What is more important, title, avatar, or photo on Mylot?
By Jekca
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
Centralia, Missouri
February 6, 2016 5:09pm CST
Everyone is trying to attract attention on mylot. We all want more and more attention. We want people to stop by and drop off comments. I sometimes get this mental image of us all standing in a big group shouting “Me! Me! Me! Pay attention to me!”
So the question then is how to stand out from the crowd? I am going to assume you already have super awesome, super readable content, with few errors, easy to read spacing, and of a topic matter we as readers find interesting. So what is there left? What else can you do to stand out from the crowd of all of the rest of us with just as awesome reading materials?
There are four areas one could focus on, avatar, illustration (adding a photo), submission title, and [edited this in] preview sentence.
I have written on avatars before, and I will again. I don’t care really what the avatar is of, but having one, rather than having the free generic filler avatar is a plus in my book. Honestly, the generic avatar to me displays a lack of caring for yourself and the site. It’s as if it is saying I don’t care enough to put the time in, so why should you. That being said I know of at least one long time member on here who uses it, and they DO care, so that’s not always the case. But that is what it feels like to me. You want a face for us to associate with you. You want a face that others will recognize and seek out. So go forth, and make an avatar!
Submission titles are something that some of us are better than others. Me? Not so much, mine are soso. I can think of one person (Abby, yes I am pointing the finger at you, mwhahaha) who’s titles are often catchy, or sometimes they make me as a reader say “what!” and thus I stop and read it right then (chicken boobs, black lace, etc etc.). She is a master of that and perhaps we aught to take a lesson from her success, a good title can bring in readers that might have otherwise walked right on past. (Hint hint, teach us oh title master!!!)
As for image, having one is a nice deal. It again shows that you put some time into your post. Do I always have one? No, but I try to have one more often that I don’t have one. And I will admit, a few times a pretty image caught my attention and got me to stop and read something I might have skipped.
And as people pointed out below, there is the preview sentence, this one I actually find very important, and often will use it (on people I don't normally read) to decide to stop and read, or move on.
Which one of these are more important? I don’t know. What do YOU think is more important?
41 people like this
42 responses
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
6 Feb 16
It's hard to say because I've seen well written pieces that are almost totally ignored.
6 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Feb 16
I have too, I think those posts got lost in the shuffle sometimes.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (166830)
• Boise, Idaho
6 Feb 16
I think they are all important points and put together make for a nice post.
5 people like this
@celticeagle (166830)
• Boise, Idaho
7 Feb 16
@Jessicalynnt ....Yes, all of these items go toward a good one for sure.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (166830)
• Boise, Idaho
10 Mar 16
@Hatley ...and then centered the rest of the piece around it.
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Feb 16
I forgot to add the preview sentence, that's prob up there in importance
3 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Feb 16
I have found a few of those, sometimes I think timing or something and a good post gets lost in cyberworld
3 people like this
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
7 Feb 16
@Jessicalynnt
Yes I do believe you are correct. To bad that has to happen though.
1 person likes this
@topffer (42156)
• France
6 Feb 16
For me it is the title and the beginning of the post that we read with "Explore". For the avatar, if I agree that it is important to have one, it is also important to not change it too often : people will find your posts more easily. Except if the post is about a photo, I do not attach a lot of importance to an image here.
4 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Feb 16
that first sentence(s)? I forgot about that and you are totally right, I actually do a lot of prereading and sometimes make a decision there to stop or not. and yes, as our "face" we need to be recognizable, people will miss us if we change as often as ppl do on FB
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
6 Feb 16
The title is most important, that's what carches my attention first. Titles that have 'Mylot' in them seem to do well, but I often see that as a deliberate ploy to draw us in, so will often pass it by because of that. I don't like to be manipulated.
Then of course when I recognise an avatar of someone who usually posts interesting content, that is important too.
I do like an image, but we don't see that till we open the post, so that isn't a factor in drawing us in.
5 people like this
@jaboUK (64354)
• United Kingdom
7 Feb 16
@Jessicalynnt Sorry I wasn't aiming that at you - I just see some people using it on a lot of posts. If a valid discussion follows that is fine. And the question you posed in the title is interesting - that's why I read it.
3 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Feb 16
@jaboUK lol I know, if you were that annoyed you wouldnt have commented! It just struck me as funny
4 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Feb 16
well I put mylot in there to get attention, BUT I backed that up with actual mylot discussion and content.
5 people like this
@maggs224 (2320)
• Alicante, Spain
7 Feb 16
For me it is the avatar and name that first grabs my attention. If I see a name or avatar that I recognise of someone whose posts I enjoy it immediately stands out from the crowd. I think that just about everyone in your comments on this post have an avatar and name that would grab my attention. If I am exploring then it will be the title and the preview sentence that I will look at. It is this sentence that decides for me whether or not I will go to the post.
4 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Feb 16
you have summarized it quite nicely!
3 people like this
@valmnz (17097)
• New Zealand
7 Feb 16
@Jessicalynnt well, thank you, which is why I decided to return to my more familiar avatar
3 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Feb 16
We really do look for the avatar and recognize people, it is our "face". I know I always watch for certain ones, yours being one of those!
