Today I’m taking off my publisher hat and putting on my content creator hat to examine “YouTube face” and clickbait titles.
A few weeks ago, someone asked for my thoughts on YouTube face on my weekly livecast. They said that they were struggling with the increasing number of YouTube videos for which the thumbnail image featured photos of the host(s) with very strong facial reactions: looks of confusion, shock, horror, etc.
The person said that for them, these reactions–which often didn’t fit with the opinions expressed by the content creator in the accompanying video–were so off-putting that they had started to unsubscribe to the channels, even if they liked the video content. They asked if I could relate to that.
As someone who watches a lot of YouTube videos about games, I absolutely understand what that person is saying. YouTube face or clickbait titles stand out in my feed, but I’m significantly less likely to click on those videos. I’m looking for authenticity, not manipulation.
As someone who also posts regularly on YouTube, authenticity is my goal. I focus on my favorite mechanisms and my favorite games in various genres, so the photo I use is of me smiling. The only thing unauthentic about it is that the photo is a little outdated–I need to refresh it, now with more gray hair!
During the Facebook livestream, another content creator spoke up to say that they sometimes used YouTube face and/or clickbait titles to draw people in. They said that’s hard to stand out as a small content creator, and I hear that.
My first question for content creators is, as alluded to above: Is it important for you to be authentic in your content? The honest answer for some people may be no, as their videos may be more about entertainment and acting. That’s totally fine. But if you look at your own images and titles and you don’t feel like they’re a true reflection of yourself, it’s also okay to change them to something more genuine.
I would also propose that while manipulation tactics may result in more views, they will result in fewer subscribes. [Update: In the comments, Nancyjane shared a video that demonstrates how YouTube values both views and subscribers in how it helps people discover the content they’re likely to enjoy. This makes me think that well-thought-out images/titles that accurately reflect the content within is an approach to best serve your current audience while also enticing newcomers to try your content.]
The other question I’d ask is: Is your goal to get more views/clicks, or is your goal to offer value/entertainment to people? Granted, the two aren’t mutually exclusive. It’s just that I once heard a content creator justify the use of their clickbait titles because their goal was to improve their numbers for the YouTube algorithm, and that made me sad. Instead of focusing on serving their audience, they were serving an algorithm.
Whether you’re a content creator or a consumer (or both!), I’d love to hear your thoughts on YouTube face and clickbait. It’s absolutely okay if your opinion is different than mine–maybe you enjoy these tactics and find them more engaging than other approaches. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Also read: What’s the Most Eye-Catching Format for YouTube Thumbnail Images
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20 Comments on “Let’s Talk About YouTube Face and Clickbait”
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[…] on games they strongly dislike rather than games they enjoy. I also have a strong aversion to clickbait tactics (titles and images) that don’t seem genuine to the creator or their […]
It’s kind of a dilemma for content creators. If they don’t stand out, then they don’t get many views, and if they don’t get many views, then what’s the point of making content? If they can only stand out by being non-authentic, then their authentic self is still not represented in the content and so, again, what’s the point of making content? Perhaps to entertain, as you suggested. But people can get entertained many ways — so what unmet need are they fulfilling and, again, what’s the point?
Rather than spiral into nihilism, let me suggest instead a path forward: a culture of mutual enjoyment and celebration, led by those who already have a big audience that they could benefit from sharing.
For context, when I scroll through social media, I see an endless parade of self-aggrandizement. Ditto for many creators’ video blogs. Most of the time, most people in our industry (or any industry!) mostly promote their own contributions.
In contrast, Jamey, many of your videos carefully highlight games published by other companies. It’s wonderful! So are many podcasts where creators invite designers to discuss their work and struggles.
Key to this: Established people like you, who have a BIG MICROPHONE, use it to amplify the contributions of others.
If only this could happen more often. I understand that many of those with a big mic sometimes feel like they’re barely holding onto commercial success. Hmmm. Tough problem! And I’m not sure how to solve it.
The solution to that problem lays within the answers of 3 questions to you, Jamey:
1) Is there a way for successful publishers, content creators, and others with the BIG MIC to benefit from using the mic to draw attention to up-and-coming publishers, content creators, and others who don’t yet have a microphone of their own?
2) How does doing so benefit Stonemaier, in terms of your video blog?
3) How could this be generalized to others with a big mic?
In other words, considering that you share your microphone with up-and-comers, could other established players similarly benefit by likewise sharing their microphones?
