Teasers!

[ellenmillion]

Okay, so I'm coding away on The Big Not-So-Secret Project, and I'm chewing on my lip over teasers.

See, some of the fiction and artwork will be reserved for paying supporters of the site. The way its coded now, all of the work - supporter-only or public - shows up on the same lists. It is noted which of the pieces are supporter only, and if you click on them anyway, it tells you 'sorry, no!'

It's been mentioned that this seems TOO teasery, that it puts up hackles and could make someone dig in their heels and refuse to enjoy any of it at all.

I could filter out the supporter-only work to a completely separate page and take them off this list entirely (my original plan). But I DO want to make sure that people get a good, obvious idea of how much there is for supporters. Also, it's a lot of work to make this change and I'm feeling bloody lazy and my to-do list is long enough already.

So! I thought I would poll my smart and beautiful blog readers and get an idea of how strongly YOU feel about such matters. I'm completely willing to make the effort if I feel it will make a big difference.

Please feel free to use the comments to elaborate your views.

[Poll #1321937]

Comments

[renatus.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's irritating to have teasers; I DO think it's irritating to have things that look like items I can access and then get a message that I'm not allowed when I try. It's all "neener neener, you can't have it after all!", dangling it then yanking it away. It's almost insulting.

If subscriber content is clearly marked on the preview, then it's much better. I know from the moment I open the page the preview I'm seeing is not accessible when I subscribe and is there to help me decide if I would like to subscribe.

[haikujaguar.livejournal.com]

I agree with this statement.

However, tagging the link with 'subscriber only content', and having a non-subscriber click on it only to find a short excerpt... that would be awesome.

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

Oh! That's brilliant, and very easy to add! *off to do so...*

[puffbird.livejournal.com]

This was pretty much what I was going to say. :)

[dulcinbradbury.livejournal.com]

Agreed. I don't mind being asked to pay for things. I don't feel put out by being told "subscriber only" as long as it is well-marked.

But... think like a crack dealer -- give them enough to get hooked. ;)

[pixiewildflower.livejournal.com]

Happy New Year!

[metasilk.livejournal.com]

Basically, what renatus and crew said. Also, if I were to number in terms of priority those reasons to subscribe/pay, for me they are:
1. Turn off ads
2. Bigger thumbs
3. More materials
4. Allocate fees
5. Discount

(I think...)(I'm thinking about why I pay at DevArt and not at ArtWanted and so on).

[ellenmillion.livejournal.com]

Oo! I will definitely do this with the art gallery - I think I know how to make that happen. The story links will have short excerpts (already coded in!).

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com]

For me it varies whether I find subscriber-only material irritating. If the list is all jumbled together, so I keep clicking things I can't see -- that's irritating, and I'll quit trying after a few attempts. On the other hoof, free samples sell stuff -- if I can't see what I'm buying, I'm unlikely to buy at all.

I think you've hit on really good solutions: showing the 15 most recent pictures from the Art Gallery, and excerpts of fiction. Excerpts are a great way to sell fiction!