I have a completion rate issue and I’m not exactly sure how to go about fixing it. I was recently featured on the Black History Month shelf and it impacted my completion rate severely for the 1st chapter. Before the feature, it tended to be between 85%-90% which is very high, but as of today, it’s at 37%. Yesterday it was at 36%. I had completed the story before the feature so I’m not entirely sure what’s different between those two times. I was thinking it could be because my story is more marketable to my audience instead of a more mainstream audience, but I’m not sure what to do to fix that.
I’m personally not very knowledgeable about retention or completetion rate, but think of it this way:
Your retention rates were higher when you had less readers. Your story wasn’t exposed to many readers, and those in your audience that did read it finished the chapters you had out. When your story is featured, read counts go up because more of the Episode platform users are seeing your story. It’s natural that the number will go down as people are curious to see what your story includes. Many times, people will judge the first 30 seconds to a minute of your chapter of your story and decide whether or not to leave from there, and there are many factors that may cause readers to leave. This isn’t to say that there’s anthing wrong with your story necessarily, it just means that readers are very picky when it comes to stories they love—I’m personally, and I hate to say it, one of those people. As chapters go on, those that did stay around usually go on to read the rest of the story, hence the reason retention rates rise each chapter.
I havent read your story so cant tell but it can be a simple reason like not haveing CC, many open a story see no CC and leave. or for me personally to many to CC or author telling me a lot can make me leave too.
I don’t even know about that completion rate is exist, wow
I haven’t read your story, but right CC can be the case, I personally skip the story with no CC. Maybe because I have my own imagination about how character should look like, but I don’t know what others thinking. Other than CC, I’ll stop if there’s a lot of unnecessary conversation or if I start to hate the MC her/his self
I have two of my stories featured before and noticed that the percentage went down a bit too when it was up on the shelf. I think there are many reasons for this.
As what @/line123462 said… maybe it is because a story doesn’t have cc. Other reasons are slow directing or anything in particular that most readers don’t like. Some readers like fast burn romance and some like slow burn. Some prefer no romance at all. So your story only attracts readers who love your plotline. This doesn’t mean that your story isn’t good!
It is kinda normal to have the percentage going down while your story is featured because many readers are checking it out and maybe its just isn’t their cup of tea that is why they stopped reading. Good luck with your story and congrats for being featured
