I started to write a script for a video about how clickbait have really damaged the platform, clickbait taking it to the point the make the creators says “it’s okay, we need monetize, we need to catch your attention somehow, this is the only and the good way”, and I need to make some field research gathering some people opinions about it (I going to ask to some people IRL too). So what do you think? Feel free to answer any of the questions below, and add whatever come to your mind, everything it’s appreciated.

  • Do you use youtube mainly?
  • Do you care about clickbait?
  • Did clickbait make you stop seeing some creator?
  • Did you use youtube but clickbait (among other things) made you to stop using it’s platform?
  • Do you think clickbait is the major of the YouTube’s problems?
  • Do you see something good in clickbait among the bad things? Like, which ones?
  • Could we see clickbait as a necessary evil?

Thanks again! Have a nice day.

Edit: format added to the questions.

  • paraplu@piefed.socialEnglish
    21·
    25 days ago

    I’m not a fan of it, but if I’m remembering correctly, only up to about 2% of views come from the subscriptions page.

    This means a channel has to attract a lot of folks from other areas, and this requires somehow grabbing people. YouTube has tools for A/B testing thumbnails and titles. Channels that have tried clickbait vs normal thumbnails have found normal just doesn’t generate clicks.

    So unless YouTube revenue makes up a small enough percent of a channel’s income, the channel is basically forced into using it. Even if they find it just as distasteful as we do.

    Source: I think this is something Tom Scott went into at some point. The information is likely a few years out of date, but I wouldn’t expect that it’s changed radically.

    I’m honestly more baffled and annoyed at how low usage of subscriptions is, than I am at clickbait. It makes it seem like this problem stems more from an audience desire to be spoonfed by an inscrutable algorithm than from anything to do with clickbait itself, or choices freely made by channels.