What are Summary Experiments?
A Summary Experiment is a method used to compare two different versions of your story summary to determine which one performs better with your readers.
How do Summary Experiments work?
Imagine you're a chef tweaking a recipe to make it perfect. Now, think of authors doing the same with their stories. Instead of just guessing what readers will love, they can use Summary Test Experiments, like chefs experimenting with dishes.
Picture this: your story has two versions of a summary, like two versions of a dish. Instead of relying on gut feelings, you let readers see Summary A or B. You collect data on how well they understand, remember, and enjoy the story. It's like letting people taste-test your dish variations.
Once the experiment's done, you use the data to choose the best summary for all readers. It's like finding the winning recipe that everyone will love.
How do I set up Summary 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.
- Your original summary will show up automatically as the "Original" and then you can write the new Summary as the "Test."
Once you've configured your experiment settings, you're ready to launch it and start collecting data!
What stories can have Summary Experiments?
To have Summary 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 Summary Experiments?
Stories participating in the Subscription Program and contest entries are also eligible for summary experiments. We believe in maximizing opportunities for all authors to optimize their story's performance.
How do I tell when a Summary 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 summary 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 summary is performing higher than the other summary, and will give you the option to conclude the experiment.
When you conclude it, you’ll have the option to keep the original summary, or change it to the test summary, based on the results of the experiment.
As the author, you do get the final say in which summary stays!
What does it mean when a Summary 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.