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Found out my most-watched video got 90% of its clicks in the first 5 seconds

Honestly I was digging through my YouTube analytics the other day and spotted something weird. One of my thumbnails from 6 months ago had 500k impressions but only a 4% CTR. Then I noticed the watch time graph - almost everyone who clicked bailed after 5 seconds. Turns out the headline said 'Shocking Battery Test Results' but the actual test didn't start until minute 2. Ngl that feels like a straight up lie to me, not just stretching the truth. Do you guys think the first few seconds of a video should be held to the same standard as the thumbnail and title?

3 comments

3 Comments

taylor_patel8d ago

I mean, are we really acting like a two-minute delay on a battery test is some kind of moral crisis? It's a minor tease, not a hidden ad for a scammy crypto app.

dylan_sanchez10d ago

Yeah that thing about "Shocking Battery Test Results" not starting until minute 2 really gets at the core of it. I think if you're gonna put a claim in the title or thumbnail it should be backed up within the first 5 or 10 seconds, otherwise you're basically clickbaiting (which is just lying with extra steps).

evan_davis10d ago

Wait, they actually held off on the actual test results for almost two minutes? That's insane, you could watch three ads before getting to the point. It's like they're playing a game to see how long they can stretch out the suspense before delivering what they promised.