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This article also uses manipulative tricks to maximize your time on page. Notice that each paragraph is relatively short and approximately the same length. This

This article also uses manipulative tricks to maximize your time on page. Notice that each paragraph is relatively short and approximately the same length. This is done purposefully to reduce the cognitive overhead of reading and makes it easier to keep going from one to the next, always with the hope that maybe the next paragraph will deliver some key insight.

slig 9y ago
> always with the hope that maybe the next paragraph will deliver some key insight Or that the user will scroll more and see more ads.
- everybodyknows 9y ago
  Firefox reader mode worked perfectly for me -- no ads.
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
gavinpc 9y ago
The site is called "Vice"... at least they're forthright about it?
nerdponx 9y ago
> Notice that each paragraph is relatively short and approximately the same length This technique is also called "good writing" in some fields. You see it in newspapers a lot.
- lmm 9y ago
  And most of the things social media do to increase engagement are called "user friendliness" and so on.
- zebrafish 9y ago
  Correct. News style prose. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_style https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_style In disagreement with the parent's snarkiness, I would argue there's a fine line between efficiently structuring written information to convey important news in a time sensitive manner and using bright red numbers to keep users swiping your app all day. Especially when it comes to messing with peoples self-worth and validation! "You may have won $100! Watch these 5 advertisements to find out!" is gross but palatable to me. "People might like you! Refresh the page and view another ad to find out!" is appalling.
  - ouid 9y ago
    In what sense is "You may have won $100! Watch these 5 advertisements to find out!" palatable?
    - everybodyknows 9y ago
      In the sense that it exploits only the reader's poverty or greed, and even the most credulous will soon tire of watching ads, close the page, and be wiser for the experience. Whereas "People might like you! Refresh the page and view another ad to find out!" cruelly exploits a desperate emotional vulnerability. And there is no end of it in sight.
- cryoshon 9y ago
  i was taught that this was "bucket brigade" writing. http://websitecopywritingservices.com/blog/bucket-brigade-copywriting http://websitecopywritingservices.com/blog/bucket-brigade-co...
- misterbowfinger 9y ago
  You're kind of missing the point......
kakarot 9y ago
That's just how you're supposed to write on the internet. Would you prefer a massive unstyled block of text?

slig 9y ago

> always with the hope that maybe the next paragraph will deliver some key insight Or that the user will scroll more and see more ads.

everybodyknows 9y ago
Firefox reader mode worked perfectly for me -- no ads.

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

gavinpc 9y ago

The site is called "Vice"... at least they're forthright about it?

nerdponx 9y ago

> Notice that each paragraph is relatively short and approximately the same length This technique is also called "good writing" in some fields. You see it in newspapers a lot.

lmm 9y ago
And most of the things social media do to increase engagement are called "user friendliness" and so on.
zebrafish 9y ago
Correct. News style prose. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_style https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/News_style In disagreement with the parent's snarkiness, I would argue there's a fine line between efficiently structuring written information to convey important news in a time sensitive manner and using bright red numbers to keep users swiping your app all day. Especially when it comes to messing with peoples self-worth and validation! "You may have won $100! Watch these 5 advertisements to find out!" is gross but palatable to me. "People might like you! Refresh the page and view another ad to find out!" is appalling.
- ouid 9y ago
  In what sense is "You may have won $100! Watch these 5 advertisements to find out!" palatable?
  - everybodyknows 9y ago
    In the sense that it exploits only the reader's poverty or greed, and even the most credulous will soon tire of watching ads, close the page, and be wiser for the experience. Whereas "People might like you! Refresh the page and view another ad to find out!" cruelly exploits a desperate emotional vulnerability. And there is no end of it in sight.
cryoshon 9y ago
i was taught that this was "bucket brigade" writing. http://websitecopywritingservices.com/blog/bucket-brigade-copywriting http://websitecopywritingservices.com/blog/bucket-brigade-co...
misterbowfinger 9y ago
You're kind of missing the point......

kakarot 9y ago

That's just how you're supposed to write on the internet. Would you prefer a massive unstyled block of text?