Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by lsmarigo 2844 days ago
As a content creator it's very quickly apparent the best route to driving views and subs is to push extreme/edgy content. Balanced content gets no engagement. It's really that simple, with the ADHD short attention span of the current gen of heavy media consumers (read: kids) you have to shock them/surprise them/make them laugh ~once every 5-6 seconds to keep them on the video. YouTube offers very detailed metrics on engagement and you can study the exact time where people lose interest/close the video.

Only massive established channels have the privilege of pushing non-edgy content as their audience is built in already, for anyone new it's shock value and hard-line extremism or your voice will be lost among the noise.
2 comments
pasquinelli 2844 days ago
Yeah, but if you are shocking and edgy, is your voice preserved? Sure, people may watch but it's in one ear and out the other, a swell in the sea of noise.

I'm sure most youtubers don't care, but viewer engagement is not the same as being a notable voice.

link
undefined1 2844 days ago
There are some exceptions fortunately and a growing hunger for the very opposite.

See Sam Harris for the best (IMO) example. And long form interview formats like what Joe Rogan is doing.

link