Investigating how the New York Times A/B tests their headlines

Re:Investigating how the New York Times A/B tests their head... by site-packages1 on Wednesday March 10, 2021 @09:45PM (#26419582)

But multiple headlines can both be accurate with one being more engaging. These aren't mutually exclusive.

Article about a bank robbery:

"First National Bank Robbed"

"Gunmen Rob First National Bank in Daring Robbery"

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Re:Investigating how the New York Times A/B tests their head... by AareyBaba on Wednesday March 10, 2021 @09:56PM (#26419660)

My favorite this year was from the Times of India on the Jan 6th US capital insurrection.

"Coup Klux Klan: Don triggers mob & rob bid"

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Re:Investigating how the New York Times A/B tests their head... by johncena33 on Thursday March 11, 2021 @12:06AM (#26420487)

That doesn't mean what OP has mentioned is wrong. NYT has a history of misleading headlines [1].

[1] https://thepostmillennial.com/nyt-makes-terrorism-story-into...

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Re:Investigating how the New York Times A/B tests their head... by solarkraft on Wednesday March 10, 2021 @10:28PM (#26419846)

"Engaging" while being highly irritating. The first one is concise.

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Re:Investigating how the New York Times A/B tests their head... by penetraitor69 on Thursday March 11, 2021 @01:43AM (#26421030)

True, but which is more likely to get your click: a headline you're indifferent to, or a headline that fills you with righteous indignation? I think that if there's one thing that the development of social media has taught us about human nature, it's that any emotion is better than boredom, from an engagement standpoint.

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