Your hat does not suck. Also, I totally got click baited and I'm not even mad. It was a pleasant surprise to see that instead of the scandal I was dreading, I got to see instead a great working relationship that is expanding into something even better. Awesome stuff. Keep it up!
The topic is always red hot, but I think you clickbaiting was benign because 1) you were trying to help your channel grow (and it did!) 2) you actually gave us something unexpected (wholesomeness instead of drama? Yeah!) and 3) LegalEagle was clearly ok with it. Clickbait is like spice - it cannot replace the real meal and if you use too much of it almost nobody likes it... but in small doses makes everything more delicious :)
Right. And... It was true! She left! And she spoke out! Nothing in the title says it was bad. She spoke about all the help he gave her getting going. She left because she felt ready to move onto her own thing. It was definitively, legitbait!
I am a Work Experience and Careers teacher and LOVE your last video. I have MANY high school students who want to be "youtubers" but have no idea what that really means. Your video has changed that conversation. It is inspirational mixed with just the right amount of practicality so they can better determine what they are getting in to. Thanks, Amy!
When I watched the "I Left" video I looked back at the thumbnail about ten times and as you spoke on the subject my perception of the image changed, I noticed subtleties and nuances. I enjoyed the video a lot, I subbed, and I think you're very thoughtful and talented.
Someone with an insider's perspective who's willing to talk honestly about the way the sausage gets made in the new media world we live in is nothing but a net good, in my opinion. Keep it up.
One of my favorite cases of a channel not using clickbait is ProZD, who grew massively popular based on his sketches but didnt use clickbait (not even thumbnails, just stills from the video). The titles were just a concise description of what the sketch is i.e. "when you start a new game and you meet the character you know is going to betray you"
While I agree that is a good example, he also had the advantage of bringing a lot of his audience from Vine who were already familiar with his work. So, he already had a lot of momentum and a reasonably large following before he fully committed to YT. If you sort his videos by oldest first, they're still the simple "title and still" thumbnail but have a fraction of the views his videos did before his face/sketches became recognizable enough on their own to entice people to click the video. Not saying by any means he didn't earn it, just making the point that it's questionable whether or not those thumbnails would for someone starting from scratch on YT.
In reference to L Edwards' comment I would put forth the notion that knowing that our options are driven by an Algorithm that takes our past behavior into consideration, I have come to completely expect clickbait-y titles and thumbnails to have at least two possible meanings. As an example, I did not think for a minute that you left LegalEagle under less than good terms, but I *was* interested in what was going to happen next. Also, as an editor, I love to see even a little bit of the BTS and the thought processes.
I didn't feel cheated at all -- you gave me great value and I got a chuckle out of how you told the truth but implied some drama. And after all, I'm getting all this content for free, and I want drama and tension and questions answered! Luckily, when it's well done and keeps me interested -- like you do! -- I'm happy and stay, and will be back for more :)
I did initially watch your Legal Eagle departure / Declaration of Independence because it surprised me that Legal Eagle would have a “OMG What happened?” styled video. My first thought was that Devin was getting a “Me Too” moment and I was so relieved it wasn’t. I was more relieved than I thought I’d be by the end of the video and subscribed. On top of that, your whimsical personality paired with quality informative content is a breath of fresh air. I would argue that your thumbnail is the best kind of thumbnail because it is not misleading in virtually any way. I can imagine Devin making that face losing you from his team and you in fact did leave. But it left a question that I wanted answered. It was the clickbait marketing strategies that are everywhere that caused me to mislead myself. In some small way I feel like your video deprogrammed some of that conditioning for me because I felt genuinely happy. It didn’t save my life or anything but I felt noticeably more positive. Now I know why, your played the game but chose to be kind. Magic by definition is a quality that makes something seem removed from everyday life, especially in a way that gives delight. • informal something that has a delightfully unusual quality. That means that you are a Wizard, Amy, because kindness is a type of magic and you share your wisdom for the enlightenment of others.
Not been this excited about a creator since Peter Mcikinnon was at about your level of subs. You have something special, and considering you have spent most of your career the other side of the glass, you know how to make the camera work for you, which as you know is a art in itself... and then you know how to edit the Bejesus out of these shots. Fair play... I look forward to the next one.
When I read the Legal Eagle clickbait title, I never actually believed that Devin was a monster. I thought, this chick is gonna be hilarious. I clicked to see what the joke was and found a really interesting new channel. Kudos to you for grabbing my attention and keeping it. 🥰
I never felt baited because Devin and his channel were the ones who led me to the video. And as I started this video I thought of the veritasium one about clickbait! This was an excellent topic and I look forward to following your stuff as you continue to produce content!
@@AwkwardAnthems haha, you watched that collab w/me and Legal Eagle? Thanks! It was a funny video. And Devin was very cool when I met him. I am very impressed with your editing, especially the graphic animations aspect. I aspire to reach your level some day. As for my thoughts on the whole clickbait thing: I think you and Veritasium nailed it. I think the ambiguity and storytelling within the thumbnail ought to carry some general idea of what to expect/challenge expectations. It can of course create a dilemma when we are trying to get clicks but to be honest about what we are posting. Btw, congrats on the growth! It is well-deserved. 🤌🏼
oh my dear god... the canned titles. Kill me. I won't click anything with that wording or any of the other really classic ones. "You wont BELIEVE what" blah blah I'm already walking away.
Do these even work? To me it signals low quality content spread thin over way too many shady ads and not worth my time, attention and patience. But then, I've come to realize that being on the autism spectrum I don't react like most people do. There is good clickbait, in a way, this channel does it pretty well, another good example is Daily Dose of Internet. Some channels have content that's so good, I have no idea why they go all in on the clickbait theme, it's cringy and I wouldn't click if I didn't know any better. I guess they have an active following that isn't bothered by this, or find it a funny meme, but probably still help attracting new viewers.
similar to veritasium i have always felt that there is a difference between clickbait and click-worthy. i cant think of a single situation where anyone feels good being "baited" but how I see what you did is exactly what you described, you made something worthy of a click. No shame in that.
Media maxim: fear sells. It's the same process with clickbait a lot of the time; confuses and intrigues the viewer into following the link/narrative. Your use of clickbait is undoubtedly for the positive reason, and merely ensures more will investigate and be retained by the content. Your content is designed with an educational basis, presented in a compelling and unique way. Going to bet your viewer retention rate for the entire length of the videos is pretty massive. Most clickbaiters would probably find it hard to match. But you're an absolute professional. Anticipating your next video eagerly.
You hit the nail on the head when you said we click on things that make us curious. The problem, from a content creator perspective, is what makes people curious is different for pretty much everyone. Click bait is an attempt to ask the viewer a question they immediately want to know the answer too, which isn't inherently a bad thing. The content then has to deliver on not only answering the question satisfactorily, but also confirming the question was worth asking in the first place. Oddly enough, I initially didn't click on your video about leaving LegalEagle because UA-cam drama just makes me tired (and that is what I assumed it would be), but when I saw a positive mention from his channel it made me curious about what you had to say. So it still worked in a roundabout way.
What I'm excited about your channel. your years of experience of editing. Your videos on legal eagle and even here. There's a personality to them and it's really cool to see it. Looking forward to what else comes to your channel.
Clickbait is a bit of a double edged sword. Over the years I actually learned to recognize clickbait and actively avoid entering it. In fact, your LegalEagle video showed up multiple times before, and I only watched it when I ran out of other things. Not sure what the best approach is, perhaps just listen to what feels right to your core and keep focusing on the quality and value :)
Hey there Not Canadian! My two cents on a clickbait thumb: I will almost never click on them. I've cultivated a small media garden based mostly on learning, keeping influencer drama and celebrity crap out. Over the years, I've even removed a few channels that started going towards"all flash, no substance" thumbs and content.
I really liked your thumbnail and title. I think it was the perfect balance and the bait-and-switch of it was positive. Because I went in slightly nervous and left a subscriber and with more love for legaleagle!
This was such a great perspective on clickbait. I used to run a series on my channel called "Clickbait" as a play on words (I call scammers so my aim was to introduce people to "click" on the scam"baiters" who were fighting scammers.) I stopped the series thinking maybe UA-cam would penalize me for use of the word. You're absolutely right...it does spark a conversation!
A part of this is a language thing. We are missing a term for click-bait, which is a click-win (fill in whatever better expression I can't come up with in my Danish brain). The click-bait discussion has become a bit of a one-sided holier-than-thou stick that every commenter feels entitled to beat creators with, which is sometimes on point but also often just too easy. As you can probably tell, I publish the odd UA-cam video myself here and there, and I see both ends of the stick, so to speak. I had never heard of you or your channel and if you had not made a title like that I would probably never have seen your video or clicked on it, and I am really glad I did! The way you make videos is really inspiring and I am sure I will learn a ton and enjoy your content, and it is worth pointing out that I would not have had the chance to do so if you had titled the video "How To Be An Editor For A Legal Themed UA-cam Channel With A Lot Of Subscribers" As far as I am concerned, please keep making funny, engaging clickbait videos like that because clearly we all enjoy them, and don't worry about a few commenters who have trouble accepting that they are human, they might come around in the long run.
On the topic of clickbait, I LOOOOOVEEE Tom Scot's approach.... "clickbaity" title, a question that sparks curiosity, and the simple, short, boring answer in the thumbnail or the first 4 seconds. It's like, my mind gets engaged thinking I want the answer, but the answer strikes fast with the realization that what I really want is the 5 minutes of content that lie beyond it.
