Not sure what to add in your thumbnails? We’ll help you decide — this guide tells you the 6 most crucial things to have in your images.
In a nutshell, these are your must-have elements in the thumbnail’s layout:
A well-made YouTube thumbnail requires these elements: simple background, face, text, logo, and an intriguing or mysterious subject.
Your background should visually represent the video’s theme.
Faces are naturally magnetic. Adding a face to your thumbnail is great!
Including a well-lit, expressive face (yours or someone else’s relevant to the video) adds personality and fosters a connection with viewers.
Relevant: Why do YouTubers make weird faces?
Keep it short and sweet! Yes, text is essential in thumbnails.
Use keywords that accurately reflect your video’s content. Make sure the text is large enough to read on a small thumbnail and choose a contrasting color for maximum readability.
Relevant: Best fonts for thumbnails.
Even if your channel is small, this is about brand recognition in the future.
Subtly add your channel logo to establish brand identity and make your videos instantly recognizable in search results.
A good thumbnail leaves viewers wanting more. Some ways to inject mystery:
A/B testing is a powerful tool for YouTubers to optimize their thumbnails and maximize clicks.
It involves showing different thumbnail variations to random groups of viewers and analyzing which one performs better.
Thank you for reading this,
Thumbnail Test
