You’re probably a content creator on YouTube who:
YouTube’s Test & Compare feature allows creators to upload and test multiple thumbnails for their videos. This helps pick the one that generates the most engagement, as measured by watch time.
Test and compare is the same as A/B Testing.
Essentially, it is…
Outside of YouTube, there are 3rd party apps like Thumbnail Test which do exactly the same thing and more.
More on this later in the guide.
Test & Compare works like this: You upload up to 3 thumbnails per video, and YouTube constantly changes them in a 14-day period.
When the test is done, you get to see:
And so, this way you learn how to make good thumbnails + you’ll understand which images your audience likes better.
By choosing the thumbnail that grabs the most attention and gets viewers clicking, you can see a significant boost in the number of people who watch your video.
Answer: Open YouTube Studio, select a video and scroll down to “Thumbnail”. Then, click the 3-dot icon and select “Test & Compare” to upload your thumbnails.
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of the prcoess:
That’s how you begin a thumbnail A/B test in YouTube.
Alternatively: Feel free to use Thumbnail test, which works very similarily.
This section applies for users who haven’t got access to Test & Compare.
This feature was dropped on the 11th of June 2024 — finally being available for most users.
Answer: To access Test & Compare, open YouTube Studio and choose a video. Scroll down to the thumbnail section and click “Test & Compare”.
But then again: This feature isn’t available to everyone. So, let’s go to the option that works for all the creators.
It’s just that simple! Oh, and did we mention? Thumbnail Test works for titles too!
Answer: Yes, YouTube does offer A/B Testing. Their feature is called “Test & Compare” and it works just for creators to test 3 thumbnails for 1 video.
Alternatively, creators can use Thumbnail Test to try out up to 10 thumbnails/video.
Answer: On YouTube, A/B Testing refers to trying out multiple thumbnails for one video. Creators A/B test their videos to find out what their audience prefers.
It’s a common practice for titles as well.
Answer: To get A/B thumbnail testing on YouTube, you can either use Thumbnail Test (available now), or apply for YouTube’s ‘advanced features’ program.
The second option may take a long time to make it work.
Overall, Test & Compare is a valuable tool for YouTube creators to optimize their video thumbnails and improve viewer engagement.
But, at least for now, Thumbnail Test is your best bet.
Thank you for reading this,
Thumbnail Test
