basically, it's awesome and everybody loves it :)