If you read my previous blog, you'll be aware that I've been experimenting to see how much effect a title has on page hits. Before going into the findings of my very small experiment, let me just explain how hits are counted here at AD (as I understand it). When a visitor first clicks on a particular page, the stats clock one hit. When that same visitor clicks on the same page, it won't be counted, no matter how many times they visit. If they visit a different page on the same site, it will also be counted once. This means that every hit on my stats represents only the first visit by an individual. If I change the title and someone revisits my page to see what else has changed, they won't be counted again. Basically, any hits after the retitling will be new hits, not repeat custom.

Right, now that we're clear on what we're looking at, I can continue. The title I decided to change was Villanelle to Catch a Rat. It had very few hits, mostly on its first couple of days online and had been largely ignored since. In all it had only one thousanth as many hits as my most popular title, An Afternoon with Katherine. I renamed it: Villanelle for a Cat Who Sat. Still not earth shatteringly interesting, but I wanted to see if a change of animal would have any effect. It did, but only slightly. The hits went up by a third in a day, still well behind the closest comparable poem, Villanelle For a Dog Uncut, which has had treble the number of hits so far.

I am being led to think that people may prefer to read about dogs than cats. Funnily enough, Spiders in Her Hair is quite popular, even though quite a lot of people have arachnaphobia. I'd be interested in other people's take on the whole matter of titles and statistics.

Then again, there's the old adage about lies, damn lies and statistics, so maybe I should just go and have a cup of tea instead of playing the numbers game.

Sue P.