I have seen almost every single television show reference "hits" when a video goes viral on the television shows "internet" but what are they? Why not use views, or likes, or anything that is actually used? is there some sort of reason that people use the word hits?? It doesn't seem to mean anything.
It's outdated language. Visits to a webpage used the term "hits" commonly in the 2000s. It's still used in IT.
"Did the page get any hits?"
"Can you hit the server?"
19
ToasterYetiRanch1 day ago
+3
Yup, and even more confusingly, in web analytics “hits” are actually file requests, not people. No wonder TV writers just use it as generic internet noise.
3
I-Have-Mono1 day ago
+14
You have not seen “almost every single television show” reference this, no way.
14
EasternChapter11281 day ago
+4
web traffic used to be measured in "hits" back in early internet days - basically how many times someone accessed a page or file on website. tv writers probably just stuck with that term because it sounds more dramatic than "views" and most people understand what they mean even if it's not technically accurate anymore
plus saying "this video got a million hits" just flows better in dialogue than "this video got a million views" or whatever
4
UHeardAboutPluto1 day ago
+3
Search results are usually called hits.
3
Bellfast1231 day ago
+10
Hits are views. It was more common in the early Youtube era to refer to 'views' as 'hits'.
Early internet metrics were generally based around how many people visited a specific website. Because this involved 'hitting a button' or the person 'hitting the front page' these visits were colloquially called 'hits'.
this changed to 'views' over time as Youtube became the ubiquitous website it is today, but some people who were around in this era still use the term 'hits' interchangeably.
Please google things like this, it was very hard to not be mean to you during this explanation.
10
cammcken1 day ago
+1
What about "hit musicals", or "hit movies", which pre-dated the internet?
1
AnotherSoulessGinger1 day ago
+2
Do they not teach you how to google anymore?!?!?
2
cammcken1 day ago
+2
I was genuinely asking, not attempting to debunk.
Found this on etymonline:
>Meaning "successful play, song, person," etc., 1811, is from the verbal sense of "to hit the mark, succeed" (c. 1400).
2
AnotherSoulessGinger1 day ago
+1
Yeah, so like I said, do they not teach Google anymore? Why ask on a forum and wait for an answer when you could just look it up and have the answer right away.
1
shinyhpno1 day ago
+3
Its just views. Every thing or culture or subculture gets its own terminology and slang. It's just natural.
3
BaggyHairyNips1 day ago
+2
I think of hits as a common word. It means the same thing as views. Maybe writers like it because it sounds slightly more edgy.
2
JediWookie5891 day ago
+1
Thanks now I feel old 😂
1
Invisible_Mikey1 day ago
+1
Very old term meaning a success, something becoming rapidly popular. As a young child I used to watch a tv show called "Your Hit Parade" that counted down the top seven songs of the week. That show began on radio in 1935!
It's the idea of hitting a target. You hit or you miss.
1
Over_Friendship84441 day ago
+2
I got the idea of a "hit" movie, I meant it being used as a substitute for views. I got my answer though, it flows better in dialogue
15 Comments