I appreciate your analysis and introspection, Chris. I feel like you do the same on your blog (elevate others and their work to serve the purpose of adding value to readers), which I think is great. I definitely think others could implement this same approach–if we’re in this industry, we probably have lots of games on your shelves that you can talk about, even if you want to relate those games back to what you’re working on (I think it’s okay to use the spotlight for your own creations; that’s the benefit).
Thank you so much! On my own channel I have used some, well, more “attractive” titles, as sadly, they do kinda work. But I haven’t gone down the “dumb facial expression” path for thumbnails as yeah, i think they look stupid. I haven’t really figured out what to do instead yet, but glad to see I am not the only one who wants to see something more credible.
I tend to prefer content creators that project authenticity and have a more reasoned, non-hyperbolic outlook. But I don’t think that should be the one standard creators are held to. There’s lots of room for acting and melodrama in content creation too.
What I want from titles and thumbnails is an accurate understanding of the tone and content of the video. If I click on an all caps title with 14 exclamation marks and find an hour long moderated debate, I’m likely to be just as disappointed as if I click on a something with a more neutral “my X favorite Y” title and find a video of some guy ranting.
I think it’s better for everyone if you give your viewers realistic expectations with your title and thumbnail, rather than trying to trick them into a click (which, if I understand YouTube algorithms correctly you will be punished for in the long run because you’re unlikely to have those tricked viewers watch your entire video.)
I think there’s two things going on here there are videos called things like “I hate this game” which then go on to describe, often in over-the-top terms, why the game is the worst thing they’ve ever played. Maybe it’s authentic (some people are just that angry) or maybe it’s put on. But is it “clickbait”? I mean, it’s delivering what was promised. There are so many channels that are just “get angry at whatever Games Workshop have done this week” that are hugely success.
Then you have the videos with the same titles, or leading questions like “Should I throw this game in the trash?” and then the actual video is a person going “well, no, of course not” followed by a mild and informative review of the game.
Which creates a weird dichotomy as generally, the content of the second is more useful. But it’s also the more dishonest. If, for whatever reason, I clicked on a video that implied it was going to tear a game to pieces, it’s pretty disappointing when it doesn’t!
I think at some point “clickbait” will just go away as people get wise to it, just as so many other attention grabbing techniques have in the past.
Also while I’ve no evidence for this, I think when it happens, it’ll happen fast. We will hit a critical mass and in the course of a few months, they’ll just be gone.
I never resorted to clickbait titles. And I never will. My videos are first and foremost there to serve the audience. Help them figure out if they like game or not. Is it worth the money. Or time. Regarding thumbnails I think I have fairly unique thumbnails and I got a lot of praise for how they look. Very few times I did a YouTube face but it was only for giveaway winners videos. All that being said, making videos to help out people, having interesting thumbnails…that did not help me grow at all. Subs are going up at a very slow pace (I’ve been doing YouTube for 7 years and I just managed to break through 2k subscribers). Views on most videos struggle to reach over 100 views. And all that would be OK, but, I was bitten by a numbers bug where I wish my numbers would go up to a place where it matters. Why? Simple. Publishers are more keen to work with you if you have the numbers. And I wish I could make a living out of it. Just to be clear, I’m not here for pity party. It is how it is. I’m of a mindset that if you don’t do clickbait and be sketchy in your titles and thumbnails you will most likely never “blow up”. Some lucky will. About 1%, maybe. And I would rather disappear in anonymity then practice any of those things or go even lower and buy subs and views like some do.
I absolutely think a content creator should do everything they can to improve their views and figure out how they can get their videos in front of more people…after all if you believe in the message of what you’re putting out, why wouldn’t you want more people to hear it?
The problem though, as you alluded to…is if the things that you have to do to get your message in front of others, makes your message a message your less proud of…then perhaps you need to re-examine your stance.
Do I believe in using good titles and thumbnails? Yes…as long as they don’t make the content something I don’t like, and like yourself, I value being genuine and fake emotion or anything over the top starts to make me feel that I’m less proud of the content I’m putting out.
Should you do your research on what can get your video viewed more? Times of day, length of the video, catch transitions? Yes…as long as none of those things compromise the value of what you’re doing.
As you mentioned, for entertainment based content there might be times certain tactics do improve views and don’t take away from the value of what you’re doing. In my case it would, and so both as a consumer and as a viewer I tend to avoid that type of content.
“if the things that you have to do to get your message in front of others, makes your message a message your less proud of…then perhaps you need to re-examine your stance.”
