What's up with these shitty thumbnails? - Honest Answers Ep. 5

[JinaJita]

In my opinion the thumbnails are not that big of an issue. If they help you grow, do it. The bigger you are the more high quality content will there be. So... I don't really mind.

 

What I really like the way you guys balance your content. You provide lots of information in your videos AND they are entertaining! That's what draws me in time and time again. You could just be reading some benchmark results or just be jumping around in front of a camera, but neither would support the channel on their own. Both parts are essential.

 

And the new thumbnails are a way of having fun! It's fun asking your self "Why the hell are the hotdogs in the background?" it's grotesque and I find that interessting. Given they don't provide much information, but as long as they don't restrain the information they don't matter it all if people just come for the information.  Some people have to stop taking things way to seriously. The world isn't going to end because the thumbnails are showing the entertaining part of the videos.

[Bouzoo]

At 3:22 I was expecting the monitor to fall. Kind of disappointed

[idmb]

Love you Linus

[DoctorWho1975]

Geesh Linus.. you give your employees vacation? Pay? Insurance? WTF... thats your problem! 

 

Thumbnails are quirky.. but funny.

[themctipers]

39 minutes ago, VicBar said:

There are far worse examples... (most of) these really aren't that bad.

 

I understand and support the use of the thumbnails. Though I still hate them, you'll get no hate from me.

 

Thank you for this beautiful series.. Honest Answers is the best. (Second ofc to SCW)

those were the recent thumbnails that I found to be horrible.

 

I dislike them too, but you won't get any hate from me with these thumbnails.

[Princess Luna]

@LinusTech

I find it awesome how you actually took time and staff effort to produce a well made video addressing this on going "issue" if any thing that really makes accepting the "clickbaits" easier now, I have ever only disliked one LTT video which was that poorly made SSD on Luke's laptop one though I now I might even reconsider and still giving that like but add my criticism here on the forum.

 

Awesome feedback, makes me proud of being part of the community, still waiting on new payment methods for the Floatplane club as you promised so I can subscribe without the need of Paypal, really wanna do my part to help out.

[Daniel644]

As long as you keep titles truthful and cut back on the "dad jokes" things should be alright, just PLEASE don't take a page from NCIX and do those CRINGE intros they do on every Netlinked.

[SSL]

Called it.

[Fordsworth]

you guys provide great content and good information on tech and your right it does work I've been watching for a few years and even for me these new thumbnails grab my attention and I'll click on them and as long as the content is good and correct and your not doing fake videos there is nothing wrong with it. a business is a business and money is needed i help run a business and we make decisions like this all the time in the name of growth. and i think a lot of the thumbnails are funny and make me smile so good job guys

REPLY

 

 

 

[Misanthrope]

I took the time and effort of opening this thread to say that I actually DO want boob thumbnails, thanks.

[SSL]

47 minutes ago, Misanthrope said:

I took the time and effort of opening this thread to say that I actually DO want boob thumbnails, thanks.

 

Same. And if it's the difference between paying your employees more and not, then it's a no brainer.

[AHaskin14]

I'm in the boat of having never been the slightest bit upset towards thumbnails or video titles. I've been a die hard fan for years, having bought 3 shirts, funded the new office, had an LTT wallpaper for years, and watched every last video in the process, happily. Hell I even built my latest PC around my LTT NFF12. You guys are everything to me and I love watching your videos!

[VicBar]

3 hours ago, Nomar1245 said:

Has anyone ever commented and said, "I hated the content of that video, but hit the thumbs up because that thumbnail was tight." Doubt it.

Actually this is the very definition of click-bait. Say for example, you see a thumbnail that hs boobs (as linus mentioned in the video) and click on it, but the content is absolute trash.. they got the click and maybe the view mostly because of the 80085...

 

No-one says "[...] but the thumbnail was tight", but they do get completely baited and or misdirected by thumbnails.

It doesn't tend to happen as much on respectable channels but how about vine comps or funnyvids that have boobs or ass in the thumbnail but not in the actual video? Let's be honest YOU'VE CLICKED THEM!

 

[kaiju_wars]

Now that you've actually taken the time to come and explain the thumbnails and titles... I appreciate it.  I'm also glad for the compromise.  I can live with that,as opposed to Luke vomiting CPUs.

[mrchow19910319]

I think this video is on point. 

At the end of the day they did it for money. And there is no reason to judge them. 

But keep it @ a certain level. I swear I did not notice this video was from LTT through its thumbnail. 

 

I thought I mis subbed some stupid youtube channel and wanna un sub it. 

Then I saw the title..... 

 

Just imagine what if from now on I will use those fonts to post here at LTT forum so others can follow me. 

[AxelRantila]

Thank you for the video Linus!

 

As for the point of not being passionate about this kinds of things anymore, I don't believe that is the case. However, in a couple of cases (not many though, but a few ones nonetheless), it feels that you have been rushing out videos just for the sake of keeping the 1 video per day schedule. I would rather have a delay for a good video than having videos being rushed out.

[iPolymer]

I always thought the new thumbnails are obnoxious, but it never stopped me from watching a video; Even with Luke's misleading water damage thumbnail. Also Those who are happy with Linus or themselves being at place without wanting better kinda have a bad outlook in life. I like Linus because he's those people who can't never have satisfaction and want better, in a good way. 

 

I am so happy that he addressed the nostalgia glasses, the old videos where just bad quality compared to the last 3 years. At least holy $h!t has rouge high quality camera footage like the old days. And those who look at the videos and still believe LTT videos are/should be made out of passion or it's not a real never have seen a behind scene video. Or thought much of how the background or lighting bill is getting paid. I never minded the ad bombardment. TV shows have 22 minutes of content with 8 minutes of Ads if your lucky.

