Can we talk about those "you won't believe what happens next" video thumbnails

I used to think those stupid arrow circles and shocked face thumbnails were total garbage, but I run a small DIY channel on the side. Last month I tested a normal thumbnail against one of those over-the-top ones with a red arrow pointing at nothing, and the click rate jumped from 3% to 11%. I still hate how they look, but after seeing those numbers from my 2,400 subscribers in Cleveland, I can't argue with the results. Has anyone else here had to swallow their pride and use clickbait tactics just to get views?

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phoenix_singh251d agoMost Upvoted

Is it bad that I kinda respect the hustle now even though I still roll my eyes every time I see one? I tried putting a yellow circle around a perfectly normal screwdriver on my last video and felt like I was lying to grandma or something. But you know what, that video got 400 more views than my usual stuff and a comment from some guy in Tulsa thanking me for finally showing how to fix a leaky faucet without a million arrows. So maybe there's a weird balance where you can be a little shady with the thumbnail but still deliver real help inside.