The Illusion of Views: Why the Most Visible Metric on the Internet is Meaningless
As we scroll through our social media feeds, we’re constantly bombarded with numbers – likes, comments, shares, and, of course, views. But have you ever stopped to think about what these views actually mean? In this article, David Pierce reminds us that views are nothing more than a meaningless metric, a “universal currency of success” that’s been inflated and manipulated to the point of absurdity.
The Problem with Views
The issue with views is that they’re not a universal metric. They’re whatever a platform wants them to be, and often have no actual correlation to whether someone has actually encountered and experienced a piece of content. Take Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts, for example. These platforms count a view the second a video starts playing, regardless of whether you actually watch it or not. It’s like saying that if you walk past a TV playing a movie, you’ve technically seen the movie. Congratulations, you’re a pirate!
The Absurdity of Autoplay
Autoplay is a major culprit in the inflation of view counts. On Facebook, for instance, a view is defined as the number of times a reel or video was played, plus the number of times photos or text were on screen. Since videos autoplay all over the platform, these two metrics are effectively the same thing. It’s like saying that if you scroll past a video, you’ve watched it. And if you don’t like the way the numbers look, you can just make views something else!
The Power of Platforms
The reason so many companies have embraced such stupid metrics is both simple and self-reinforcing. If you’re the platform that counts views in a way that actually reflects reality, your numbers will be lower. Creators might see that, decide your platform doesn’t have the juice, and start posting somewhere they’ll ostensibly get more eyeballs. Advertisers might worry that they’ll be broadcasting to dead air. On the social web, momentum is everything, and sometimes you have to lie about the size of your party to get the first people in the door.
The Control of Platforms
Platforms have all the control when it comes to defining views. You don’t press play to get the video going, and you don’t have to stick around for it to count. Whatever the platform wants to get views, gets views. There is no step two, no intermediary, no actual matching of content and audience. There are just… views.
The Consequences
The consequences of this absurdity are far-reaching. Creators are incentivized to produce content that will get the most views, regardless of its quality or relevance. Advertisers are left wondering if they’re actually reaching their target audience. And the platforms themselves are left with a metric that’s meaningless and easily manipulated.
Actionable Insights
So what can we do about it? Here are a few actionable insights:
- Be skeptical of view counts. Don’t take them at face value.
- Look for alternative metrics, such as engagement rates or completion rates.
- Support platforms that prioritize transparency and accuracy in their metrics.
- Encourage creators to focus on producing high-quality content that resonates with their audience, rather than chasing views.
Conclusion
In conclusion, views are nothing more than a meaningless metric, a “universal currency of success” that’s been inflated and manipulated to the point of absurdity. It’s time to wake up and smell the coffee – views are not a reflection of reality, and it’s time to start valuing actual engagement and audience interaction over fake metrics.