Think of Thumbnails as free billboards on YouTube. These visuals allow viewers to see a quick snapshot of your video content as they’re browsing on the platform. Once a video is finished uploading, creators can either use an automatically generated thumbnail using a still image from the video or upload a custom thumbnail.
Remember that thumbnails are the first thing viewers will see when searching for a video to watch on YouTube, and 90% of the best-performing videos on YouTube have custom thumbnails. If you decide to customize your thumbnails, be sure you’ve got a strong, vibrant image, that conveys key information about your video and looks great when it’s both large and small. You can apply the “rule of thirds” to compose interesting and dynamic images, then overlay with your branding and/or descriptive text. If you add text, make sure to use a font that’s easy to read on screens. Also, keep in mind that the thumbnail should be eye-catching and age-appropriate for your audience.
Here are a few ways to ensure you’re optimizing your video’s custom thumbnails:
- Have your title and thumbnail work together to tell a compelling story about the video
- Make sure faces are visible for thumbnails that feature people
- Design thumbnails that stand out, but make sure they accurately represent your content
- Use the largest possible thumbnail image
- Source feedback from your community for examples of potential future thumbnail and title combinations
- Get creative by using catchy titles
- List the type of content (behind the scenes, music video, lyric video), so viewers know what to expect
Note that thumbnails are subject to YouTube’s Community Guidelines, therefore no nudity, hate speech, or any other images that would violate YouTube’s guidelines can be displayed. A violation may result in the rejection of your thumbnail and a strike on your account. Repeat offenses may lead to the removal of your custom thumbnail privileges for 30 days and, ultimately, account termination. Make sure your thumbnails also properly reflect what your videos are about to avoid misleading your audience, which can result in a high drop off rate and is also considered to be a violation of YouTube’s Community Guidelines. You can learn more about YouTube’s Community Guidelines and Community Guidelines strikes in YouTube’s Help Center here.
In summary, you should give plenty of thought to your thumbnails, as this is an essential part of your YouTube strategy and more importantly, gives your audience and new viewers a preview of the content on your YouTube channel. For more detailed information about adding and creating custom thumbnails, visit YouTube’s Help Center.