Love this!!! You could never leave us with evil clickbait. You’re too trustworthy for that. Exactly why the channel is blowing up. People can sense your integrity ❤️❤️❤️. Also I’m concerned about Barney. Has anyone checked on him lately? 👀
So the great moral lesson I'm gathering from all this is: 1) Cynicism exists. 2) Cynical advertising strategies work. 3) If you can't think of anything better, than instead of fighting it.. 4) Lean into it.
Tell ya what, this video deserves some shares from most who view it. It's properly informative, you're use of expression while delivering the information is appropriate, this description of click bate types while being a click bait video Is awesome. One criticism is that you didnt include video media cites that use the thumb nail and/or title to bring you in. Keep it going you're amazing
Media attention has always been a struggle. When I owned a business in the 80s to the 2000s, I used print media to promote my business. Formulating a message that caught the eye and kept it was a huge problem. My nature was to be funny, sarcastic or off beat but the market can be touchy and one person's humor is another person's un-seriousness. In the end you have to have enough confidence to chart your own path and accept that some people will never be your people. I think you are way ahead of what I ever was and I also feel you deserve all the good things.
I can't even remember the last time I heard a musical reference to Papa Roach's "Last Resort." That was wild. Also great, thoughtful video! I think most long time consumers of UA-cam get that clickbait is a necessary evil.
I came over from LegalEagle but much like him, you seem like a thoughtful, well spoken person with a good sense of humor and a pleasant vocal delivery, which is pretty much everything I look for in a channel. As a former freelance editor on the written journalism side, I find it interesting to hear about the perspective of bts folks that work UA-cam. When I was working the nerd journo side we were really pushed to create clickbait-y articles, and I was often encouraged as an editor to punch up or even rework articles to make them "more engaging" in increasingly deceptive ways. It was emotionally exhausting, tbh, but it makes me more sympathetic to the fact that this is just a thing you have to do to pull in an audience beyond a niche fanbase. I do appreciate a great tongue in cheek or clearly over the top "click bait" thumbnail if the video I end up watching is actually informative and valuable. There can be a fun "we're all in on the joke" vibe. I think Legal Eagle and Phillip Defranco probably pull this off the best out of the channels I watch.
Thanks, Julie! There seems to be a lot of interest in the behind the scenes experience, working for larger channels. Maybe I can explore this in more depth in a future video. Got it on the list! I imagine the click-baity side of journalism is a whole other beast. Thanks for your comment! 💛
I feel like the best clickbait is the one where it’s obviously clickbait (either the title or the thumbnail gives it away). Because then it comes off in good faith, and a bit humorous
The thing I appreciate the most about you, is you. What would keep me coming back is see your authentic self expressing your authentic thoughts concerns and frustrations. You seem very interesting and for the most part, real.
Your association with Legal Eagle, and The specific post on that channel brought me to you, bypassing the clickbait aspect. I’m glad it did. If you keep delivering content like this, clickbait away!
What I want is two thumbnails: one for subs and one for scrubs. Basically it feels bad that a creator I’ve already said “yes I want to see more of your stuff” to, is advertising to me the same way as they are to the masses, with big yelling and shock tactics that are totally unnecessary. It’s like if I went into a store every day and met the same sales person every day, and they greeted me with a megaphone yelling about great savings. Just say “Hi Nathan”, you know my name, Christ. Like the algorithm in general, this is mainly a UA-cam feature issue, not a creator issue.
What you said about the relationship between the clickbait and the value of the associated content is spot on. I’d like to piggyback on that idea and point out that a content provider’s reputation is, at least in part, built on this relationship. I used to spend a lot of time in the flat earth debunk rabbit hole, and there was one UA-camr in particular, who I won’t name, whose videos were good, in the sense that they delivered on the overall idea of highlighting the flawed reasoning and lack of critical thinking skills belonging to the flat earth community, but I eventually stopped watching him because of the clickbaity titles. Every one was, ‘The DUMBEST flat earther…’ or ‘The WORST flat earth argument!’ and it became a boy who cried wolf type thing, which, in and of itself, was enough for me to stop watching. It’s especially egregious since his target audience is, specifically, people who aren’t very gullible. It became kind of insulting. On the other hand, when you made your video about leaving Legal Eagle and suggested that Devin was some kind of tyrant, it was pretty clear that this was tongue in cheek. Anyone who has watched the channel with any regularity should have been suspicious of such a claim, and yet… That small sliver of doubt saying, ‘no, he can’t possibly be like that, can he?’ is the thing that really pulls the finger toward the click, even if we’re pretty confident it’s a joke. But the point is that we are generally happy to have been ‘duped’ in this way as opposed to the other, and it serves to build and/or reinforce your reputation and rapport with your audience. The other aspect is, in the case of the former, one simply becomes desensitized to all caps and outrageous claims over time. I’m a big Star Wars nerd and I watch many of the channels that do breakdowns and theorizing on Star Wars content. Star Wars Meg is one of my favorites. Though she (among others) also engages in this, she nearly always delivers on claims like, “MASSIVE LEAKS!!” and such. But the point is that it not only seems unnecessary, but I barely even register it anymore because it is so ubiquitous. The gum has long since lost its flavor, but we still chew it mindlessly, and on both ends, provider and subscriber.
looking forward to watching the evolution of all of this. but wanted to say; as much as I like everything (editing, writing, presentation, yes - even the toque ... look it up. ;) ), I REALLY love your lighting! more creators should take note. very chill very relaxed. very inviting.
The conversations around titling works across various media along the spectrums of factual to fictional, representational to abstract, and conscious engagement with the respective medium's artistic potentialities (academic works can also be ones of art, they aren't mutually exclusive states) being seen as "clickbait" and in the terms of vocabulary of a "tech"/scientific (i.e. purely quantitative and empirically driven) and thus transactional in nature context and framework of understanding never fails to call to mind something one of my film professors said about his approach to titling films. He was an older Hungarian experimental filmmaker who was then teaching at (and had been for a while) NYU, so his perspective on the matter, you could say, he's put quite a bit of thought into, has resonated with me ever since, and comes at this topic from a completely different angle. "A film's title should be the key that makes your audience want to and able to unlock it's experience." Within that context, especially regarding your last video, your video's name and thumbnail (as the extension of titling that it basically is for youtube) absolutely hit the nail on the head, imo. Like, rather than seeing it as "legit baiting" and "click trapping", think of it as (outside of capitalist commodification and empiricism as the only valid form of "truth" finding) actually caring about properly naming your work as the aesthitic act that it truly is, to use a term from aesthetic theory, to enhance or in some way add to and not detract or subtract from the art object/moment (the efficacy and clarity of communicating what you intended/wanted sincerely, to put it another way). I didn't feel I was baited at all into watching that video. I love the art of editing, even though I specialised in cinematography, and love editors perspectives on things as well as what the experience of working as one on youtube in general, but I care about labour rights anyway and so wanted to know about that aspect of a channel and creator I enjoy already. Like, those comments seemed disappointed Devin isn't horrible to work with and for, which is weird if you think about it for more than a second, but this has already been quite a lot without getting into that hahahaha
I love this kind of video, you are really good and insightful. Plus, many of us come from Devin, we all have roughly the same basic values. Keep slaying, sis!!
@@AwkwardAnthems 🤣🤣🤣 ain't we annoyingly uplifting, are we?? Lol At the end of the day, I think most of us "get it". I do have a burning question though; will you be able to do the kind of segues Devin does?? 👀👀👀lol
@@andrearaimondi882 No, his are unmatched! I haven't figured out my Segue Style just yet. Light, and barely noticed or RIGHT IN YOUR FACE, but not offensively-so. TBD.
I liked your last title. It felt more like a joke than anything else. Love the click trap description. And I also hate the ones who uses it, but who doesn’t have too. I follow two UA-camrs (that shall remain unnamed) that constantly post clock trap titles that never delivers. The problem is that their content, otherwise, is good and something I like watching, but doing so just leaves me feeling annoyed. Mostly annoyed at them, but also that they must think that their click baits work, since I did click.
I think I recognized the cheeky bit of clickbait as akin to self-aware parody, in a way. Perhaps that's because I found the video linked directly from LegalEagle himself, and I immediately drew the reasonable conclusion that he wouldn't be such a supportive former boss if the video actually made claims about mistreatment or him being unpleasant to work for. You're right about one thing: clickbait works, and that's the world we live in. As long as you keep using those powers for good, I don't mind it.
my thing about clickbaity titles simply comes down to how I feel at the end and how I feel the content lived up to the title. one of my favorite channels often uses clickbaity titles, but it’s just like… a slightly sensationalized statement about the content. it’s not inaccurate and you legitimately learn something at the end so I don’t see an issue with it
Yes, I got clickbaited to your channel and in the first video I expected that he did something negative. But, was pleasantly surprised that you praised LegalEagle. Clickbait sels and promotes, printed media know it very well, that is why we have so many celebrity gossip magazines. But you delivered value and that is why I stayed. Sharing your experience in editing seems interesting (at least for me). Even very technical stuff is engaging when delivered right way (Captain Disillusion, is master of that). Keep it up :)
I remember literally blocking upworthy for being the worst type II clickbait. All lies, false promises, and the most tedious and boring content possible. It wasn't long before everyone else's headlines were in the same misleading style simply because it got results.
Just some advice that I take to heart everyday, People ask the same questions and you can give 1 answer that Covers 1000 Of them. I guess this would be quality over quantity. I would love to be answered individually. I watch channels and get answers I didn't realize I needed. So excited to see your channel grow!
