Clickbait Is Wrecking YouTube

We need a return to journalistic standards.

I was a newspaper reporter during the 1970′s.  I learned the essence of the story should be in the first paragraph. W-5  Who, what, where, why, when.

Now that more people are watching videos than reading, this principle has been lost. At least half the time, the title is clickbait. The subject of the title is not addressed until deep into the video if at all. Instead of clickbait, the title should reveal the content.

Here are examples of clickbait.

TUCKER JUST LEAKED THE FINAL U.S. GOVERNMENT SECRET THAT NO ONE WAS SUPPOSED TO KNOW!!!

Just say what it is. Give the content in the title. People will keep watching instead of giving up in frustration.

LISTEN TO WHAT THIS CNN GUEST JUST SAID ABOUT THE TRUMP RALLY INCIDENT!!!

BREAKING! Stunning New Details in Trump Assassination Plot Exposed | Redacted w Clayton Morris

Guess Who’s Pushing for Peace

TUCKER JUST MADE HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

ELON MUSK DROPS HUGE BOMBSHELL!!! WE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW THIS, THE CIA IS NOW PISSED!!

BlackRock’s Next Plans Will SHOCK THE WORLD” – Whitney Webb’s LATEST LARRY FINK EXPOSE

NEW EVIDENCE NOW FOUND ON THOMAS MATTHEW CROOKS, THE DONALD TRUMP SHOOTER!!!

Urgent! This explains everything. Please share.

Often the video is a lie. Citizen journalists are replacing the MSM which is now propaganda. But many of these citizen journalists are just trying to get chicks which means money. Often the claim in the title is FALSE. I.e Secret service director resigns. Well she hasn’t yet.  Or – Chinese Troops At Ukraine Border   Liies. 

The key to good writing is to consider your audience.

Recently a feminist sent me a long angry diatribe.

I replied: “Why would I read this once I figured out it wasn’t praise?”

People expect you to read their thoughts just because they took the trouble to write them down.

Communication is not the same as self-expression. If you need to express yourself, keep a diary. 

In communication, your reader must want to read your work! You must have something original to say.  You must write in an inviting and compelling way.

Put yourself in the reader’s position. He doesn’t have much time or patience. He’s looking for something that will inform, empower or uplift him.

You must pique his interest immediately and convey your message quickly. State your argument in the first paragraph!

The most common mistake is over-writing due to insecurity and the mistaken notion that articles must be long. 

Keep it short!  Weed out unnecessary words.  

The Internet is a very competitive environment. There is a plethora of good, free material. To compete, you must be as quick, easy and engaging as possible.

George Bernard Shaw said. “Have something original to say and say it in the shortest, most candid, straight-forward way possible.”

If you’re guileless, there is no reason to be nervous. 

Ideally, you’ll be passionate about your information and your sincerity will be felt.

CLEAR WRITING 

Clear writing requires clear thinking. If your message isn’t clear to you, it won’t be clear to your reader.

State your argument and give a few proofs. Don’t cite a lot of evidence and expect your reader to discover your point.

(The reader wants your conclusions; he doesn’t need your thought process. He will either accept or reject your views.)

Ideally, convey your message in the title and first paragraph so the reader can decide whether to read your piece.  Write in a linear way, one-thought-per sentence.

Don’t use titles that say, “The Truth about Such and Such.” Or “This is so shocking.” Reveal the startling truth in the title.

Never repeat yourself, (as I am doing now!)

Good writing requires rewriting.

If you can, put the work away and look at it again over a few days.

None of this will stop the New World Order but it will enable us to communicate effectively.  

 —

Related: George Orwell’s “Politics and the English Language”