Facebook Share - Visitors #

I think the " f " shows how many have shared it on FB- not actually visited your site here, or posted it from this site.

Thanks, Janine, but that doesn't make sense in my case. Few of my images get shared on FB before I post them to my page, so the number when I start is invariably 0. Then I post and within minutes the number under the f starts going up. I am sure 99% of the people who take a look do NOT share - they just click, take a quick look, and close. That alone causes the number under the "f" to go up - but it does not affect the visitor count on the image.
Anyone else?

from what i know, i think facebook gives feedback stats on images posted. i have one image that has like 2000 pinterest links, but only like 300 views. because it happened here and not there - as confusing as that is.

---Mike Savad

Each of the share buttons are reporting counts from the individual sites. Facebook has their own logic has to what gets counted as does Pinterest, Twitter, etc. Facebook rolls a lot of different events into that number:

From their documentation:

"The number shown is the sum of:
The number of likes of your URL
The number of shares of your URL (this includes copy/pasting a link back to Facebook)
The number of likes and comments on stories on Facebook about your URL"

So in that version, I could share a link to my art, that's 1, a friend could click like and then share on FB, that's 2 more from one person! So the counts are already inflated over views, but real world from having my own site where I could see where the visits come from, I can tell you that people are apt to click "like" on a link on Facebook when a friend has shared something but never go past the thumbnail view on FB.

Nikolyn,

I'm so glad you brought up this question. It's been puzzling me as well. I never share on FB from the FB button here on FAA and I don't do the automatic thing either. I always just copy the http address and add that to my FaceBook business page ... then "share" that post over to my personal page. From there, I copy and paste the brief description and the link to various FaceBook groups. That's how I do it every time (unless my evil twin messes with me).

Sometimes, by the above method, I'll get lots of nice FB "likes" under the little blue "f" on the Fine Art America image page ... "Pink Tulips In The Window" is an example at 117. But other times, nothing shows up at all ... "Waiting For The Tourists - Painterly" is an example of that. And yet, I've seen people happily "liking" the image away while I've been on FB ... so I know it's getting action.

Hi,

Well, I can explain the counts and things for you, its a little complicated.. :)

I'll use FB as an example, but the others will work in a similar way.

The number you see under the 'F' on your image page is gotten directly from FB. Your FAA page uses Javascript to query FB and get the figure, and then display it.

That total is the total of shares,likes, and comments added together.

That value can go up without your FAA view counter going up, because people will see you share on FB, and like it and comment it without even clicking the link to come to FAA. (From what I see and monitoring social media, this is very common. People dont click through that often, but they can easily just like it or comment on it within FB, just like Mark T says).

Now, there is a little 'problem'... maybe not a problem, but you need to know about how FB counts etc to fully understand that number, and why it can be 'different'.

Firstly, it is counting based on a URL (thats the text in your browser bar at the top).

And it counts base on the EXACT url text.

So, you can get different counts for the same page on FAA, because each page can have different 'parameters' in the URL, they might not make the page display any differently, but to FB they are (or can be) different, so it needs to count separately.

So, if you use the FB button at the top of your image to share your image, you're pretty safe, because FAA strips out any extra info in the URL before it sends it to FB to be shared, but if you copy the URL from your browser yourself, exactly as it is, you can include stuff in there that will make it different to FB.

For instance:

Your url of: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/pink-tulips-in-the-window-lois-bryan.html says it has 117 on FB at the moment.

Your url of: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/waiting-for-the-tourists-painterly-lois-bryan.html says it has 0, which you would firstly think is incorrect, because if you go to your FB page you can clearly see you have also shared that one and got likes.

But, see the url that you have shared it with... http://fineartamerica.com/featured/waiting-for-the-tourists-painterly-lois-bryan.html?newartwork=true.

You've shared it with that extra bit on the end, 'newartwork=true'. So, FB is accumulating stats on that URL, but when you view your FAA page, it queries the count on the url 'http://fineartamerica.com/featured/waiting-for-the-tourists-painterly-lois-bryan.html', as FAA cant know what other URL you have typed directly into FB.

You have to be careful that you share the correct URL (without all the extra bits in it) when doing things manually, or the counts can not work, and there is no real fix to that unfortunately.