First - I like the hat. Second, you are an exceptional editor - Devin will come running back. Finally, you are spot on with bait. You need enough of a tag to jump out from the froth and grab new subscribers. But if you deliver the subscribers will become loyal and watch whatever you put up within reason. Along those lines you need themes and arcs that keep us coming back. Editing is a great but very narrow topic even with its myriad of styles and intended audiences. I'm eager to see what else you gravitate to.
I'd love to delve a little more into topics related to mental health and psychology. There's plenty I can share about the technical side of editing, but I think the "feeling" side informs so many decisions too and is often overlooked. That might be fun topic to explore...
@@AwkwardAnthems - You are spot on. There are many films that really show the power of editing as an art form. Most of the pre-Disney Lucasfim stuff is very strong editing as well as tightly integral sound design and lighting. "Raising Arizona" is a favorite for just creating brilliant continuity. Many more. I have become a fan of "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul" for their unique cinematography and editing. (Yes I watch some scenes over and over to see how they pulled that off.) UA-cam videos are bite-sized endeavors but the artistry is the same. The short form is constraining but also liberating as you have less footage to process and don't need a megabudget. I think a Masterclass on UA-cam centric post production will be well received.
As someone who had never heard about you before your “I left” video but has watched many legal eagle videos, I can say that I did only click on your video because I was curious what he did and why you left. But I’m glad you made the title and thumbnail the way you did because I don’t think I would have found your channel otherwise. I have seen veritasium’s video previously, but something else I realized is the click bait doesn’t just end at the title and thumbnail. A lot of creators on this platform will make a super baity thumbnail and title and then imply throughout the video that you are going to eventually see what they promised, but then either it doesn’t happen at all, or when it does it’s nothing like what they explained. But your video doesn’t do that. You were very up front with your intentions for that video and I was left more satisfied after the video was over.
I respect the hustle. Where I draw the line is the low effort clickbaity videos that target children specifically If a video clickbaited me but I still enjoyed it then it's all good Oh and one more thing Nice hat!
I didn't take the last video as negatively clickbaity at all; I took it as a solid use of the classic "Come for the.../Stay for the..." hook. Come for the story related to Legal Eagle, stay for the engaging creator and her interesting content. I don't know much about editing, but I'm always impressed by how much it can shape and affect an end product. I'd be fascinated to learn more about it (and also about how things go for an up-and-coming creator), and your personality and approach make me want to stay. 🙂
I appreciate the honest discussion about this touchy topic. I don't necessarily agree with Derek's thesis, and in fact he is one of the only YT channels I've ever unsubscribed from because I felt he started putting more effort into selling his videos than actually just providing the entertaining and educational content I had grown accustom to. Here's what I think is wrong with the "two types of clickbait" theory: The one thing that really separates the two types is if they're disingenuous or misleading, which is something that you can only know after you have already clicked on the thumbnail. Therefore, before you've clicked on it, both types of clickbait present themselves as exactly the same and thus cannot be distinguished from one another. I am enjoying your content and glad that I clicked! But if I'm being honest, I never would have clicked if it hadn't been for the LegalEagle shoutout, not so much the thumbnail. I understand the predicament you're in though where you're making videos to get views (otherwise what's the point, right?) so you gotta do what you gotta do to get those views. I wish I could provide an alternative solution, but I guess I just wanted to point out that I don't find Derek's arguments very convincing. Lastly, I'd also like to point out that I have no intention to stop watching your channel if you continue to use "clickbait-y" thumbnails, because I'm not inherently put-off by it and I've already broken through and know that you're going to show something great regardless of what the thumbnail is!
There is a channel that pops up on my feed constantly and the clickbait title is usually along the lines of “Voyager 2 discovery terrifies scientists “ or “Discovery in Antarctica terrifies scientists “ or the thumbnail is a massive hole on some part of the world. …… it’s all the worst sort of clickbait. I think apart from not clicking on it the only way to battle it is to find out who their sponsor is for that video and contact them and say “I am not using your product or service because X constantly lies about the content in their titles and thumbnails”
I feel like clickbait should only define disingenuous titles. As you said, nowadays people have choices, so even if a video comes from a content creator I like, that only gives a bias in their favor. I still rely on the title to inform me as to whether the video contains content I want to watch. For movies, trailers exist. Books usually have summaries on the back. For videos on UA-cam, which tend to be short, consumers require an even shorter summary, a TL;DR. The only methods creators have are titles and thumbnails. Sure, videos have "descriptions", but nobody sees that until they're already on the video. I don't begrudge clickbait titles for videos, I rely on them. Now, when the video doesn't satisfy the title, that's when it becomes a problem. I feel like how you handled the other video was actually perfect. The title and thumbnail were engaging, but not untrue, and the video's content directly resolved the title.
Puppies almost always get my clicks. The title may be in a language I don't understand, but a cute dog/cat/hamster/etc in the thumbnail often gets me to click.
Clickbait exists and gets results, is an unavoidable necessary evil. Some content creators** use it negatively and in a way that disappoints viewers. However, it gets people's attention. If content creators who put out positive and beneficial material like yourself do not use similar tactics to get views then arguably the whole marketplace of ideas suffers or is a little bit duller as a result. It's a classic case of. Don't hate the player, hate the game! I wish you the best of luck and really hope this new venture works out for you! **In my opinion most content creators were I have encountered clickbait!
I agree with some of the commenters. Your hat does not suck. On the topic of clickbait. Yes it is bad, but with society, it is how you get people's interest. Society has shown that they are more interested in the drama and the sensational. You can see it in the news as well. They do not report the facts (both sides of every story), they only report the biased version of the sensational bits. I do not blame the clickbait, I blame society. If we want to stop the clickbait, then we need to change society as a whole. I will be honest, it was your video about your "I left" video. I have gone back and looked at your others. But it was that one that grabbed my attention. I love your videos, please keep doing what you are doing. It is amazing.
The "clickbait" portion of your video on "speaking out" was based on, at least, my preconceived notion. There is nothing inherent in speaking out being negative. I'm just used to it being so. The evil picture would probably be clickbait, but I didn't consider the first video of yours to be. You brought a positive message when we're not used to positive messages. I appreciate the thoughtful response to a complaint with which I did not agree.
I'm kinda surprised how low the conversion of views to subscribers was from that last video. The last video did a good job introducing us to you. We also got to learn a bit. Win, win.
To those who came after you about any offence to do with “clickbait” I say a great big Pfffffffft. Especially when you’re starting out and/or haven’t gained much traction yet, clickbait is just part of what you honestly need to do sometimes to pique the interest of those who might’ve otherwise gone for their current list of more established favourites. And exactly as many others have already said: you absolutely delivered on that “I Left” video-no disappointment for me at all as a viewer! It was a great video, worth getting lured into watching 😛♥️ keep up the great work, can’t wait to see more from you!
Just watched the video you're referring to and yeah the title at first had me curious if he was a good guy like I thought, but then bam, you set the tone very quickly. So I think it was well done. It's not like you kept people hanging for an extended period of time. Glad the video helped grow your channel, you deserve it :) Some people are also just haters. smh
I honestly didn't feel clickbaited for last vid, since I saw the initial link on LegalEagle's community post suggesting we check it out, so I figured it was a friendly video w a teasing title card. Though, I could understand someone not seeing the community post first and assuming the opposite. Sidenote, I like the teaser you included for the next video and outro both funny and engaging
I do have to say, if you accept that clickbait is an unfortunate reality, then a lot of the complaint will be from people who view someone as "above chasing after views", someone who would never do anything just for more engagement. I guess that feeling of betrayal is probably why we get such heated discussions
@@mikeduncan3953 Oh I'm not at all implying that they are correct. I agree that it's kind of an unfortunate reality, I'm just trying to get into the psychology of why there's such hate towards clickbait
@@diarya5573 Well I think the bottom line is that we are being tricked, and we don't like to be tricked because it makes us feel dumb. But the absolute vitriol with which many respond to this happening is sometimes way out of proportion.
You know it's interesting, I was directed to your video by Devin's post via legal eagle, which was (in my perception) very clearly written as a joke, and so I knew going in that it wasn't going to be any kind of takedown or controversy. I wonder if, had I seen your thumbnail first without that context, I would have felt the same? There's also, I think, something a little bit unfair to producers in how language comes across. There's nothing inherent in the phrase "speaks out" that requires it to be about bad things. But of course, there's no shortage of examples of it being used to draw people in to bad faith stuff. I like Derek's definition too (also a longtime veritasium fan), and it gets at a deeper truth. Herodotus, the ancient Greek author, is often called the father of history, as he's credited with popularizing the kind of historical narrative that was, well, a narrative. People were writing down events before he lived, but it tended to be just lists of things that people saw or heard, with no attempt to tell any kind of story or explain what any of it meant, just recounting agnostic details. And Herodotus realized what many of us do, that cold dispassionate facts are not engaging or meaningful to most people, even if they are true. We have trouble connecting to things if there's no story to get invested in. So there's always going to be a desire in us for things that grab our attention and play upon our craving for that drama, that narrative, good and bad. I appreciate your thoughts! Wishing you all the success.
