Second only to Google, YouTube is one of the world's biggest search engines.
There are more than 31 million YouTube channels and more than 2 billion monthly viewers! YouTube can help your online business become more searchable, use SEO (search engine optimization), build your credibility, and reach new audiences. You can use it to gain visibility, trust, and conversion for your online business, expand your marketing plan, and generate income.
With the right strategy, YouTube can be extremely beneficial. Creating the best youtube thumbnail examples that persuade viewers to click through to your video is equally important in creating great video content. The thumbnail is what determines whether a viewer will click to watch a video or not. Below, we outline the principles of YouTube thumbnail design, tips and tricks of the trade, and how to hire an expert in YouTube design.
What is a YouTube Thumbnail?
Thumbnails are the first images displayed when viewing videos on YouTube. Our attention is captured by eye-catching images.
What kind of YouTube thumbnail do people click? You want your video thumbnail to captivate your audience.
Your thumbnail should be visually appealing and clearly communicate what the video is about at a glance. Your video should grab the attention of your target audience and make them think, I need to watch this! Video thumbnails are typically the first impression people get of your video, which determines whether or not they will click to see more.
YouTube thumbnails with the most engagement tend to contain a few common items. A design element such as great images, clear text, recognizable branding, and vibrant colors are essential.
The Core Objective of YouTube Thumbnails
Thumbnails are as important as the content itself when releasing a video.
The reason for this is that thumbnails are often the most deciding factor in whether someone will click to watch a video. Grabbing an audience, captivating them with your content, and getting them to subscribe and view more content requires work.
Consider these rules when designing your YouTube thumbnails to achieve your goal.
- Your thumbnail represents the video content accurately.
- Your thumbnail stimulates our audience's interest in watching the video.
- Your thumbnail attracts the audience's attention so they will click through.
These principles are strategies that have been proven effective. Your goal is to engage and grow the online video audience.
You need viewers to watch your content. Your thumbnails must be eye-catching and exciting for viewers to view your content. Most importantly, your thumbnails have to be unique and stand out amongst all the others on YouTube so your viewers will want to watch more of your content!
How to Design the Best YouTube Thumbnails
You've already spent a lot of time and effort on your YouTube videos, don't let the thumbnails ruin it!
These 6 recommendations will help you create the best YouTube thumbnails:
1. Include Title Text to Provide Context
While your image is important, your title text explains what your video is about.
When looking for a how-to video, a viewer will browse several thumbnails and click on the best one they think will answer their question.
If they have searched “How to train a puppy,” they are going to click on a visually appealing thumbnail with that title!
If you are creating a series, it’s best to include that information (ie. episode 1, 2, etc.). This will keep your viewer engaged in your content. Keep it simple, and think like your prospective audience.
You want the context of the main idea clearly displayed, not a wall of text.
2. How to Design the Best Thumbnails for YouTube
Designing your YouTube thumbnail requires a multi-factored approach. One of the things to consider is who your audience is? Regardless of their demographics, it’s important to remember that people are often watching videos on their smartphones and tablets.a. Make a Thumbnail that is Suitable for a Small Screen
Since most people use their smartphones, 55% to 70% of our thumbnail impressions are small. Designs should be optimized for small screens. You are permitted to upload a design with a resolution of 1920 x 1080. Keep your images simple, and your fonts at a size that can be read on a phone.
2b. Optimize for Different Devices
People all over the world rely on smart devices such as smartphones, laptops, and tablets. Ideally, a thumbnail should be easily optimized for all devices. A user-friendly design means more people clicking on your videos!3. How to Make the Perfect Size Thumbnail for YouTube
YouTube recommends a YouTube thumbnail size of 1280 pixels by 720 pixels. Additionally, 16:9 aspect ratios perform better in YouTube players and previews.
We use a large image so that high quality can be maintained since we do not want thumbnail images to look blurry. You must keep in mind that the image you upload cannot exceed 2MB and you may use any of the following file types: JPG.GIF.BMP, or.PNG.
4. Design Styles
There’s a reason we hire experts to create YouTube thumbnails. Graphic designers know their way around a color wheel, a font library, and how to put it all together. To design the best YouTube thumbnail, follow these design tips:Use the best font style
Fonts allow you to convey your brand and content to your audience. Consistency in font style is the key to keeping audiences interested in thumbnails. Make your design memorable by choosing colors that catch the audience's attention. Using a bold font is unique and impressive, but make sure it can be read easily on smaller devices.Use a Bright Background with Fine Contrast
An attractive title is important, but it has to stand out from the background image to be read. Pick complementary colors when choosing thumbnail colors. Complementary colors are opposite each other on the color wheel. A thumbnail with a yellow background and contrasting text typically performs the best. Using a bright background is converts more often than one with a white background.Use an Eye-Catching Image
Grabbing the viewer's attention requires visuals.
In addition to providing a preview of your video, a relevant and high-quality image allows the audience to relate to your brand. If you are creating an image for a tutorial or advertising a product, you need to think deeply and develop the appropriate image. For example, if you want to upload a video about an app you have developed, you have to make the visual as relevant as possible. To leverage your brand, create a branded youtube thumbnail template. You will see your brand appear at the top of the search results.
Consistent style helps your business stand out. You should use fonts, colors, and graphics that will effectively display the image of your brand.
Make Your YouTube Thumbnail More Personable with a Face
When you display a face with your thumbnail, you build trust and connection with your viewer, and you create curiosity. People tend to react more strongly to pictures of people and direct eye contact, as well as bright, well-lit images with expressive faces.Brand Consistency
Creating a thumbnail that is consistent with the brand is important. The thumbnail helps the audience understand what your videos are about.
Design elements such as layouts, font sizes & styles, color schemes, and other relevant components should be consistent. When you add your brand to the YouTube thumbnail, you can show consistency. Following the same style throughout all videos would be the best option if you are creating a series of YouTube videos.
5. Analyze your competitor
Look at your competitors to see who has a similar audience and channel.
You can learn how many clicks your competitors are receiving by investigating them.
Comparing your design, content, titles, and color scheme with your competitors will help you stand out.
At last, we all want to know how our thumbnails are performing. YouTube analytics do not provide this information. Fortunately, Google's TrueView platform exists in a form that allows one to analyze relative clicks. This tool is very useful and inexpensive.
6. Consider Hiring an Expert
Want to create engaging, brand-forward thumbnails that convert? At Legiit, we have many experts in graphic design who can help you create thumbnails that engage visitors. The impact of your brand on your customers matters, so it's essential that it reflects your vision and is positive.
When a thumbnail is designed correctly, more viewers, better conversions, and more engagement can result. This is why finding the right freelance graphic designer is vital. Before talking to a thumbnail designer, you should look for two things: A portfolio containing styles that appeal to you.
Be sure to view their profile too. Well-constructed portfolios and profiles are real indicators of quality and attention to detail. Review their positive reviews and feedback. Be sure to read past buyer comments as well as the feedback ratings across multiple projects. You want a YouTube thumbnail designer who has impressed previous clients and is easy to work with.
Conclusion
Your online video content relies heavily on YouTube thumbnails. These videos are crucial to branding, attracting an audience, and building a YouTube community.
Creating engaging YouTube thumbnails will largely determine your visibility on the platform, as people are visual creatures. You will hook your viewers in with good YouTube thumbnails, while good video intros will keep them watching and make your video stand out from the crowd.
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