If you want, you can check directly with FB what the counts are, with these links:

This is the one for the actual URL you shared manually on FB:
https://graph.facebook.com/fql?q=SELECT url, normalized_url, share_count, like_count, comment_count, total_count,commentsbox_count, comments_fbid, click_count FROM link_stat WHERE url='http://fineartamerica.com/featured/waiting-for-the-tourists-painterly-lois-bryan.html?newartwork=true'

But the one that FAA is querying is this one without the extra bit:

https://graph.facebook.com/fql?q=SELECT url, normalized_url, share_count, like_count, comment_count, total_count,commentsbox_count, comments_fbid, click_count FROM link_stat WHERE url='http://fineartamerica.com/featured/waiting-for-the-tourists-painterly-lois-bryan.html'

Sorry its so long, but HTHs... :)

Rob.

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Fantasy Art Web Site

No apologies needed at all, Rob (FireFlux Studios). This is exactly the information I was looking for. I don't quite get it all, but I do understand enough to make this a very good answer that addresses my question quite specifically.

@Lois. You may already know this, but just in case . . . You can share from the "f" on the specific image directly to your fan page. When you click "f", wait a second or two for everything to load. Then drop down the menu under "Share on your timeline". You will now see "Share on a page you manage" as one of your options. Select that and you will see your fan page listed. Choose that and the share will go directly to your fan page and not be posted on your personal page. And it will not have the "extra" information Rob is indicating may be causing concern.

@ Rob ... this is awesome news ... I understand exactly what you're saying ... I've often seen that extra bit at the end and have been sufficiently awake (why do I usually do these things late at night?) to have clicked back and forth and gotten the http without "stuff." And all without even knowing it made a difference in the world, I just didn't like the extras.

This makes perfect sense. Brilliant explanation and I truly appreciate it.

@ Nikolyn, yes you're absolutely right it can be shared that way. I usually add a little description to the FaceBook share posting and somewhere in the back of my mind (a dark, cluttered place) I seem to remember the "share" just going straight through without the ability to add any text ... I may be dead wrong, or, it may be that this was the case way back when and things have changed ... but I'll give it a look-see on my next new image for sure.

Thank you both!!!!

Mystery solved!!!

You can definitely add a message, Lois - I always do, too :)

Thanks, Nikolyn ... I'll definitely give it a try next time!!

One of these days - I'm going to find someone that can "show" me how to use facebook. I have an account there - not a thing on it because - well - I don't know how to use FB to the advantage of my art on FAA - and that is the ONLY reason I would be on FB - not interested in friends or family that aren't interested in looking at and purchasing art - my dear wife's account can keep up with the out-laws and in-laws. I'm NO good at following directions from written material - strictly a visual hands on person. (no point in dithering up instructions here - unless you'd like to help someone that can read and follow your directions - and that leaves me out {thank you}).

Very good discussion! I have been wondering some of the same things. This was very helpful. Thank you. I will continue to follow it.

I came back because I have another question for FireFluxStudios/Rob or anyone else who might know the answer.

I have re-read the information about sharing an individual image to FB (or other social media sites) and understand that.

When you share a Sale Announcement, is it better to share via the button on the announcement page here at FAA or to copy and paste the URL from the browser? I've been copying and pasting from the browser window because I can comment on it on my FB page, but I HAVE noticed that when I do that, the FAA counter does not go up at all. And I think (I don't get enough sales to know for sure) I tried it once from the announcement page f share button and could not say anything about the sale. Maybe it would be better to do that.

I think this may be what Lois was remembering?

Edit to add:
Now that I'm looking, I don't see any way to share an Announcement page via a FAA button. You can like it, but not share it. So the only way to do that is by copying and pasting from the browser window, right? What am I missing here?

Nope, there is no share button on the announcement pages.

If you want, you can copy and use the URL, if you want to post it on FB... but its not going to increase your counter on the main image page, as that is another url.

Rob.

Something that I didn't know is that if you remove images than the votes are taken out of your FAA visitor count. Not that it matters, as don't think visitors help us in the searches, but if you plot this information like I do than something you should be aware of.


As for the other buttons and counts (not only here but everywhere) than I take them all with a great deal of skepticism. The issues are that you have no way of knowing what is the triggers and criteria being counted.

--mary ellen anderson

@ Mary Ellen So are you saying that if you edit an image that has been uploaded for some time and replace that image, you lose your visitor count? Even though you don't lose its place in groups and contests, the comments, etc?

Yes, unfortunately, its a bit messy...

Its because the URL changes sometimes, when you replace the image.

The url is made up of 3 parts.

xxxx-yyyy-zzzz

xxxx = blank or a number
yyyy = The 'artwork title' you enter for the image
zzzz = The 'artist name' you enter for the image.

The xxxx part is calculated by the system automatically for you, normally its blank for most images. However, if someone else (or you) has uploaded an image already with the same title and name, then 'xxxx' will be '1' and then '2' etc, to make sure its unique.