I'm checking out your videos after your "dangers of going viral" video attracted me. I'm one of the people who avoids clickbait videos if they look too heavily clickbatey. Your "I left" video was one of those that I avoided, not because of the thumbnail, but because of the title. "Speaks out" is widely accepted as meaning "speaking against someone/something despite pressure to stay quiet." I hate people using that for attention because it's just pointless shit-stirring, which is bad for everyone. I also fairly often go through waves of marking videos "not interested" when they have arrows and circles in the thumbnails (regardless of subject) just to keep the algorithm in check. I don't want it to recommend too much clickbait for me, and I'm willing to miss good stuff to achieve that. Every time I consider clicking a video, I ask myself if I'm willing to encourage UA-cam to recommend similar thumbnails, and I fairly often opt for "not interested" instead of click-through on this basis alone. I watched this video because it was obviously _about_ clickbait instead of _being_ clickbait, but I will still remove it from my watch history in the hopes of avoiding an arrow infestation that's harder to kill than cockroaches. Clickbait will still catch my attention, but the attention it gets from me is the same kind that wasps get: Kill it before it stings me. This is the danger of using clickbait. It may attract the wrong crowd and repel the crowd you actually want. "Editor Speaks Out" Do you really want the attention of people who are eager for trouble? And then to provoke those unwholesome people by not delivering the juicy story you were hinting they would find inside? Something like "Editor Flies Free" might attract a better crowd without any changes to the thumbnail and still offers an enticing story. It would also avoid annoying people with an insinuation that isn't true.
I hadn't heard about the Barney stuff, so I assumed this was going to be more about capitalizing on nostalgia as click bait. Interesting how your perceptions are different when you don't have all the information. Great video and editing regardless.
Your last video was great ! And people expecting you to say something bad does make a bit of sense because it's internet and people love to whine, but also you and too few others are bringing a different vibe to internet. It's positive and beautiful and I like it. Soon, clickbaiting like that will be fine because the value and results will be great with people like you. I also like the title of this video
Veritasium is a really great channel, I've been subbed to him for awhile now. Also, I clicked on the other video not because of the title, but because of the picture of Devin. Yep. my brain went to the "it's the next Legal Eagle video" without reading the title, so take that as you will 😄
I watch YT primarily.. No network TV stuff, just streaming... So with some minor authority I can suggest... If the type of thumbnail /title you throw out leaves your audience with a thought of "Hugh... Cool" or "no kidding?!!" You're doing ok... If it leaves them with..." Aww WTF did I click this crap for????!" You're doing it wrong. Tabloid versus headline kinda deal. Stay the course, do right by your viewers and you got this.
Also, not to get too deep into Freud here.. But your title in the last video was just a fact. You left. If people infer immediate drama or scandal as the cause, that's their outlook. Just saying
OK, I watched your inaugural video because I knew that Legal Eagle was a quality show and I am convinced that Devin would only work with great people. Now that may say more about my credulity and ability /inability to gauge people, but I was proven right (this time) and am a happy subscriber.
The legal eagle vid did get me by clickbait, and I do hate that, because normally I don’t fall for that type of thing. Even from some of the channels I really like, I refuse to click on the ones that are stereotypical bait. Usually they under deliver. I stuck around for this channel and subbed because I actually enjoyed that vid and others. You do some good work. Please keep doing some of those funny / short / experimental vids, even if they only get a couple thousand views.
Clickbait is just a given these days... Honestly, I think it's just something that will become normalised to the extent that we won't even think about it anymore... Navigating between good and bad clickbait will become something we will learn, just another skill... I don't see it as a generally bad thing tbh - it's certainly not as bad as hatebait, which seems to be central to the business model of platforms like Facebook... Angry people click more and interact more, and I think that's a far more egregious, damaging, and toxic aspect to our online lives. I think it can be argued that platforms like Facebook are largely to blame for the stark divisions we see in our societies, and the insular echo chambers that have formed as a result of the algorithms. I realise this is a pretty broad and deep topic, but if you'd consider doing a video on it, I think it would be an important discussion to promote. Wishing you all the best ❤️
As I was watching, I was thinking Derek Muller over on Veritasium has talked about this, and then you reference him! Great video, Amy - one thing that you could have taken further is that I think much clickbait isn't just about creating contention, but it also is about generating this (faux?) outrage that sadly seems to be so much a part of public discourse these days. All the best from a new sub from over on Legal Eagle and Veritasium channels.
I like your channel-you are starting to drift into a theme of “pulling back the curtain as a channel focus,” with snazzy editing. A few other UA-camrs (such as Veritasium) dabble in that from time to time, but this is watching a channel grow from the ground up, while almost being on the inside. So yeah, I’m curious to watch and see how your journey plays out.
As a lifelong hater of Clickbait thank you ! It gave me a lot to think about and changed my perception that all clickbait is evil. Always a good day when my viewpoint is challenged!
I guess it's one of those game-theory things were if you could trust others to play nice everyone wins, but because some people play dirty if you don't you'll be at a disadvantage even though playing dirty is bad for everyone...
Heh, I actually loved the "clickbait" of the last video. Although to be fair if it hadn't been for Legal Eagle sharing the link, making me know the video was safe, I probably wouldn't have clicked it to avoid "drama" PS: Love the hat!
Thumbnails are advertising. Promote something I want to buy. When I feel satisfied that the rubber pool on the box is the pool I unpacked, the advertising worked. If I don't then the channel gets blocked, and the ad failed to create a customizer instead of a sampler.
I keep my UA-cam and news feeds fairly clear of click traps by blocking channels. I block far more channels and news sources than I subscribe to. if I could block entire topics like "sports" and "entertainment" I would be all set.
LOL when I do my episodes the approach I take is to have a creative thumbnail, not in the sense of hitting algorithms or tricking people into clicking but just something artistic or funny or a strange screenshot from the vid or a mix of those. To my mind, the thumbnail is the same as the vid - the goal is to be creative and entertaining with it. My favorites are mock movie posters, like one episode of a "driving" game I do was me finding a '58 Fury and doing it up like Christine. I edited the intro for that episode to be a version of the Christine killing Moochie scene from the film, down to having the same song playing with all the bass out equalized out of it so it sounded like it was coming from old car speakers. I took a still shot from that scene and used it to make a version of the Christine movie poster, with my name and a ton of channel references hidden in the credits bits. I've done a few now and they are always fun to make. Also most of my episodes I give a title to, and I will try and make that a hook as well, but the title ALWAYS has some reference to a joke or a bit in the game. Once I had an episode where I made a joke about how something was as boring as having sex with a librarian, followed it up with "just kidding, nobody would have sex with a librarian," and ended up calling the episode "The Sex Lives of Librarians." Very much a hook, but it had a total payoff in the episode. You might have got your big push from a slightly teasing thumbnail/title, but don't feel bad about it. The YT algorithm is weird anyways, I got a big boost back when I had only a hundred or so subs and my episodes were not that great, because it randomly picked my vid to promote. End of the day I figure if I use a good hook it's not a big deal, as long as the episode delivers on it. I know creators who use the exact sort of thumbnail you were talking about and get mad views that way, but a lot of them make solid content that I really enjoy watching so I never feel cheated. Clickbait only works to get people to look at your vid, it's quality that gets them to stay. I like to think that you got recommended to me not because of the thumbnail you used, but because I am subbed to legal eagle and regularly watch his vids. I really enjoy the stuff you've been putting out on your channel, which is why I keep coming back. I am DEFINITELY gonna be watching the upcoming one on editing - I mentioned before that over the last year I have really leaned hard into the editing side, because it enables me to not just record content but creatively present it to people who watch it. I've said in the past that I don't want to just have someone watching me play a game, I want to give them a production. You being a creator/editor makes your vids in particular really hit a note for me, I get to both enjoy what you are doing and also really appreciate your editing.
Wow, the editing is top notch! Whoever your editor is, Amy, they’re killing it
Right?! Maybe they should work for Legal Eagle.. 🤔
🤣😂📽
I'll have to pass on the compliment! She'll be happy to hear it. 🤪🙌
LOL she is the editor
@@wiiu7640 that's.. that's the joke.
Your hat does not suck.
Also, I totally got click baited and I'm not even mad. It was a pleasant surprise to see that instead of the scandal I was dreading, I got to see instead a great working relationship that is expanding into something even better. Awesome stuff. Keep it up!
Samesies. Can you sell the hat in your merch store whenever you get around to that?
Seems to me that Mr. Beast basically solved the "science of thumbnails" 😁
Thanks, Zoe! 🥰
@@JosephBales If there's interest for this, absolutely! lol This hat was a crotchet project from a couple years ago. I love crotchet!
@@JosephBales +1 for hat acquisition opportunity.
The topic is always red hot, but I think you clickbaiting was benign because 1) you were trying to help your channel grow (and it did!) 2) you actually gave us something unexpected (wholesomeness instead of drama? Yeah!) and 3) LegalEagle was clearly ok with it.
Clickbait is like spice - it cannot replace the real meal and if you use too much of it almost nobody likes it... but in small doses makes everything more delicious :)
Right. And... It was true!
She left! And she spoke out! Nothing in the title says it was bad. She spoke about all the help he gave her getting going. She left because she felt ready to move onto her own thing.
It was definitively, legitbait!
100%. I knew it was going to be positive but I was still intrigued. I definitely wasn’t disappointed.
Haha yes I like this analogy
I couldn't agree more...
I think some people have had so much of that spice that they start to gag the second they taste it. And, well, I can see how that happened.
I am a Work Experience and Careers teacher and LOVE your last video. I have MANY high school students who want to be "youtubers" but have no idea what that really means. Your video has changed that conversation. It is inspirational mixed with just the right amount of practicality so they can better determine what they are getting in to. Thanks, Amy!
Thanks so much, Christie! That means a lot. I hope your students found it instructive! ✨🌻
When I watched the "I Left" video I looked back at the thumbnail about ten times and as you spoke on the subject my perception of the image changed, I noticed subtleties and nuances. I enjoyed the video a lot, I subbed, and I think you're very thoughtful and talented.
Someone with an insider's perspective who's willing to talk honestly about the way the sausage gets made in the new media world we live in is nothing but a net good, in my opinion. Keep it up.
