Youtube Getting Smarter?

by milan
12 replies
I've submitted 3 videos to Youtube today. Last time I submitted videos a week ago I guess. I've noticed that in 2 of those cases today Youtube didn't take the middle frame for a thumbnail. I don't know if Youtube is getting smarter or just tries to add some randomness to make it harder to be manipulative with thumbnails.

Picking up good thumbnails has made a huge difference to me before. 1000% increase in views in some cases.

Has anybody else experienced this recently?
#smarter #youtube
  • Profile picture of the author Steve Taylor
    I haven't made a video for youtube in a few months...is it a random frame for the thumb nail now, or is it the first frame/last frame?

    -Steve
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    Ask...Because you never stop learning.

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    • Profile picture of the author Corwinnx
      I havent' made any videos for youtube in a while but if I remember correctly, you can SPECIFY what frame you want to be your still.

      -Marcus
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      • Profile picture of the author milan
        Originally Posted by Corwinnx View Post

        I havent' made any videos for youtube in a while but if I remember correctly, you can SPECIFY what frame you want to be your still.

        -Marcus
        No, you have a choise of three frames, but you cannot just choose any other.
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        • Profile picture of the author Sam Rodrigo
          Hi Milan,

          What type of images resulted in a 1000% increase in your view count?

          Just curious, Sam.
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          • Profile picture of the author milan
            Originally Posted by Sam Rodrigo View Post

            Hi Milan,

            What type of images resulted in a 1000% increase in your view count?

            Just curious, Sam.
            A frame with text on it vs an image with a girl brings about 1500% increase.

            You have to know that hot girls attract much more views anyway so a chunk of those new viewers are much less targeted (and a chunk of them is completely worthless). The videos were female related, made for girls, by the way, it was logical to have a girl as a thumbnail. If you're thinking about using this just as a trick to get views you'll find out that you'll get more views but they are mostly worthless.
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            • Profile picture of the author Jelasco
              What about a hot girl with text on her?
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              • Profile picture of the author Sean Donahoe
                Originally Posted by Jelasco View Post

                What about a hot girl with text on her?
                Good point.... a tattoo with the URL on it. There was a girl in Vegas that rented ad space on her cleavage for a major sporting event that she would be featured in. Very inventive marketing.
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            • Profile picture of the author VamBoom
              Originally Posted by milan View Post

              A frame with text on it vs an image with a girl brings about 1500% increase.

              You have to know that hot girls attract much more views anyway so a chunk of those new viewers are much less targeted (and a chunk of them is completely worthless). The videos were female related, made for girls, by the way, it was logical to have a girl as a thumbnail. If you're thinking about using this just as a trick to get views you'll find out that you'll get more views but they are mostly worthless.
              Yup, I have a client that I maintain a YouTube page for, their videos get THOUSANDS of views a day, well SOME of them do. You see they are for plastic surgeons so they have titles like "Hillary's Breast reduction Los Angeles" ALOT of the videos has BREAST in the title so they probably get hit by a bunch of horny tennagers or whatever. Not exactly the traffic they are looking for. On the other hand they do get alot of genuine hits as these doctors are famous and the info is very relevant to the world of plactic surgery.

              Dan

              VamBoom Creative

              VamBoom Creative. Multimedia development,, Audio & Video editing and production, Graphic design for print and web. Podcast production services, Viral Marketing & media, YouTube optimization, Format conversion.
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    • Profile picture of the author milan
      Originally Posted by Steve Taylor View Post

      I haven't made a video for youtube in a few months...is it a random frame for the thumb nail now, or is it the first frame/last frame?

      -Steve
      Never was first or last (and I guess it will never be). If they changed the system it's too early for me to conclude what it is from just 3 videos. Looks a bit more intelligent to me as the frame is typical, but, like I said, statistics doesn't know the numbers 2 or 3. Could be easily a coincidence...
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  • Profile picture of the author Quilst
    Originally Posted by milan View Post

    I've submitted 3 videos to Youtube today. Last time I submitted videos a week ago I guess. I've noticed that in 2 of those cases today Youtube didn't take the middle frame for a thumbnail. I don't know if Youtube is getting smarter or just tries to add some randomness to make it harder to be manipulative with thumbnails.

    Picking up good thumbnails has made a huge difference to me before. 1000% increase in views in some cases.

    Has anybody else experienced this recently?
    I had a drug abuse video that hit 1 mill in 8 months with a thumbnail of a needle and a spoon and it was a hit until they simply erased the movie from my account (don't want to go into details) but yes monkeys running youtube are getting smarter
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    • Profile picture of the author Jesus Perez
      I'm going to figure this one out and post back.
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      • Profile picture of the author Steve Iser
        No more middle frame pic?

        That was how AtheneWins would always hit up top 10 with his "girlfriend"
        and using ridiculous subject lines.

        Haha.

        Interesting to see they've changed that.
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