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Aargh... the "YouTube face"! On YouTube I use the "Don't recommend channel" feature for anyone who shows up in my feed with those faces. Still amazes me how wi

by amanzi 3y ago

Aargh... the "YouTube face"! On YouTube I use the "Don't recommend channel" feature for anyone who shows up in my feed with those faces. Still amazes me how widespread this is - I recently looked up some lawn care videos on Youtube and then I started to see these "YouTube face" thumbnails from gardeners show up in my feed. It's like all aspiring YouTubers are reading the same advice for getting views, regardless of age, demographic, or subject?

andirk 3y ago
This is a good example of just doing what's popular instead of A/B testing. Or a good example of the analytics showing the ridiculous wins out over the reasonable. I too avoid clicking links with Youtube Face. Why would someone be pointing at their own thumbnail? With a shocked expression.
dspillett 3y ago
> Still amazes me how widespread this is It works⁰ surprisingly well for a range of target audiences – I've seen a few proper tests of the effect. > It's like all aspiring YouTubers are reading the same advice for getting views, regardless of age, demographic, or subject? While it won't work that well for all channels, it is unlikely to put off enough people¹ that it is worth a try just in case. Also, some do it just because it is current fashion, or because that is currently the default and they lack an original thought in thumbnail making², rather than thinking there is any other benefit. ---- [0] gets more clicks than thumbnails without [1] those, like you and I, who dislike it enough for it to make us simply click away, are apparently rare enough that losing us is not a big problem [2] because that sort of marketing isn't their game, and they don't want it to be more than it has to be
Uehreka 3y ago
Allegedly this advice (making the Youtube face) actually works, prevails in A/B tests, and at this point is basically required in order to get enough viewers to sustain a channel. Veritasium did a video on it a while back, and the guys on Linus Tech Tips’ podcast have talked about it a bunch of times. It seems that the number of people who dislike Youtube Face enough to actually block a channel are low enough so as to not matter. So as a viewer, you have a choice: You can continue to block channels that do the Youtube Face, knowing that you’ll be missing out on good content (because yes even good channels do it), out of a desire to send a message that no one will heed. Or you can put up with it and watch the videos anyway.
- alganet 3y ago
  I used youtube with all thumbnails blocked for a while. Also, no recommendations or comments, or ratings (FF Unhook extension + uBlock rules). Only subscriptions, text feed with titles. It was a good middle ground, but eventually the thumbnail URL format changed and it started appearing again. Also re-enabled recommendations and comments, but my front page remains subs only (more or less 5 videos a day of select channels).
otikik 3y ago
The “dearrow” extension changes all youtube thumbnails to random stills from each video. Goodbye faces. And obnoxious red arrows

by amanzi 3y ago

andirk 3y ago

This is a good example of just doing what's popular instead of A/B testing. Or a good example of the analytics showing the ridiculous wins out over the reasonable. I too avoid clicking links with Youtube Face. Why would someone be pointing at their own thumbnail? With a shocked expression.

dspillett 3y ago

> Still amazes me how widespread this is It works⁰ surprisingly well for a range of target audiences – I've seen a few proper tests of the effect. > It's like all aspiring YouTubers are reading the same advice for getting views, regardless of age, demographic, or subject? While it won't work that well for all channels, it is unlikely to put off enough people¹ that it is worth a try just in case. Also, some do it just because it is current fashion, or because that is currently the default and they lack an original thought in thumbnail making², rather than thinking there is any other benefit. ---- [0] gets more clicks than thumbnails without [1] those, like you and I, who dislike it enough for it to make us simply click away, are apparently rare enough that losing us is not a big problem [2] because that sort of marketing isn't their game, and they don't want it to be more than it has to be

Uehreka 3y ago

Allegedly this advice (making the Youtube face) actually works, prevails in A/B tests, and at this point is basically required in order to get enough viewers to sustain a channel. Veritasium did a video on it a while back, and the guys on Linus Tech Tips’ podcast have talked about it a bunch of times. It seems that the number of people who dislike Youtube Face enough to actually block a channel are low enough so as to not matter. So as a viewer, you have a choice: You can continue to block channels that do the Youtube Face, knowing that you’ll be missing out on good content (because yes even good channels do it), out of a desire to send a message that no one will heed. Or you can put up with it and watch the videos anyway.

alganet 3y ago
I used youtube with all thumbnails blocked for a while. Also, no recommendations or comments, or ratings (FF Unhook extension + uBlock rules). Only subscriptions, text feed with titles. It was a good middle ground, but eventually the thumbnail URL format changed and it started appearing again. Also re-enabled recommendations and comments, but my front page remains subs only (more or less 5 videos a day of select channels).

otikik 3y ago

The “dearrow” extension changes all youtube thumbnails to random stills from each video. Goodbye faces. And obnoxious red arrows