One of my favorite cases of a channel not using clickbait is ProZD, who grew massively popular based on his sketches but didnt use clickbait (not even thumbnails, just stills from the video). The titles were just a concise description of what the sketch is i.e. "when you start a new game and you meet the character you know is going to betray you"
While I agree that is a good example, he also had the advantage of bringing a lot of his audience from Vine who were already familiar with his work. So, he already had a lot of momentum and a reasonably large following before he fully committed to YT. If you sort his videos by oldest first, they're still the simple "title and still" thumbnail but have a fraction of the views his videos did before his face/sketches became recognizable enough on their own to entice people to click the video. Not saying by any means he didn't earn it, just making the point that it's questionable whether or not those thumbnails would for someone starting from scratch on YT.
In reference to L Edwards' comment I would put forth the notion that knowing that our options are driven by an Algorithm that takes our past behavior into consideration, I have come to completely expect clickbait-y titles and thumbnails to have at least two possible meanings. As an example, I did not think for a minute that you left LegalEagle under less than good terms, but I *was* interested in what was going to happen next. Also, as an editor, I love to see even a little bit of the BTS and the thought processes.
Had just watched a BTS concert and for a second thought you were referring to them 🤭
I didn't feel cheated at all -- you gave me great value and I got a chuckle out of how you told the truth but implied some drama. And after all, I'm getting all this content for free, and I want drama and tension and questions answered! Luckily, when it's well done and keeps me interested -- like you do! -- I'm happy and stay, and will be back for more :)
I did initially watch your Legal Eagle departure / Declaration of Independence because it surprised me that Legal Eagle would have a “OMG What happened?” styled video. My first thought was that Devin was getting a “Me Too” moment and I was so relieved it wasn’t. I was more relieved than I thought I’d be by the end of the video and subscribed.
On top of that, your whimsical personality paired with quality informative content is a breath of fresh air. I would argue that your thumbnail is the best kind of thumbnail because it is not misleading in virtually any way. I can imagine Devin making that face losing you from his team and you in fact did leave. But it left a question that I wanted answered. It was the clickbait marketing strategies that are everywhere that caused me to mislead myself. In some small way I feel like your video deprogrammed some of that conditioning for me because I felt genuinely happy. It didn’t save my life or anything but I felt noticeably more positive. Now I know why, your played the game but chose to be kind.
Magic by definition is a quality that makes something seem removed
from everyday life, especially in a way that gives delight.
• informal something that has a delightfully unusual quality.
That means that you are a Wizard, Amy, because kindness is a type of magic and you share your wisdom for the enlightenment of others.
"Kindness is a type of magic.."--Aww, that hit me in the feels. Thank you. 🌻
Operational kindness;
its algorithmically heart warming!
So glad I wore headphones for this, otherwise I may have missed the beautifully timed and subtle “your hat sucks” and “your hat still sucks” 😂
Yes!!! Totally agree the left/right pan was hilarious.
Not been this excited about a creator since Peter Mcikinnon was at about your level of subs. You have something special, and considering you have spent most of your career the other side of the glass, you know how to make the camera work for you, which as you know is a art in itself... and then you know how to edit the Bejesus out of these shots. Fair play... I look forward to the next one.
Thanks, Philip! 🙌 Big Peter McKinnon fan over here! I gotta level up my cinematography skills, so I can sneak in some Peter McKinnon-styled montages.
When I read the Legal Eagle clickbait title, I never actually believed that Devin was a monster. I thought, this chick is gonna be hilarious. I clicked to see what the joke was and found a really interesting new channel. Kudos to you for grabbing my attention and keeping it. 🥰
Little did you suspect that Devin was, in fact, Godzilla!
I never felt baited because Devin and his channel were the ones who led me to the video. And as I started this video I thought of the veritasium one about clickbait! This was an excellent topic and I look forward to following your stuff as you continue to produce content!
I love your thoughtful response. Your last video worked and was not negative, so well done and congratulations on 60K+ subs
Thanks, Jeffrey! 🙂
I am excited for this one! It’s something as a creator I have constantly thought about.
Would love to know your thoughts! I just checked out your channel, and didn't know you taught LegalEagle some Tagalog. Good stuff. LOL! 😂
@@AwkwardAnthems haha, you watched that collab w/me and Legal Eagle? Thanks! It was a funny video. And Devin was very cool when I met him.
I am very impressed with your editing, especially the graphic animations aspect. I aspire to reach your level some day.
As for my thoughts on the whole clickbait thing: I think you and Veritasium nailed it. I think the ambiguity and storytelling within the thumbnail ought to carry some general idea of what to expect/challenge expectations. It can of course create a dilemma when we are trying to get clicks but to be honest about what we are posting.
Btw, congrats on the growth! It is well-deserved. 🤌🏼
@@PutingPinoy I did watch! It was very light-hearted and fun, and Devin was a great sport! lol Glad you're enjoying the content.
You clickbaited me into clicking this to learn the SHOCKING truth about clickbait! The system is working!
This comment and your avatar work really well together. lol
Use this one weird trick to get more views. Doctors hate it!
oh my dear god... the canned titles. Kill me. I won't click anything with that wording or any of the other really classic ones. "You wont BELIEVE what" blah blah I'm already walking away.
Do these even work? To me it signals low quality content spread thin over way too many shady ads and not worth my time, attention and patience. But then, I've come to realize that being on the autism spectrum I don't react like most people do.
There is good clickbait, in a way, this channel does it pretty well, another good example is Daily Dose of Internet. Some channels have content that's so good, I have no idea why they go all in on the clickbait theme, it's cringy and I wouldn't click if I didn't know any better. I guess they have an active following that isn't bothered by this, or find it a funny meme, but probably still help attracting new viewers.
#8 shocked me!?!?!?!?!
similar to veritasium i have always felt that there is a difference between clickbait and click-worthy. i cant think of a single situation where anyone feels good being "baited" but how I see what you did is exactly what you described, you made something worthy of a click. No shame in that.
Media maxim: fear sells. It's the same process with clickbait a lot of the time; confuses and intrigues the viewer into following the link/narrative. Your use of clickbait is undoubtedly for the positive reason, and merely ensures more will investigate and be retained by the content.
Your content is designed with an educational basis, presented in a compelling and unique way. Going to bet your viewer retention rate for the entire length of the videos is pretty massive. Most clickbaiters would probably find it hard to match. But you're an absolute professional.
Anticipating your next video eagerly.
Your writing style is lovely. Thanks for such a thoughtful comment! 🙂
You hit the nail on the head when you said we click on things that make us curious. The problem, from a content creator perspective, is what makes people curious is different for pretty much everyone. Click bait is an attempt to ask the viewer a question they immediately want to know the answer too, which isn't inherently a bad thing. The content then has to deliver on not only answering the question satisfactorily, but also confirming the question was worth asking in the first place. Oddly enough, I initially didn't click on your video about leaving LegalEagle because UA-cam drama just makes me tired (and that is what I assumed it would be), but when I saw a positive mention from his channel it made me curious about what you had to say. So it still worked in a roundabout way.
What I'm excited about your channel.
your years of experience of editing. Your videos on legal eagle and even here. There's a personality to them and it's really cool to see it. Looking forward to what else comes to your channel.
Clickbait is a bit of a double edged sword. Over the years I actually learned to recognize clickbait and actively avoid entering it. In fact, your LegalEagle video showed up multiple times before, and I only watched it when I ran out of other things. Not sure what the best approach is, perhaps just listen to what feels right to your core and keep focusing on the quality and value :)
Hey there Not Canadian! My two cents on a clickbait thumb: I will almost never click on them. I've cultivated a small media garden based mostly on learning, keeping influencer drama and celebrity crap out. Over the years, I've even removed a few channels that started going towards"all flash, no substance" thumbs and content.
I really liked your thumbnail and title. I think it was the perfect balance and the bait-and-switch of it was positive. Because I went in slightly nervous and left a subscriber and with more love for legaleagle!
This was such a great perspective on clickbait. I used to run a series on my channel called "Clickbait" as a play on words (I call scammers so my aim was to introduce people to "click" on the scam"baiters" who were fighting scammers.) I stopped the series thinking maybe UA-cam would penalize me for use of the word. You're absolutely right...it does spark a conversation!
That's really clever! lol
A part of this is a language thing. We are missing a term for click-bait, which is a click-win (fill in whatever better expression I can't come up with in my Danish brain). The click-bait discussion has become a bit of a one-sided holier-than-thou stick that every commenter feels entitled to beat creators with, which is sometimes on point but also often just too easy. As you can probably tell, I publish the odd UA-cam video myself here and there, and I see both ends of the stick, so to speak.
I had never heard of you or your channel and if you had not made a title like that I would probably never have seen your video or clicked on it, and I am really glad I did! The way you make videos is really inspiring and I am sure I will learn a ton and enjoy your content, and it is worth pointing out that I would not have had the chance to do so if you had titled the video "How To Be An Editor For A Legal Themed UA-cam Channel With A Lot Of Subscribers"
As far as I am concerned, please keep making funny, engaging clickbait videos like that because clearly we all enjoy them, and don't worry about a few commenters who have trouble accepting that they are human, they might come around in the long run.
On the topic of clickbait, I LOOOOOVEEE Tom Scot's approach.... "clickbaity" title, a question that sparks curiosity, and the simple, short, boring answer in the thumbnail or the first 4 seconds. It's like, my mind gets engaged thinking I want the answer, but the answer strikes fast with the realization that what I really want is the 5 minutes of content that lie beyond it.
The perfect formula- agreed!
