How to increase audience retention?

NovaBelladonna

Hi everyone!

I was wondering if anyone had any tips for improving audience retention rate. My LP videos are reasonably short and heavily edited already, but my retention rate is usually really low even though I try to edit out the boring bits. Apparently you should aim for about 50%, but I'm getting nowhere near that. For example, on a video that's less than 10 minutes long I may get 10-20%. I've had a look at my analytics and most people drop off right at the start, without giving them a chance.

Is that normal for Sims LPs? Is there just so much choice people can't be bothered staying on one video for too long?
What did you do to improve yours?
Will it just increase as my videos improve with time/practise?
Do you think I just need a really compelling introduction, right now I just say my intro, but I could put a clip of an exciting bit at the beginning.

If you want to check out my channel and give specific advice that'd be great, but if you've not got time, no worries, I understand.

JayandMeeka

I have no experience so I’m likely not the best to answer this.. but I’ll try anyways haha.

What about having an incentive to stick around until the end of the video by paying those off who do stay?

I’ve seen things like asking a trivia question right at the beginning and then giving the answer at the end. This encourages people who are interested to want to see the result.

I dunno.. but that’s one suggestion?

SimmerBoi

I think your one LP I saw was really nice actually. You even made me laugh.
Make sure you don't view your own video too many times. Probably a stupid thing everyone knows, but I didn't: I noticed that YouTube counted my own views, when I opened the video's page to check the likes and dislikes and closed it right away, so I was ruining my own retention. I've stopped doing that and it's getting better.
Also, I don't know, try and get inspiration from CallMeKevin's Sims LPs? I don't mean you should copy his style, but I think he's getting something right - starting with the insane titles - if he's so successful. Also the thumbnails could be more captivating, I think.

NovaBelladonna

Thanks for your feedback and I'm glad I made you laugh!
I try not to view my own videos too much, but when I add subtitles, cards, or end screen I think it counts as a view as well so that's not helpful.
I really need to work on my thumbnails, they're really not my strong point! I can't seem to do what I want with Adobe Illustrator and Gimp so maybe I need to use PS. Or maybe I just need to spend more time on making them and watching tutorials. I love CallMeKevin, he's definately my main inspiration, though even if I wanted to copy him, I just couldn't: he's 1000x funnier than me (and most people haha), he's got a lovely Irish accent, and he's got a proffessial editor. I'm mainly inspired by his editor atm but ideally I want to get a pun into each episode because I love puns, but I can't ever think of them on the spot!