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
8 Feb 16
@valmnz that image is our face on here, and changing that is risky for sure.
1 person likes this
@DWDavis (25805)
• United States
7 Feb 16
The two things that usually catch my attention are the title and the name of the writer. If the writer is someone I'm familiar with I'm more likely to read the post even if title is not catchy. As for articles by writers I don't know yet, the title is the most important thing. Since there is no way for me to possibly read every post, I have to select those I think will be most interesting, informative, or educational by their titles.
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
7 Feb 16
I agree about who the writer is, there are some I just won't read.
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Feb 16
@AbbyGreenhill @DWDavis deff agree, although for the most part, the people I like to read, I already follow/read. So when I go exploring it's less about avatars(which I am not saying aren't important, because they are our Image/Face and are) and who people are, rather the title and the preview sentence.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
7 Feb 16
To draw people to a particular discussion - it's the title - after all you could have a photo of the devil or an angel but it's irrelevant. And more important, is to have the site's name in that title. which has been prove over and over again to be successful.
One you hook folks you need to keep them hooked and that's when content comes into play.
3 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Feb 16
I agree, hit them with a good lead and then keep the ball rolling!
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Feb 16
yeah it is, gotta love paint!
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137257)
• United States
9 Feb 16
Presentation is the key. I think the most important things you can do to make your post successful is:
1. Get out there and interact on other people's posts! Meeting people here and talking to them is most of the reason to be on this site... Yes, there is also the money aspect, but look around you... How many people worry about how much they are making on myLot? Are those people the most successful ones? (No, usually they aren't! The truly successful ones are those who rarely mention their bank because they love the interaction, not the money aspect of this site!)
2. Do your best to appear confident in yourself. When you appear confident, people find it easier to believe what you say and easier to believe you are what you say. A confident person is a successful person...
3. No matter what the topic, have a solid opinion (Don't waffle with each new person you encounter!) about it and be able to support your opinion when ask, because believe me, you will be ask!
4. Don't be afraid to make a mistake... Acknowledge the mistake and move past it. Never try to cover it up... That tells others that you not only make mistakes, but you are willing to lie to cover the mistake up... It is very hard to trust a liar!
2 people like this
@DaddyEvil (137257)
• United States
16 Feb 16
@Jessicalynnt ??? How would I put that out as a discussion, Jess? What am I not understanding?
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
16 Feb 16
@DaddyEvil what you wrote is a post in of itself, ways to make a successful post!
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
9 Feb 16
this is very good advice, I'd suggest putting this out there as a discussion!
1 person likes this
@softbabe44 (5816)
• Vancouver, Washington
7 Feb 16
I would try it and see how it works out.
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Feb 16
different strokes for different folks, I really do think it all depends
2 people like this
@softbabe44 (5816)
• Vancouver, Washington
9 Feb 16
@Jessicalynnt True and makes much more sense.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Feb 16
definitely, we lose readers if things get too long, this one may have been too long, but I feel it kept people invested all the way in
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
7 Feb 16
@Jessicalynnt That was not a criticism of this post by any means, I felt your points needed that length.
However, I will quite often skip a post that scrolls way off the bottom of the screen with no end in sight, so post length is a valid consideration for the success, or otherwise, of any mylot post.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Feb 16
@pgntwo Glad to hear it, honestly I was a bit concerned with length, I don't normally like writing ones this long for that reason, people just don't finish them, or make it all the way through (most of the time, some do), and often the piece could be broken into several and better use be made of.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Feb 16
I totally had to go back and add that in, I completely forgot about it!
2 people like this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
9 Mar 16
@Jessicalynnt yes ogether they will get us readers and responses too
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Feb 16
yeah I totally forgot to mention the preview sentence!
@else34 (13515)
• New Delhi, India
7 Feb 16
@Jessicalynnt,I think,it's content.It's the content and the style of the initiator of a discussion that makes the reader like it.I have never made an avatar,but some of my old discussions are still receiving likes and comments.And yes,I also try to make title catchy.
1 person likes this
@else34 (13515)
• New Delhi, India
7 Feb 16
@Jessicalynnt Okay,I am going to have an avatar.It's so easy I know.Let me choose one from the internet.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Feb 16
you are one I think of with no avatar, who still ends up caring about the site. Making one isn't too hard, can play with paint on your computer and just make a pretty image and use that if you don't have or don't want to use any real photographs
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Feb 16
@else34 ya for having a face!
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
23 Feb 16
pfft, that was a real photo, a real photo I made with photoshop
1 person likes this
@Inlemay (17713)
• South Africa
24 Feb 16
@Jessicalynnt wakakaka - so real, its LOVABLE
1 person likes this
@swarooop (6)
•
7 Feb 16
Well, it totally depends on the nature of the interests of the people. I have seen some of the best articles with good titles being ignored completely. We can say that good titles do play a great role to attract readers and having an avatar is good as well.
2 people like this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
7 Feb 16
When people are online, how much is being posted, if it shows up on our feeds, etc, can play a factor. I too have seen GOOD pieces get missed, it happens. Still, there are things we can do to facilitate less chance of that.
