No publisher or website that utilizes Google search engine results for traffic can avoid the need to create "clickbait." I hate it.
I was brought on to a games website to create YouTube content and I don't know how successful I'll end up because, like Medium, YouTube has evolved from one form of clickbait to another. It's ridiculous to have to title something "Super Mario Bros. 3 sucks" when the video's actually conveying that it hasn't aged well and "Super Mario Bros. 3 hasn't aged well" (made up topic, don't search for that. 😅) isn't sufficient for clicks.
Medium tried to circumvent this with subscriptions but it obviously hasn't helped. It's like people are conditioned to do this now, regardless if its subscriber driven content or ad driven, search driven content. But I suppose that's ultimately a result of anyone being able to post content on the internet.
i wrote this 3 years ago...
https://john.do/abandon-medium/
... i hate medium. i try to help people get off of it. the worst.
It's only gotten worse since then also.
+1 to this. i hope everyone who reads this gets off.
No publisher or website that utilizes Google search engine results for traffic can avoid the need to create "clickbait." I hate it.
I was brought on to a games website to create YouTube content and I don't know how successful I'll end up because, like Medium, YouTube has evolved from one form of clickbait to another. It's ridiculous to have to title something "Super Mario Bros. 3 sucks" when the video's actually conveying that it hasn't aged well and "Super Mario Bros. 3 hasn't aged well" (made up topic, don't search for that. 😅) isn't sufficient for clicks.
Medium tried to circumvent this with subscriptions but it obviously hasn't helped. It's like people are conditioned to do this now, regardless if its subscriber driven content or ad driven, search driven content. But I suppose that's ultimately a result of anyone being able to post content on the internet.
I'm rambling. Bottom line: I agree.
astute observation. if "clicks" are the model, bait is what you use.
I'm starting to agree. My problem is that I've also tried Substack and it seems worse. I haven't been able to get followers at all.