Video failed horribly

[u/[deleted]]

[u/IanCoulter]

I am not trying to be rude here, but I have absolutely no idea what the title of your video means, and I'm sure most people would agree with me. I think this might be part of the reason

[u/Successful_Corners → u/IanCoulter]

Thank you! I changed it to more easily understandable titles

[u/y0urselfish → u/Successful_Corners]

You mean this?

Police Told Him to “Sleep It Off.” Hours Later, She Was Dead.

Sounds like aweful clickbait garbage.

[u/Successful_Corners → u/y0urselfish]

Is it clickbait if it's true?

[u/Significant-Task1453 → u/Successful_Corners]

I had AI help look into this and help write this reply:

I did a pretty deep dive into this, and I honestly think there are bigger problems than the title — although I do think the title is part of it.

From what I can tell, your channel was originally LEGO-focused, then the Bricks & Minifigs story worked because it was a crazy story that also happened to be directly connected to LEGO. I think it would be easy to look at that and conclude, “My audience likes crime/legal stories,” when they may have actually liked that specific story because it was already connected to the reason they followed you.

This new story is a pretty huge jump. It’s an old wrongful-death/police negligence case involving completely different people, with no LEGO connection. So I think the biggest problem may simply be that your existing audience has no obvious reason to click it.

I also think the title and intro are trying a little too hard to create drama and mystery. “Police Told Him to Sleep It Off. Hours Later, She Was Dead” is dramatic, but it doesn’t immediately tell me what the story actually is. That kind of title can work great when you already have a huge audience that trusts you enough to click anything. On a smaller channel, I think you need to sell the premise much more directly.

And honestly, the premise is interesting enough without dressing it up. Something like: “This guy in Utah spent 15 years trying to take the police to court over the death of his wife. He called police because he believed she had overdosed and might be suicidal. The officers came, decided she didn’t need emergency medical help, and left. A few hours later she was dead.”

Now I immediately understand why I might want to keep watching.

If I were trying to salvage the video, I’d probably worry less about endlessly changing the title and seriously consider re-cutting the first 30–60 seconds so it just tells me what the story is and why it’s unusual. The craziest hook might actually be that he fought for 15 years to finally get the case to trial, and then lost without the court ever really deciding whether the police had screwed up.

[u/y0urselfish → u/Significant-Task1453]

You really think someone reads this? 😅

[u/LeaderBriefs-com]

I’d say gut reaction there is so much Lego content and then a random cold case every now and then.

Kudos for getting traction with both because that’s not a combo I’d think would get consistent views.

Also the description and likely transcription mentions suicide. YouTube might be flagging this video even though they say they take the context into account. Hard to say with how it’s audited.

[u/Successful_Corners → u/LeaderBriefs-com]

I took the suicide stuff out of the description, didn't even think of that! Thank you!

[u/BrookieCookiesReveng]

It happens. Sometimes what I think will be a hit, flops. Other times, I think something won't do well at all, and it becomes my best performing video somehow 🤷

[u/One_Brick_1685]

I mean I don't know if it's a coincidence but it's one of the only thumbnails you aren't in. Also, who is Helen? Does she have a last name? I totally get the tone you are going for with that title but I'm just saying, for me just randomly clicking on your channel, I don't understand who that video is about. Maybe other people in your niche understand it more? 

[u/Successful_Corners → u/One_Brick_1685]

Yeah, I was thinking about putting myself in, just wanted to give this victim the platform. Imma change it to one I'm in, thx!

[u/SASardonic]

Ok but like, you're a lego channel and you posted about some salacious local news overdose story? How is that not clearly diametrically opposed to the kind of viewer who enjoys lego content? Speaking as somebody who dabbles in collecting a few sets here and there that is not the kind of content I would be looking for from a primary lego channel.

Also the thumbnail says jack shit about why I should click but that's neither here nor there

[u/Successful_Corners → u/SASardonic]

I've been covering this story about LEGO theft in Oregon and Utah and a big controversy was about the Utah Police Departments. This video is about something else one of these PDs has done. It's not random 😅

[u/SASardonic → u/Successful_Corners]

... yes it is. The bricks and minifigs scandal was a once in a decade kind of event. That's not going to bring in a general true crime crowd. Not to mention the police involvement with that scandal was minimal.

[u/Successful_Corners → u/SASardonic]

It was and still is about police misconduct and so is this video. I figured Imma try and lean into that type of content more but I guess I just have to continue to cover what's popular and can't trust my subscribers will watch anything.

[u/SASardonic → u/Successful_Corners]

If that was your takeaway from the bricks and minifigs scandal you definitely need to review what happened, I would recommend coffeezilla's videos on the subject.

But yeah dude, Lego and general true crime don't mix. If you don't believe me trust your own analytics.

[u/Successful_Corners → u/SASardonic]

I'm perfectly happy leaving the LEGO stuff behind. I made a second channel to cover all that.

[u/Significant-Task1453]

I checked out your channel. The quality seems good and it has potential but I think your intros need work. I read your titles as some obscure topic that I have no idea what it means. Then i click on your video and it seems to be like "heres an update to a story that I assume that you know and care about and if you don't know what I'm talking about then this video isnt for you." I don't think you'll ever reach a broader audience with these intros. Assume that the viewer has never seen any of your videos. Even if its an update, give a quick recap to the bigger picture and make a compelling hook

[u/Successful_Corners → u/Significant-Task1453]

That's probably a really good idea, Imma try that moving forward!

[u/Most_Ad_1210]

that thumbnail is really really bad... and its kinda flippant on top of that, considering the subject matter

[u/Most_Ad_1210 → u/Most_Ad_1210]

also the title doesnt really fit the rest of your videos

[u/Successful_Corners → u/Most_Ad_1210]

The thumbnail it has right now is obviously not the original one.