Every commission costs money and an editor's time, and most commissioning decisions are made on instinct and page views. Page views reward headlines. They don't tell you whether a long read was worth commissioning again.
Here is how to get a reader verdict on every story you publish, and how to use it in the meeting where you decide what to commission.
The short answer
Ask readers at the end of every story whether it was worth their time and whether they want more like it. Group the stories by format and section, and bring the results to your commissioning meeting. Commission more of the formats readers value and ask for, and fewer of the ones they rate low.
What a commissioning decision needs to know
When you decide what to commission, a few questions come up every time:
- Which formats do readers value: long reads, interviews, reviews, essays, guides?
- Which sections do readers want more of?
- Which subjects do readers keep asking about?
- Did last month's new format land with readers, or only with the team?
Page views answer none of these well. Two short questions at the end of each story answer most of them.
Ask two questions at the end of every story
-
"Was this story worth your time?"
Yes / No. Magazine readers give you their time, not only a click, so ask about the time. It is the figure you compare between stories and formats.
-
"Would you like more stories like this?"
Yes / No. It measures demand for the kind of story, which is what a commissioning decision needs.
-
"What would you like us to cover next?"
Optional free text, last. Subjects and angles in readers' own words, ready to share with writers.
Group stories by format and section
The answers become useful when you can compare groups of stories. If your story addresses include the section, such as /culture/... or /travel/..., a path pattern per section gives each section its own results.
Formats rarely appear in the address, so group them by hand: put each story in a theme such as "Long reads", "Interviews" or "Reviews". Then you can compare whole formats as well as single stories.
Build a one-page brief for the meeting
Once a month, put the results for each format on one page, with the period they cover:
| Format | Stories | Worth your time | Want more like this | Readers asked for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long reads | 4 | 81% Yes | 74% Yes | More on housing costs |
| Interviews | 6 | 77% Yes | 52% Yes | Fewer celebrity guests |
| Reviews | 10 | 69% Yes | 40% Yes | Prices next to each pick |
| Essays | 3 | 55% Yes | 31% Yes | Shorter pieces |
Tip: Only use percentages for stories with at least 10 answers. Below that, show the counts.
Example
Example: a culture magazine's monthly meeting
Say you edit an online culture magazine. The brief shows that long reads about cities get the most "more like this" answers, and several comments ask about housing costs. Reviews are rated well, but few readers want more of them.
So you commission two long reads on housing, move reviews from weekly to every other week, and ask reviewers to add prices. The next brief shows whether the change worked.
Turn reader requests into commissions
- Share readers' exact words with the writer in the brief. They show the angle readers care about.
- Try a new format with two or three pieces before you commit to a series.
- Check pitches against what readers have asked for. A pitch that answers a common request starts with an audience.
- After a commission runs, look at its answers in the next brief, next to the other stories in its format.
Mistakes to avoid
- Commissioning only what scores well. Readers can't ask for something they have never seen, so keep room for new ideas.
- Judging a format on a single story. Wait for several stories with enough answers each.
- Comparing periods of different lengths. Use the same date range for every format in the brief.
- Reading the figures without the comments. The comments tell you what to commission; the figures tell you where to look.
Where Asklet fits
Asklet adds the questions to every story with one snippet in your story template. Path patterns give each section its own results, and themes group stories by format. Comments show next to the numbers with the story each came from.
To give every story its own results and theme, each story needs to be a page in your website, so a busy magazine will need a plan with enough live pages. On the Pro plan you can also export comments, or read the results from an AI assistant through the MCP server.
Your next steps
-
Add two questions to every story
"Was this story worth your time?" and "Would you like more stories like this?".
-
Group stories by section and format
Path patterns for sections, themes for formats.
-
Build a one-page brief each month
One row per format, with the comments readers left.
-
Bring it to the commissioning meeting
Use it next to your own judgement, not in place of it.
-
Brief writers with readers' words
Share the comments that led to the commission.
-
Check new commissions in the next brief
Compare them with other stories in the same format.
Try these steps on your own site. Asklet adds the questions to every page with one snippet. Free plan, no card needed. Compare the plans.
Start freeCommon questions
How do magazines decide which stories to commission?
Usually from editors' judgement, writers' pitches and page views. A short question at the end of each story adds what those miss: whether readers thought the story was worth their time and want more like it.
Should a magazine only commission what readers ask for?
No. Readers can't ask for what they haven't seen. Use their answers to decide how much of each format to commission, and keep room for new ideas.
How many answers does a format need before I compare it?
At least 10 answers per story, across several stories in the format. One popular story is not enough to judge a format.
Can I see which subscribers gave which answers?
No. Answers in Asklet are anonymous: readers don't sign in and nothing that identifies them is stored.
Related
More from the blog
- Privacy and law EU cookie consent changes: where the Digital Omnibus stands in October 2026 9 min read
- Privacy and law Session replay and pixel lawsuits: what website owners should know 9 min read
- Privacy and law How to make a feedback widget accessible, and what the European Accessibility Act asks 9 min read