Love this!!! You could never leave us with evil clickbait. You’re too trustworthy for that. Exactly why the channel is blowing up. People can sense your integrity ❤️❤️❤️. Also I’m concerned about Barney. Has anyone checked on him lately? 👀
Oooh, idea! VH1 Behind the Music Presents: Barney. Has anyone done that yet? lol
So the great moral lesson I'm gathering from all this is:
1) Cynicism exists.
2) Cynical advertising strategies work.
3) If you can't think of anything better, than instead of fighting it..
4) Lean into it.
Tell ya what, this video deserves some shares from most who view it. It's properly informative, you're use of expression while delivering the information is appropriate, this description of click bate types while being a click bait video Is awesome. One criticism is that you didnt include video media cites that use the thumb nail and/or title to bring you in. Keep it going you're amazing
Appreciate the feedback, Dustin! Thanks. 🤓
Media attention has always been a struggle. When I owned a business in the 80s to the 2000s, I used print media to promote my business.
Formulating a message that caught the eye and kept it was a huge problem.
My nature was to be funny, sarcastic or off beat but the market can be touchy and one person's humor is another person's un-seriousness.
In the end you have to have enough confidence to chart your own path and accept that some people will never be your people.
I think you are way ahead of what I ever was and I also feel you deserve all the good things.
I can't even remember the last time I heard a musical reference to Papa Roach's "Last Resort." That was wild.
Also great, thoughtful video! I think most long time consumers of UA-cam get that clickbait is a necessary evil.
I came over from LegalEagle but much like him, you seem like a thoughtful, well spoken person with a good sense of humor and a pleasant vocal delivery, which is pretty much everything I look for in a channel. As a former freelance editor on the written journalism side, I find it interesting to hear about the perspective of bts folks that work UA-cam.
When I was working the nerd journo side we were really pushed to create clickbait-y articles, and I was often encouraged as an editor to punch up or even rework articles to make them "more engaging" in increasingly deceptive ways. It was emotionally exhausting, tbh, but it makes me more sympathetic to the fact that this is just a thing you have to do to pull in an audience beyond a niche fanbase. I do appreciate a great tongue in cheek or clearly over the top "click bait" thumbnail if the video I end up watching is actually informative and valuable. There can be a fun "we're all in on the joke" vibe. I think Legal Eagle and Phillip Defranco probably pull this off the best out of the channels I watch.
Thanks, Julie! There seems to be a lot of interest in the behind the scenes experience, working for larger channels. Maybe I can explore this in more depth in a future video. Got it on the list! I imagine the click-baity side of journalism is a whole other beast. Thanks for your comment! 💛
I feel like the best clickbait is the one where it’s obviously clickbait (either the title or the thumbnail gives it away). Because then it comes off in good faith, and a bit humorous
You won't BELIEVE what Barney does next!!! Does he **like** me like that? (serious) (not clickbait)
"Your hat sucks!", "Your hat STILL sucks!" Yeah, you bring the value. Worth watching just because the videos make me smile.
Appreciate that! Thanks, NTC Transport. 🙂
The thing I appreciate the most about you, is you. What would keep me coming back is see your authentic self expressing your authentic thoughts concerns and frustrations. You seem very interesting and for the most part, real.
Your association with Legal Eagle, and The specific post on that channel brought me to you, bypassing the clickbait aspect. I’m glad it did. If you keep delivering content like this, clickbait away!
I like the points you make and the self reflection being a major focal point of your video!
What I want is two thumbnails: one for subs and one for scrubs.
Basically it feels bad that a creator I’ve already said “yes I want to see more of your stuff” to, is advertising to me the same way as they are to the masses, with big yelling and shock tactics that are totally unnecessary.
It’s like if I went into a store every day and met the same sales person every day, and they greeted me with a megaphone yelling about great savings. Just say “Hi Nathan”, you know my name, Christ.
Like the algorithm in general, this is mainly a UA-cam feature issue, not a creator issue.
What you said about the relationship between the clickbait and the value of the associated content is spot on. I’d like to piggyback on that idea and point out that a content provider’s reputation is, at least in part, built on this relationship.
I used to spend a lot of time in the flat earth debunk rabbit hole, and there was one UA-camr in particular, who I won’t name, whose videos were good, in the sense that they delivered on the overall idea of highlighting the flawed reasoning and lack of critical thinking skills belonging to the flat earth community, but I eventually stopped watching him because of the clickbaity titles. Every one was, ‘The DUMBEST flat earther…’ or ‘The WORST flat earth argument!’ and it became a boy who cried wolf type thing, which, in and of itself, was enough for me to stop watching. It’s especially egregious since his target audience is, specifically, people who aren’t very gullible. It became kind of insulting.
On the other hand, when you made your video about leaving Legal Eagle and suggested that Devin was some kind of tyrant, it was pretty clear that this was tongue in cheek. Anyone who has watched the channel with any regularity should have been suspicious of such a claim, and yet…
That small sliver of doubt saying, ‘no, he can’t possibly be like that, can he?’ is the thing that really pulls the finger toward the click, even if we’re pretty confident it’s a joke. But the point is that we are generally happy to have been ‘duped’ in this way as opposed to the other, and it serves to build and/or reinforce your reputation and rapport with your audience.
The other aspect is, in the case of the former, one simply becomes desensitized to all caps and outrageous claims over time.
I’m a big Star Wars nerd and I watch many of the channels that do breakdowns and theorizing on Star Wars content. Star Wars Meg is one of my favorites. Though she (among others) also engages in this, she nearly always delivers on claims like, “MASSIVE LEAKS!!” and such. But the point is that it not only seems unnecessary, but I barely even register it anymore because it is so ubiquitous. The gum has long since lost its flavor, but we still chew it mindlessly, and on both ends, provider and subscriber.
looking forward to watching the evolution of all of this. but wanted to say; as much as I like everything (editing, writing, presentation, yes - even the toque ... look it up. ;) ), I REALLY love your lighting! more creators should take note. very chill very relaxed. very inviting.
The conversations around titling works across various media along the spectrums of factual to fictional, representational to abstract, and conscious engagement with the respective medium's artistic potentialities (academic works can also be ones of art, they aren't mutually exclusive states) being seen as "clickbait" and in the terms of vocabulary of a "tech"/scientific (i.e. purely quantitative and empirically driven) and thus transactional in nature context and framework of understanding never fails to call to mind something one of my film professors said about his approach to titling films. He was an older Hungarian experimental filmmaker who was then teaching at (and had been for a while) NYU, so his perspective on the matter, you could say, he's put quite a bit of thought into, has resonated with me ever since, and comes at this topic from a completely different angle.
"A film's title should be the key that makes your audience want to and able to unlock it's experience."
Within that context, especially regarding your last video, your video's name and thumbnail (as the extension of titling that it basically is for youtube) absolutely hit the nail on the head, imo. Like, rather than seeing it as "legit baiting" and "click trapping", think of it as (outside of capitalist commodification and empiricism as the only valid form of "truth" finding) actually caring about properly naming your work as the aesthitic act that it truly is, to use a term from aesthetic theory, to enhance or in some way add to and not detract or subtract from the art object/moment (the efficacy and clarity of communicating what you intended/wanted sincerely, to put it another way). I didn't feel I was baited at all into watching that video. I love the art of editing, even though I specialised in cinematography, and love editors perspectives on things as well as what the experience of working as one on youtube in general, but I care about labour rights anyway and so wanted to know about that aspect of a channel and creator I enjoy already. Like, those comments seemed disappointed Devin isn't horrible to work with and for, which is weird if you think about it for more than a second, but this has already been quite a lot without getting into that hahahaha
I love this kind of video, you are really good and insightful. Plus, many of us come from Devin, we all have roughly the same basic values. Keep slaying, sis!!
Thanks, Andrea! I'm loving the discussion here. I can spot the LegalEagles by the thoroughness with which they present their ideas. Good stuff! 📜
@@AwkwardAnthems 🤣🤣🤣 ain't we annoyingly uplifting, are we?? Lol At the end of the day, I think most of us "get it". I do have a burning question though; will you be able to do the kind of segues Devin does?? 👀👀👀lol
@@andrearaimondi882 No, his are unmatched! I haven't figured out my Segue Style just yet. Light, and barely noticed or RIGHT IN YOUR FACE, but not offensively-so. TBD.
@@AwkwardAnthems as my late mom used to say, as long as you do your best, you’ll be fine.
I liked your last title. It felt more like a joke than anything else.
Love the click trap description. And I also hate the ones who uses it, but who doesn’t have too. I follow two UA-camrs (that shall remain unnamed) that constantly post clock trap titles that never delivers.
The problem is that their content, otherwise, is good and something I like watching, but doing so just leaves me feeling annoyed. Mostly annoyed at them, but also that they must think that their click baits work, since I did click.
I think I recognized the cheeky bit of clickbait as akin to self-aware parody, in a way. Perhaps that's because I found the video linked directly from LegalEagle himself, and I immediately drew the reasonable conclusion that he wouldn't be such a supportive former boss if the video actually made claims about mistreatment or him being unpleasant to work for. You're right about one thing: clickbait works, and that's the world we live in. As long as you keep using those powers for good, I don't mind it.
my thing about clickbaity titles simply comes down to how I feel at the end and how I feel the content lived up to the title. one of my favorite channels often uses clickbaity titles, but it’s just like… a slightly sensationalized statement about the content. it’s not inaccurate and you legitimately learn something at the end so I don’t see an issue with it
Yes, I got clickbaited to your channel and in the first video I expected that he did something negative. But, was pleasantly surprised that you praised LegalEagle. Clickbait sels and promotes, printed media know it very well, that is why we have so many celebrity gossip magazines. But you delivered value and that is why I stayed.