I really like the way you said this, Alex.
I agree completely with your commenter, Jamey. It’s so bad that I have stopped watching algorithm videos that aren’t from the few creators I know and like, and even if it’s a topic I’m searching for or a video a friend sent, I refuse to watch the ones with reaction faces, clickbait titles, and “YouTube font” title cards.
My definite cost of time isn’t worth the very slight chance that I might find someone new and of decent quality.
Derik from Veritasium has a long, thoughtful video about this.
https://youtu.be/fHsa9DqmId8
I think you have to be perhaps have a catchy title and a striking thumbnail but still remain authentic to yourself and your message. Derik’s viral video asked a question that he was going to answer anyhow, and the thumbnail is a graphic depiction of the question without any goofy faces.
I like seeing your smiling face on videos. It looks like you are having fun (or you are going to have fun).
Thanks for sharing the video! That’s fascinating—I guess subscribers aren’t the biggest part of the puzzle.
I strongly agree. It puts me off a channel in the long run. I suppose it’s a bit like a game’s short description on Board Game Geek or Kickstarter. You want it to be very interesting, but not misleading or an exaggeration.
Putting on my dayjob marketer hat, this reminds me a lot of Twitter follow-backs; ie engagement bait. People looking to game the system and “win” the skinner box of “numbers go up.”
The real question is what do those numbers MEAN? A quality, invested audience is so much more valuable than sporadic views.
The other important thing is the dynamics constantly change. YouTube face *used* to be novel. Now it’s increasingly cliche’.
The last thing to note really is it’s not just the thumbnail. It’s that it has become synonymous with “they broke the expectations I had when I clicked on it.” THAT is really the problem. But now you can’t shake the associations people bring to your work.
I could talk about this for hours it is such a fascinating and deep topic.
Marketer hat off. Viewer hat on. I do sincerely appreciate your kindness and enthusiasm you bring to all your content. It shows, and it’s a nice spot of positivity in a world with algorithmic bias towards artificual rage.
The point about YouTube Face become cliche is very interesting. It makes me wonder if there are new gimmicks we might see become the next trend. Some aspects of it are timeless, there’s a psychological reason humans are more likely to respond to a human face and are more likely to react to an emotion that face is showing… but marketing does go through phases.
I know one thing that draws my eye in the sea of YouTube thumbnails are good 2d art cartoons. Psych2Go gets clicks from me regularly because their cartoons are memorable and emotive in a way that totally fits a pop psychology “do you relate to this” kind of channel. I think I’ve stumbled into other channels before too where a talking drawing of the YouTuber walks you through something and I like how unique those videos feel. I’d like to say that could be the next trend but that is a lot of work and once everyone starts doing it, a lot of it will feel samey anyway.
Never heard about YouTube face until now. But this is something that Netflix has been doing for almost a decade now! Read more about it here:
https://www.fastcompany.com/3059450/netflix-knows-which-pictures-youll-click-on-and-why
I’ve also noticed Facebook trying to interject “reels” with people making the “dumbest” faces possible, and its to the point where you consciously notice the pull and know it’s just to try to get you to click on them.
A thoughtful post today Jamey, thanks.
That was really interesting about the pictures and Netflix. I wonder what else they have learned since 2016!
When Herman Melville was writing Moby-Dick, he lamented in a letter to Hawthorne that he wants to write “art” like Scarlet Letter, but that doesn’t pay the bills. OTOH, he says he can’t write “the other way,” meaning fully sentimental popular stuff that 19th-c audiences loved. He said he tried to find a middle ground and as a result “all my books are botches.”
In the world of content creation, I do think you either need to be “authentic” or “play the algorithm game,” but not both. You’ll find your audience and you’ll get the audience you want.
Ultimately I’m looking for quality content. If the face is dramatically different than the content, then that’s confusing and creates a dissonance which decreases the quality in my eyes. If they exaggerate the mood of the content, that’s okay with me, humanity is a pretty broad swath and while I don’t love exaggeration, it at least helps me know what it’s about and may draw in more viewers to help them grow and inspire them to create more content in the future. But this is only for faces that reflect the content, otherwise it is click bait and is misleading to the audience.
Bear in mind, that YouTube has an algorithm and “main” page which is default for the users, especially on Smart TVs. So every content creator needs to fight to be in the “stream”. To do so, he/she needs to be controversial, provide “entertainment” and be clicked by users. Otherwise – regardless of subscribers’ count – YouTube algorithm will barely feature the video in the “main” page.