• Nate Cox@programming.dev
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    4 days ago

    I hate the age of “viral marketing”. Are we still pretending the YouTubers aren’t just marketing tools?

    • cecilkorik@lemmy.ca
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      4 days ago

      Some are genuine and trustworthy, but finding them is a needle in a haystack and Youtube will rarely lead you directly to them (because of course, it’s not in their interest to do so). Others are at least transparent when they’re being marketing tools. The ones that try to hide it and pretend to be “organic” when they’re shilling trash are the worst.

        • nullroot@lemmy.world
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          4 days ago

          Aurora tech is untrustworthy? What about my tech fun? Functional print Friday? There are definitely a handful of YouTubers I trust with a review of a 3d printing product, who have public review policies and take principled approaches. At least two of these are pillars of the community and it’s a huge boon to the company to even have a review from that reviewer, even if it isn’t glowing.

      • papalonian@lemmy.world
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        4 days ago

        Why isn’t it in YouTube’s best interest? They don’t care if the product gets praised or trashed, they aren’t selling it, you watch the video/ ads and they’re happy

        • SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca
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          4 days ago

          Youtubers need content. That means advanced releases of new electronics. You can’t get that unless every ‘review’ is positive.

          Fuck Unbox Therapy and Lewis Hilsenteger he started the enshitification of YouTube.

        • DaGeek247@fedia.io
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          4 days ago

          It costs money for them to attempt to sort between honest/upfront advertising and the scummy kind.

          • papalonian@lemmy.world
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            4 days ago

            I misinterpreted your original comment saying that YouTube wouldn’t lead you directly to them to mean that it would stear you away from them (which would of course require them to do the sorting you’re talking about). Yeah they don’t really give a shit, just shovel whatever they think will get you to engage.

            • 𞋴𝛂𝛋𝛆@lemmy.worldM
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              3 days ago

              YT has black boxes at all major ISPs. These cache local content. They prioritize what gets shown based on what is cached. This is why YT changed drastically around 2017. It is why you do not see content from ultra niche and high quality sources at random or get into advanced education like happened in the past.

    • Krauerking@lemy.lol
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      4 days ago

      Its insane that companies can get away with basically not having an in house PR team anymore and dont even have to pay all the ad makers for them. Just give a free product and threaten to never allow them to get another if they say anything bad.

      Boom instant commercials at the cost of basically nothing.

      • Mechanismatic@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        It’s not new, but the current hot trend is for companies to outsource their costs as much as possible but pretend they’re providing “creators” with a service. Gig economy jobs, social media jobs, Etsy stores, etc. all involve “employees” who can’t call themselves employees for the purposes of insurance or full time hours or salaries taking on the equipment and material costs and labor costs in hopes that the company will pay out more than they invest. It’s the new MLM Avon calling, Tupperware party, essential oils scam. It’s not to say that some people won’t beat the house some of the time and make a decent living, but the odds aren’t in your favor and the house is still making a bunch off of you even when you are being “successful.”

    • Zahille7@lemmy.world
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      4 days ago

      Some people are still pretending. I try not to watch too much “sponsored content” so they don’t work on me.

      One of the last times I watched a sponsored video, I went and bought V Rising immediately after.