Sharing your experience in editing seems interesting (at least for me). Even very technical stuff is engaging when delivered right way (Captain Disillusion, is master of that).
Keep it up :)
I remember literally blocking upworthy for being the worst type II clickbait. All lies, false promises, and the most tedious and boring content possible. It wasn't long before everyone else's headlines were in the same misleading style simply because it got results.
Just some advice that I take to heart everyday, People ask the same questions and you can give 1 answer that Covers 1000 Of them. I guess this would be quality over quantity. I would love to be answered individually. I watch channels and get answers I didn't realize I needed. So excited to see your channel grow!
Solid advice. Thank you for being here and for your support! 💛
First - I like the hat. Second, you are an exceptional editor - Devin will come running back. Finally, you are spot on with bait. You need enough of a tag to jump out from the froth and grab new subscribers. But if you deliver the subscribers will become loyal and watch whatever you put up within reason. Along those lines you need themes and arcs that keep us coming back. Editing is a great but very narrow topic even with its myriad of styles and intended audiences. I'm eager to see what else you gravitate to.
I'd love to delve a little more into topics related to mental health and psychology. There's plenty I can share about the technical side of editing, but I think the "feeling" side informs so many decisions too and is often overlooked. That might be fun topic to explore...
@@AwkwardAnthems - You are spot on. There are many films that really show the power of editing as an art form. Most of the pre-Disney Lucasfim stuff is very strong editing as well as tightly integral sound design and lighting. "Raising Arizona" is a favorite for just creating brilliant continuity. Many more. I have become a fan of "Breaking Bad" and "Better Call Saul" for their unique cinematography and editing. (Yes I watch some scenes over and over to see how they pulled that off.) UA-cam videos are bite-sized endeavors but the artistry is the same. The short form is constraining but also liberating as you have less footage to process and don't need a megabudget. I think a Masterclass on UA-cam centric post production will be well received.
This video was such a pleasant surprise during my work shift I'm so glad I clicked!
As someone who had never heard about you before your “I left” video but has watched many legal eagle videos, I can say that I did only click on your video because I was curious what he did and why you left. But I’m glad you made the title and thumbnail the way you did because I don’t think I would have found your channel otherwise.
I have seen veritasium’s video previously, but something else I realized is the click bait doesn’t just end at the title and thumbnail. A lot of creators on this platform will make a super baity thumbnail and title and then imply throughout the video that you are going to eventually see what they promised, but then either it doesn’t happen at all, or when it does it’s nothing like what they explained. But your video doesn’t do that. You were very up front with your intentions for that video and I was left more satisfied after the video was over.
5:12 Let's get this dude some Amens
CLICKBAIT: Hate the game, not the player. YOUR HAT: My MOM(r.i.p.) used to crochet and your hat rocks!
Thanks for creating this channel. I'm enjoying it so far.
I respect the hustle.
Where I draw the line is the low effort clickbaity videos that target children specifically
If a video clickbaited me but I still enjoyed it then it's all good
Oh and one more thing
Nice hat!
I didn't take the last video as negatively clickbaity at all; I took it as a solid use of the classic "Come for the.../Stay for the..." hook. Come for the story related to Legal Eagle, stay for the engaging creator and her interesting content. I don't know much about editing, but I'm always impressed by how much it can shape and affect an end product. I'd be fascinated to learn more about it (and also about how things go for an up-and-coming creator), and your personality and approach make me want to stay. 🙂
I'm really happy your channel blew up. Don't feel bad about having to play the game. Keep it up
I appreciate the honest discussion about this touchy topic. I don't necessarily agree with Derek's thesis, and in fact he is one of the only YT channels I've ever unsubscribed from because I felt he started putting more effort into selling his videos than actually just providing the entertaining and educational content I had grown accustom to.
Here's what I think is wrong with the "two types of clickbait" theory: The one thing that really separates the two types is if they're disingenuous or misleading, which is something that you can only know after you have already clicked on the thumbnail. Therefore, before you've clicked on it, both types of clickbait present themselves as exactly the same and thus cannot be distinguished from one another. I am enjoying your content and glad that I clicked! But if I'm being honest, I never would have clicked if it hadn't been for the LegalEagle shoutout, not so much the thumbnail.
I understand the predicament you're in though where you're making videos to get views (otherwise what's the point, right?) so you gotta do what you gotta do to get those views. I wish I could provide an alternative solution, but I guess I just wanted to point out that I don't find Derek's arguments very convincing.
Lastly, I'd also like to point out that I have no intention to stop watching your channel if you continue to use "clickbait-y" thumbnails, because I'm not inherently put-off by it and I've already broken through and know that you're going to show something great regardless of what the thumbnail is!
Clickbait is 21st century version of. “ I bleeds it Leads”
There is a channel that pops up on my feed constantly and the clickbait title is usually along the lines of “Voyager 2 discovery terrifies scientists “ or “Discovery in Antarctica terrifies scientists “ or the thumbnail is a massive hole on some part of the world. …… it’s all the worst sort of clickbait.
I think apart from not clicking on it the only way to battle it is to find out who their sponsor is for that video and contact them and say “I am not using your product or service because X constantly lies about the content in their titles and thumbnails”
I feel like clickbait should only define disingenuous titles. As you said, nowadays people have choices, so even if a video comes from a content creator I like, that only gives a bias in their favor. I still rely on the title to inform me as to whether the video contains content I want to watch. For movies, trailers exist. Books usually have summaries on the back. For videos on UA-cam, which tend to be short, consumers require an even shorter summary, a TL;DR. The only methods creators have are titles and thumbnails. Sure, videos have "descriptions", but nobody sees that until they're already on the video. I don't begrudge clickbait titles for videos, I rely on them. Now, when the video doesn't satisfy the title, that's when it becomes a problem. I feel like how you handled the other video was actually perfect. The title and thumbnail were engaging, but not untrue, and the video's content directly resolved the title.
Puppies almost always get my clicks. The title may be in a language I don't understand, but a cute dog/cat/hamster/etc in the thumbnail often gets me to click.
Clickbait exists and gets results, is an unavoidable necessary evil. Some content creators** use it negatively and in a way that disappoints viewers.
However, it gets people's attention. If content creators who put out positive and beneficial material like yourself do not use similar tactics to get views then arguably the whole marketplace of ideas suffers or is a little bit duller as a result.
It's a classic case of.
Don't hate the player, hate the game!
I wish you the best of luck and really hope this new venture works out for you!
**In my opinion most content creators were I have encountered clickbait!
I agree with some of the commenters. Your hat does not suck.
On the topic of clickbait. Yes it is bad, but with society, it is how you get people's interest. Society has shown that they are more interested in the drama and the sensational. You can see it in the news as well. They do not report the facts (both sides of every story), they only report the biased version of the sensational bits. I do not blame the clickbait, I blame society. If we want to stop the clickbait, then we need to change society as a whole.
I will be honest, it was your video about your "I left" video. I have gone back and looked at your others. But it was that one that grabbed my attention. I love your videos, please keep doing what you are doing. It is amazing.
I appreciate your well thought and delivered message. Need more of this dialogue on the internet
The "clickbait" portion of your video on "speaking out" was based on, at least, my preconceived notion. There is nothing inherent in speaking out being negative. I'm just used to it being so. The evil picture would probably be clickbait, but I didn't consider the first video of yours to be. You brought a positive message when we're not used to positive messages. I appreciate the thoughtful response to a complaint with which I did not agree.
Basically, "good" takes on clickbait is good old art of creating catchy title, which is honed by hudreds of years of newspaper and other journalists:)
I'm kinda surprised how low the conversion of views to subscribers was from that last video. The last video did a good job introducing us to you. We also got to learn a bit. Win, win.
To those who came after you about any offence to do with “clickbait” I say a great big Pfffffffft. Especially when you’re starting out and/or haven’t gained much traction yet, clickbait is just part of what you honestly need to do sometimes to pique the interest of those who might’ve otherwise gone for their current list of more established favourites. And exactly as many others have already said: you absolutely delivered on that “I Left” video-no disappointment for me at all as a viewer! It was a great video, worth getting lured into watching 😛♥️ keep up the great work, can’t wait to see more from you!
Your comments are so thoughtful. Thanks, Celeste! 😊
Just watched the video you're referring to and yeah the title at first had me curious if he was a good guy like I thought, but then bam, you set the tone very quickly. So I think it was well done. It's not like you kept people hanging for an extended period of time. Glad the video helped grow your channel, you deserve it :)
Some people are also just haters. smh
This channel is going to be huge, well done.
I honestly didn't feel clickbaited for last vid, since I saw the initial link on LegalEagle's community post suggesting we check it out, so I figured it was a friendly video w a teasing title card. Though, I could understand someone not seeing the community post first and assuming the opposite.
Sidenote, I like the teaser you included for the next video and outro both funny and engaging
I'm *really* interested in the song at 7:38! And I love your hat.
Watching you is going to be a ton of fun. I look forward to your videos on editing.
Thanks! My brother's a musician and did an awesome job on the instrumentation. The original song is "Last Resort" by Papa Roach. 😀
I do have to say, if you accept that clickbait is an unfortunate reality, then a lot of the complaint will be from people who view someone as "above chasing after views", someone who would never do anything just for more engagement. I guess that feeling of betrayal is probably why we get such heated discussions
So people who have never been successful UA-camrs?
@@mikeduncan3953 Oh I'm not at all implying that they are correct. I agree that it's kind of an unfortunate reality, I'm just trying to get into the psychology of why there's such hate towards clickbait
@@diarya5573 Well I think the bottom line is that we are being tricked, and we don't like to be tricked because it makes us feel dumb. But the absolute vitriol with which many respond to this happening is sometimes way out of proportion.
