Video Thumbnails

There are millions and millions of videos on the internet. Heck, there are probably a million videos JUST based on your industry alone. So how do you make YOUR video stand out among the masses? The first place you want to start is your video thumbnail!

Thumbnails are your most immediate chance to hook a viewer and get them to watch your video. They’re especially useful on Youtube or platforms like Instagram where viewers are just seeing one graphic or image of the video.

Tips to make your thumbnails stand out

First and foremost, you want your thumbnail to be incredibly hard to ignore. Instead of using an auto-selected image from your video, create your own graphic! Use a contrast of colors and bold text. It’s been statistically proven that yellow thumbnails perform better because of how the color reacts with our eyes.
For the text, don’t just repeat your title. Your text should give context clues to the points that will be covered throughout your video. You can see great examples of this on Gary Vee’s YouTube channel.

And you’ll also be able to see from his page that it can really help to show a face! Their expression or body language should represent the tone of your video. Are they annoyed? Contemplative? Surprised? Your image should easily convey that.

Another important element is sizing! Youtube’s guideline specifies that a thumbnail should be 1280×720 pixels with a minimum width of 640 pixels. You need to make sure your thumbnail is sized correctly so it can be viewed without distortion on any size screen.

In the beginning, try a variety of thumbnails and see what type of design works best with your audience. Look at the statistics. Once you find one that’s performing better than the others – stick with it and make it your set design.

This will give your page a great feel of professionalism and continuity and give you a higher chance of viewers coming back to your page!