Stuff like that does not age well at all, and they are sacrificing longevity for immediacy. If I search for videos on a certain topic and see the 'youtube face' on the thumbnail my intuitive trust for that video plummets compared to one that looks that looks plain and informative. However someone scrolling through looking for interesting stuff to watch may be more likely to click on something attention grabbing, and people doing that a lot all at once (upon release) accelerates the trend numbers so you get a whole lot of eyeballs at the very beginning.
They are not being honest when they say they have to do it for clicks. They have to do it to monetize attention when it is most important to their brand. After that they have sacrificed any long-term value. This is also why they have to create new content all the time at all costs. It is unsustainable and why youtube creators burn out. I hope they invested their money well before that happens.
They are not being honest when they say they have to do it for clicks. They have to do it to monetize attention when it is most important to their brand. After that they have sacrificed any long-term value. This is also why they have to create new content all the time at all costs. It is unsustainable and why youtube creators burn out. I hope they invested their money well before that happens.