You know it's interesting, I was directed to your video by Devin's post via legal eagle, which was (in my perception) very clearly written as a joke, and so I knew going in that it wasn't going to be any kind of takedown or controversy. I wonder if, had I seen your thumbnail first without that context, I would have felt the same?
There's also, I think, something a little bit unfair to producers in how language comes across. There's nothing inherent in the phrase "speaks out" that requires it to be about bad things. But of course, there's no shortage of examples of it being used to draw people in to bad faith stuff.
I like Derek's definition too (also a longtime veritasium fan), and it gets at a deeper truth. Herodotus, the ancient Greek author, is often called the father of history, as he's credited with popularizing the kind of historical narrative that was, well, a narrative. People were writing down events before he lived, but it tended to be just lists of things that people saw or heard, with no attempt to tell any kind of story or explain what any of it meant, just recounting agnostic details. And Herodotus realized what many of us do, that cold dispassionate facts are not engaging or meaningful to most people, even if they are true. We have trouble connecting to things if there's no story to get invested in. So there's always going to be a desire in us for things that grab our attention and play upon our craving for that drama, that narrative, good and bad.
I appreciate your thoughts! Wishing you all the success.
I'm checking out your videos after your "dangers of going viral" video attracted me.
I'm one of the people who avoids clickbait videos if they look too heavily clickbatey. Your "I left" video was one of those that I avoided, not because of the thumbnail, but because of the title. "Speaks out" is widely accepted as meaning "speaking against someone/something despite pressure to stay quiet." I hate people using that for attention because it's just pointless shit-stirring, which is bad for everyone.
I also fairly often go through waves of marking videos "not interested" when they have arrows and circles in the thumbnails (regardless of subject) just to keep the algorithm in check. I don't want it to recommend too much clickbait for me, and I'm willing to miss good stuff to achieve that. Every time I consider clicking a video, I ask myself if I'm willing to encourage UA-cam to recommend similar thumbnails, and I fairly often opt for "not interested" instead of click-through on this basis alone. I watched this video because it was obviously _about_ clickbait instead of _being_ clickbait, but I will still remove it from my watch history in the hopes of avoiding an arrow infestation that's harder to kill than cockroaches. Clickbait will still catch my attention, but the attention it gets from me is the same kind that wasps get: Kill it before it stings me.
This is the danger of using clickbait. It may attract the wrong crowd and repel the crowd you actually want. "Editor Speaks Out" Do you really want the attention of people who are eager for trouble? And then to provoke those unwholesome people by not delivering the juicy story you were hinting they would find inside? Something like "Editor Flies Free" might attract a better crowd without any changes to the thumbnail and still offers an enticing story. It would also avoid annoying people with an insinuation that isn't true.
I hadn't heard about the Barney stuff, so I assumed this was going to be more about capitalizing on nostalgia as click bait. Interesting how your perceptions are different when you don't have all the information. Great video and editing regardless.
Your last video was great !
And people expecting you to say something bad does make a bit of sense because it's internet and people love to whine, but also you and too few others are bringing a different vibe to internet. It's positive and beautiful and I like it. Soon, clickbaiting like that will be fine because the value and results will be great with people like you.
I also like the title of this video
Veritasium is a really great channel, I've been subbed to him for awhile now. Also, I clicked on the other video not because of the title, but because of the picture of Devin. Yep. my brain went to the "it's the next Legal Eagle video" without reading the title, so take that as you will 😄
I watch YT primarily.. No network TV stuff, just streaming... So with some minor authority I can suggest... If the type of thumbnail /title you throw out leaves your audience with a thought of "Hugh... Cool" or "no kidding?!!" You're doing ok... If it leaves them with..." Aww WTF did I click this crap for????!" You're doing it wrong.
Tabloid versus headline kinda deal. Stay the course, do right by your viewers and you got this.
Also, not to get too deep into Freud here.. But your title in the last video was just a fact.
You left.
If people infer immediate drama or scandal as the cause, that's their outlook. Just saying
Holly molly, Barney fell down DEEP--who would've ever thought he would be caught selling CONTRABAND!? That story was WILD.
OK, I watched your inaugural video because I knew that Legal Eagle was a quality show and I am convinced that Devin would only work with great people.
Now that may say more about my credulity and ability /inability to gauge people, but I was proven right (this time) and am a happy subscriber.
Not awkward enough, not as advertised, highly disappointed.... 9 out of 10
The legal eagle vid did get me by clickbait, and I do hate that, because normally I don’t fall for that type of thing. Even from some of the channels I really like, I refuse to click on the ones that are stereotypical bait. Usually they under deliver.
I stuck around for this channel and subbed because I actually enjoyed that vid and others. You do some good work. Please keep doing some of those funny / short / experimental vids, even if they only get a couple thousand views.
Thanks, Ben! And I definitely will. 😀
Clickbait is just a given these days... Honestly, I think it's just something that will become normalised to the extent that we won't even think about it anymore... Navigating between good and bad clickbait will become something we will learn, just another skill... I don't see it as a generally bad thing tbh - it's certainly not as bad as hatebait, which seems to be central to the business model of platforms like Facebook... Angry people click more and interact more, and I think that's a far more egregious, damaging, and toxic aspect to our online lives. I think it can be argued that platforms like Facebook are largely to blame for the stark divisions we see in our societies, and the insular echo chambers that have formed as a result of the algorithms. I realise this is a pretty broad and deep topic, but if you'd consider doing a video on it, I think it would be an important discussion to promote.
Wishing you all the best ❤️
I hope you release a full version of "cut this clip into pieces", it's catchy
Love this! Surprisingly well researched as well.
As I was watching, I was thinking Derek Muller over on Veritasium has talked about this, and then you reference him! Great video, Amy - one thing that you could have taken further is that I think much clickbait isn't just about creating contention, but it also is about generating this (faux?) outrage that sadly seems to be so much a part of public discourse these days. All the best from a new sub from over on Legal Eagle and Veritasium channels.
I like your channel-you are starting to drift into a theme of “pulling back the curtain as a channel focus,” with snazzy editing. A few other UA-camrs (such as Veritasium) dabble in that from time to time, but this is watching a channel grow from the ground up, while almost being on the inside.
So yeah, I’m curious to watch and see how your journey plays out.
you know what's even stranger, is that most youtube channels don't even use tags. They ONLY use clickbait to get people in.
OMG ... " your hat sucks" made me literally LOL.... You got me,... I'm subscribed.
As a lifelong hater of Clickbait thank you ! It gave me a lot to think about and changed my perception that all clickbait is evil. Always a good day when my viewpoint is challenged!
I guess it's one of those game-theory things were if you could trust others to play nice everyone wins, but because some people play dirty if you don't you'll be at a disadvantage even though playing dirty is bad for everyone...
Heh, I actually loved the "clickbait" of the last video. Although to be fair if it hadn't been for Legal Eagle sharing the link, making me know the video was safe, I probably wouldn't have clicked it to avoid "drama"
PS: Love the hat!
Thumbnails are advertising. Promote something I want to buy. When I feel satisfied that the rubber pool on the box is the pool I unpacked, the advertising worked. If I don't then the channel gets blocked, and the ad failed to create a customizer instead of a sampler.
I keep my UA-cam and news feeds fairly clear of click traps by blocking channels. I block far more channels and news sources than I subscribe to. if I could block entire topics like "sports" and "entertainment" I would be all set.
LOL when I do my episodes the approach I take is to have a creative thumbnail, not in the sense of hitting algorithms or tricking people into clicking but just something artistic or funny or a strange screenshot from the vid or a mix of those. To my mind, the thumbnail is the same as the vid - the goal is to be creative and entertaining with it. My favorites are mock movie posters, like one episode of a "driving" game I do was me finding a '58 Fury and doing it up like Christine. I edited the intro for that episode to be a version of the Christine killing Moochie scene from the film, down to having the same song playing with all the bass out equalized out of it so it sounded like it was coming from old car speakers. I took a still shot from that scene and used it to make a version of the Christine movie poster, with my name and a ton of channel references hidden in the credits bits. I've done a few now and they are always fun to make. Also most of my episodes I give a title to, and I will try and make that a hook as well, but the title ALWAYS has some reference to a joke or a bit in the game. Once I had an episode where I made a joke about how something was as boring as having sex with a librarian, followed it up with "just kidding, nobody would have sex with a librarian," and ended up calling the episode "The Sex Lives of Librarians." Very much a hook, but it had a total payoff in the episode.
You might have got your big push from a slightly teasing thumbnail/title, but don't feel bad about it. The YT algorithm is weird anyways, I got a big boost back when I had only a hundred or so subs and my episodes were not that great, because it randomly picked my vid to promote. End of the day I figure if I use a good hook it's not a big deal, as long as the episode delivers on it. I know creators who use the exact sort of thumbnail you were talking about and get mad views that way, but a lot of them make solid content that I really enjoy watching so I never feel cheated. Clickbait only works to get people to look at your vid, it's quality that gets them to stay. I like to think that you got recommended to me not because of the thumbnail you used, but because I am subbed to legal eagle and regularly watch his vids. I really enjoy the stuff you've been putting out on your channel, which is why I keep coming back. I am DEFINITELY gonna be watching the upcoming one on editing - I mentioned before that over the last year I have really leaned hard into the editing side, because it enables me to not just record content but creatively present it to people who watch it. I've said in the past that I don't want to just have someone watching me play a game, I want to give them a production. You being a creator/editor makes your vids in particular really hit a note for me, I get to both enjoy what you are doing and also really appreciate your editing.