 

But Linus lied and he bought a Honda Oddessy, the Rolls-Royce of Mini-Vans. 

 

Also for the server room catching fire some of the comments like that might just be sarcastic jokes. I mean that's how I took it when I read that the server room is fire hazard. I guess they can say JK or put /s but who knows what the commentators intentions where and if the thumb sup people took it for truth. 

[iPolymer]

6 hours ago, Glenwing said:

What's with that thumbnail though?

I thought he used fiver to let someone design it??

[jeetsagar]

I like the well produced videos you make these days, but it would be nice to have 1-2 unboxing style videos every month. It adds variety because of being different. Your regular videos like the Corsair One/ MSI Trident/ GTX 1080 ti review are good, but they all have similar format. If you did something like "Cheap Korean Ultrawide 100 HZ monitor" or "Pocket Sized windows gaming pc" every so often, it would be a good change of pace.

 

I would also like to see more videos hosted by Taran, Camera videos from Brandon. Would Jon ever host techquickie again?

[jeetsagar]

2 minutes ago, iPolymer said:

I thought he used fiver to let someone design it??

I doubt you would get such complex artwork for five dollars. Some LTT video editor likely made it in photoshop with the aim of being as ridiculous as possible to draw attention.

[iPolymer]

 

6 hours ago, WereCat said:

I find it bizarre that making this video was even necessary.... DAMN YOU HATERS!

I thought it was nessacary, it shows that he is aware of what people are commenting and cares enough to make a video about it. It's also comforting in a way since he is open about what is going on. I don't need to rely on rumors or speculation on why he did things. 

6 hours ago, Shadow-R said:

Terve!
I have to say that I really like these videos. I'm not a big watcher of all the videos anymore, but I do checkout everything that is relevant for me.

Even though nostalgia goggle don't work, I think its a nice bit of having "hands on" with LTT. A feeling that I have missed for a long time.

Sayonara!
Shadow

He made a couple videos in the past year with the rouge high quality camera, closest you'll get to the old days. Watch the ugliest keyboard video. 

6 hours ago, MastuhWaffles said:

You gotta use clickbaity titles and silly thumbnails because it's just how youtube works. They love raking in low quality content with 300000 mid rolls ads, it's just annoying to me that this is what youtube has come to, where people that make professional high quality content have to feed into the system to make sure they are not buried.

Also don't listen to reddit, they can be about as worse as 4chan sometimes.

And why do people even complain? Essentially they get to watch these videos ad free and all they are concerned about is the thumbnail?

If people don't complain he would have never made this video. Constructive complaints prevent circle jerks, but I guess he sees more aboiut what people don't like then what people like. 

[gonvres]

Reminds me a lot of this:

 

The 'apology' that tells you more or less why you're wrong.

 

I'm not saying I particularly care or whatever, high end content will matter to me more than stupid thumbnails. But this could more be 'reasons why were going to continue to use the thumbnails' than anything.

 

As long as the titles don't turn into "50 REASONS WHY THE 1080TI IS THE MOST IMPORTANT VIDEO CARD LAUNCHED THIS YEAR!!!" then I'll probably keep clicking.

[JoostinOnline]

The thumbnails have never bothered me, but it is kind of nice to know you aren't just looking ridiculous because you can.

[HarmFull]

11 hours ago, themctipers said:

These are good.

 

these are not good. 

 

 

It's easy to forget sometimes that we as consumers can freely enjoy the content of LMG, a company dedicated to providing us the audience with the best videos possible. LMG like any corporation needs to grow to stay relevant and growing means attracting new viewers with innovative videos, interesting titles and crazy thumbnails.

 

Don't get me wrong, personally I hate clickbaity titles or crazy thumbnails but I get why LMG is using them. As a company that needs to grow and make a profit I understand why they do this. These methods clearly work on YouTube, the platform were LMG pretty much depends on. We shouldn't blame LMG for doing what a company has to do, but we should blame YouTube for forcing it's content creators to do this. I don't see YouTube or Google change their behavior in the near future however.

 

LMG has to compete with other channels like MKBHD, JayzTwoCents, Paul's Hardware etc*. for your views and therefore they to have to act upon trends in the market (or in this case YouTube). If crazy thumbnails work they pretty much have to use them for the sake of competition.

 

* I'm not saying LMG (or I) hates MKBHD, Jayz or Paul. They are competitors but they like each other a lot. They have frequently collaborated.

 

As Linus is saying, his passion hasn't changed and I believe him completely. He still loves tech and teaching/telling us all about it. That's also why he started his own business to provide us with the best content possible. This is still the core value of the company, to provide viewers with the best tech related content possible.
 

With the start and growth of this company, his marriage and the birth of this children, his approach to making the videos has changed. This is only logical as he's now a providing father and business owner instead of the NCIX techhead he was 8 years ago.

 

People change, platforms change, companies change

 

LMG as a company has to change to compete with other YouTubers and to keep providing us with the best content possible.

 

Even if we don't like a business decision from LMG like shitty thumbnails, put yourself in their perspective and try to understand why they're doing this. Instead of letting emotions do the talking try to understand and then talk.

[Blaight]

Dear Linus and team,

there is certainly reason why one might be annoyed by your style of presentation. I personally favor hardwarecanucks approach while I think you are more geeky (in a good way) and really in it with all your heart. I am proud in proxy that there are people out there who share my passions and can make a living out of this. Keep up the good work!

Best from Germany,

Jan