In the last five years I've noticed emergence of a "essay youtubers". What they do is basically drag a five minute video to thirty minutes.
Ask HN: Why is almost every YouTuber trying to waste our time?
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Re: Ask HN: Why is almost every YouTuber trying to waste our time?
#2Probably something to do with YT algorithm and/or guidelines. YT definitely pushes certain length videos, not sure if it's 5 or 10min for example. Then youtubers min/max the algorithm so it becomes a trend.
Re: Ask HN: Why is almost every YouTuber trying to waste our time?
#3[deleted]
Re: Ask HN: Why is almost every YouTuber trying to waste our time?
#4This would be a perfect use for AI — summarise a video in a minute or two!
Re: Ask HN: Why is almost every YouTuber trying to waste our time?
#5Don’t they get paid by time engaged.
It reminds me of padding out essays at school to meet the length requirement, which makes me feel bad.
Life is short, and in some ways these expanded essays are taking your most precious thing, time.
Is YouTube cold turkey a thing?
Re: Ask HN: Why is almost every YouTuber trying to waste our time?
#6Ask gemini to summarize. Its pretty great actually, it gives you bullet points, each with a link to its timestamp
Re: Ask HN: Why is almost every YouTuber trying to waste our time?
#7From my experience of working with YT influencers in tech/ software development: many of their audience do prefer watching longer videos on YT.
They go to tiktok/ instagram/ YT shorts to binge-watch short videos. And come to YT either to have learn something from longform content (e.g. deeper tutorials), or find the interesting parts on their own, or just to have something longer to run in the background. Most Youtubers worth their salt would have fairly impressive engagement on their longer videos.
Re: Ask HN: Why is almost every YouTuber trying to waste our time?
#8Algorithm/ad tuning and for the sake of giving it a personality or creative mark to differentiate it. You know, how recipe sites ended up in a similar state.
Re: Ask HN: Why is almost every YouTuber trying to waste our time?
#9From my experience of working with YT influencers in tech/ software development: many of their audience do prefer watching longer videos on YT. They go to tiktok/ instagram/ YT shorts to binge-watch short videos. And come to YT either to have learn something from longform content (e.g. deeper tutorials), or find the interesting parts on their own, or just to have something longer to run in the background. Most Youtub…
I prefer longer videos. 15-30 mins seems to be the sweet spot for me. Videos have a low information density to begin with, so it's unusual for a video shorter than 15 mins or so to be worth my time.
Re: Ask HN: Why is almost every YouTuber trying to waste our time?
#10Longer videos have longer watch time and so make more money. Essay style videos are an easy low effort way to make long form content. It’s really as simple as that.