Now, if you replace an image that has 'xxxx' as blank, then it should all be ok for most the stats as the url doesnt change, but the FAA 'like/vote' counter will always reset to Zero.

If the 'xxxx' is there, then it can start to cause problems. Because when you replace the image, it will do a +1 to that number the first time you change the image, therefore giving it a new URL, and all the stats will reset to Zero, apart from Comments and 'Favs'.

However, if you upload the same image again, then this time the number will do a -1 to the number (and is does this continually +1 -1 +1 -1), so it will then reset to the original URL, and the 'share' counters will appear again (because they are based on the url, and it has now returned to the original url, however, the internal 'like/vote' counter doesnt, it stays at zero).

Its all a bit sloppy to be honest, and could need a look at from a developer.

Really, the url shouldn't change when you just upload a replaced imaged, then it wouldn't cause so much of a problem. Also if you've already shared the link externally, the old link will now be 'dead', as its now changed.

So, be careful changing images, but you can try to 'trick' the system into returning to the original URL by changing the image twice, if it starts changing the 'xxxx' part. (but not knowing the code exactly, this might not be a 100% certainty, and maybe if you were really unlucky, and someone else was uploading an image with the same title and artist name at the exact same time, you might also lose the 'xxxx' number to them, I'm guessing)

I've also noticed that when you replace an image, the system doesnt update 'all' versions of that image, so some the small icons of your image remain as the original image. Not sure if this gets 'batch' updated later on or something, but it doesnt update for me at the moment.

Also, if you change the title or artist name, it will reset the 'share' counters and break any links you have posted externally, as this is also changing the url.

Bit complicated, but I think thats how it all 'works'... ;)

Rob.

Thanks for taking the time to explain all this, Rob. I knew changing a title could cause a problem, but not that changing an image could. This also explains more fully some things I have read before about the effect changing a title can have on the url.

I still don't quite understand. Here is the URL of one of my recently uploaded images - at least it's what I have always assumed was the URL.
http://fineartamerica.com/featured/autumn-leaves-nikolyn-mcdonald.html

What part of this would be the "xxxx", the "yyyy", the "zzzz"? It all seems backwards to me. Where would the problematic "1" or other number be - at the beginning or at the end?

Your remark near the end about "some small icons . . . remain as the original image" . . . I've never noticed that. I often check back on images I've placed in a group or a discussion, for example, and while the icon may look as if I haven't changed the image, when I refresh the page, the newly uploaded image always appears.

Thank you again.
Nikolyn

I've noticed the small icons not changing, too ... so I'll usually re upload after awhile if things don't simmer down, and that usually fixes it. I switch / update versions of images now and then ... so I may be shooting myself in the foot when I do, based on what I'm reading here. But ... there ya go. I will just send up a request, once again, for FAA to please, please, please include our image names somewhere on the edit page. I hope it wouldn't be too big a deal, but it would be so so helpful to me as I create waaay too many versions of my stuff ... and having the ability to go back and see exactly which one is posted would be awesome.

the yyyy would be 'autumn-leaves' and the zzzz would be 'nikolyn-mcdonald'.

There is no xxxx bit, as there is no one else with a title of 'autumn leaves' and artist 'nikolyn mcdonald'.

If you change the image on that one, I dont think you will have a problem (apart from the internal 'Like/Vote' count will get reset to zero, but its already zero at the moment for that image, so it shouldnt matter)

The time it starts to get a problem is if there is something in the 'xxxx' position.

So for example, if your URL had been set by the system to this: http://fineartamerica.com/featured/1-autumn-leaves-nikolyn-mcdonald.html

If you had then changed the image, it would change the url to http://fineartamerica.com/featured/2-autumn-leaves-nikolyn-mcdonald.html , which would change all your stat totals to 0, because its a new url. To 'fix' it in that situation, you could then change the image a 2nd time (even if to the same image again), and it 'should' swap the 'xxxx' bit back to '1', and the stats should reappear (apart from the internal like/vote one)

Everytime I change an image in a test, it seems to only update 1/2 the icons correctly, even if I force my browser to refresh. It seems to be something their side with the scripts (its not caching my side, I've tested that), even if I put in the direct URL of some of the icons, and CTRL-F5 (hard refresh) it seems to switch between the old one and new one randomly...

Rob.

Thanks again, Rob. I'll watch mine carefully. I try to watch for and avoid duplicate titles - I do sometimes add #1 or #2 to a title when I have two versions of the same subject. I'll keep my eyes open. It really helps to know where exactly to look for the xxxx bit :)
Nikolyn