What are Cover Experiments?
A Cover Experiment is a method used to compare two different versions of your cover to determine which one performs better with your readers.
How do Cover Experiments work?
Imagine you are a chef trying to create the perfect recipe for a dish. You prepare two slightly different versions of the dish and serve them to different groups of people. After tasting, you can determine which version is more popular based on the feedback you receive.
When it comes to books and stories, the cover is like the first impression a dish makes on a diner. A compelling cover can attract more readers, and that's where Cover Experiments come into play.
Instead of relying solely on personal preferences or assumptions about what might work best, authors can use Cover Experiments to scientifically determine which cover design resonates more with readers.
The story is shown to readers with Cover A and Cover B, with each version displayed to a different group of readers. The experiment collects data on how many people click on each cover, how many read the story, and other engagement metrics. Once the experiment concludes, you can determine which cover you want all of your readers to see, with that data to help you with the decision.
How do I set up Cover Experiments?
- Log in to your Inkitt Author Dashboard to get started.
- Look for the "Experiments" tab in your Author Dashboard.
- In the Experiments tab, you'll find widgets showcasing metadata and analytics for all your tests. You'll also see controls for test status, a filter for test types, and more.
- Click on the button to create a new experiment.
- Select the story you want to conduct the experiment on.
- Upload the original cover as the "Control" and the new cover as the "Experiment."
Once you've configured your experiment settings, you're ready to launch it and start collecting data!
Any images you upload for your experiment will also be saved for future use in your account.
What stories can have Cover Experiments?
To have Cover Experiments, stories need to meet the following criteria:
- Not in an Active Experiment: Stories that are not currently part of an ongoing experiment are eligible. This prevents overwhelming authors and ensures manageable experiment loads.
- Word Count Requirement: To ensure reliable statistical results, stories should have a minimum word count of 10,000 words. This threshold increases the likelihood of reaching significance and enhances the accuracy of the experiment's outcomes.
- Approved by Story Content Guidelines Team: Only stories that have been approved through our Story Content Guideline Review process are eligible. This ensures that the content aligns with our quality standards and guidelines.
Are contest entries and subscription-tier stories allowed to have Cover Experiments?
Stories participating in the Subscription Program and contest entries are also eligible for cover experiments. We believe in maximizing opportunities for all authors to optimize their story's performance.
How do I tell when a Cover Experiment wins?
The experiment tracks various engagement metrics, such as clicks and views. A variant wins when the data collected is substantial enough to confidently conclude that one cover design outperforms the other. This is essential to ensure that the observed improvement is not just due to chance.
In the Experiments dashboard, Inkitt will show you whether a cover is performing higher than the other cover, and will give you the option to conclude the experiment.
When you conclude it, you’ll have the option to keep the original cover, or change it to the test cover, based on the results of the experiment.
As the author, you do get the final say in which cover stays!
What does it mean when a Cover Experiment wins?
When an experiment wins, that means that you're able to make a decision based on real data and reader engagement.
This helps you make informed choices about your story's presentation, ultimately increasing the likelihood of attracting more readers and improving its overall performance.