I will blast right through your piece, highlighting and Commenting as I go — and then it’s on to the next post!
I think that is how most people read. There is nothing wrong with that. As for length, you get to choose. For me, I thing 2,000 words IS short. From the day I started writing here I tried really hard to stay under that — most unsuccessfully.
But I use subheads to help people skip to the part that’s most important for them. We all come to any article with an expectation of getting something we want. I come to you with an expectation of snarky humor and you always deliver. I come to other people with the expectation to learn something from their expertise, but I already know half of it so I skip tot he part that looks interesting.
I think people are making lots of assumptions about a direct relationship between actual reading time (in minutes) and payment. My understanding is that is not the case. They have determined what “average” reading time is (approx 275 words per minute) and factored that into the over all reading time calculation. So, people who read slower are not going to help me much, just as people who read fast or scroll and skip.
The reporting is being done in percentages not minutes. e.g., 10 people read the article and the average percentage read is 60%. That percentage doesn’t mean no one finished it. I know because I’ve asked a couple people if they finished it. It means that combined with their average reading time, that is the percentage. Some people read slower. Some people read faster. Some people skimmed the first half and then skipped to the bottom to get to what they wanted.
There is no perfect system and every system can be gamed. I don’t know that I’ll be rewarded any better than I was before. We will see. But I say, don’t change your reading habits. Do what works for you.
Chances are this algorithm will be tweaked and changed over the year as they see if it is doing what they expect based on some set of quality and reader interest criteria that is being held close to the vest.
Chances are this algorithm will be tweaked and changed over the year as they see if it is doing what they expect based on some set of quality and reader interest criteria that is being held close to the vest.
See? I can’t even write a pithy response. This is 397 words. That’s 1.4 minutes. Yay! I guess you’ll read it.
