You can change the thumbnail as many times as you want. If a video hasn’t performed well, change the thumbnail to see if that helps with the click rate. You can change the thumbnail of your video even after it’s been posted. Create a few different thumbnails and show them to your friends. See what types of thumbnails other people in your same industry use, and decide whether you’d like to go with the flow or stand out with something different. If you consistently give viewers what they came for, you can convert them into subscribers. Create an image that’s true to your content, and be sure to satisfy the viewer’s curiosity a few seconds into the video so they stick around. Avoid putting misleading images in your thumbnail just for the clicks. “The big rule on thumbnails is there are no rules,” says Rodriguez.Ĭlicks are not the only thing important to the YouTube algorithm. Whether it’s a still from the video or a photo you took at your shoot, your thumbnail will seem more authentic if you use your own images, rather than stock photos. These are easy design elements to master, even for non-designers.
Build some curiosity or intrigue that only your video can satisfy, and the clicks will follow.Īside from an intro to the content of your video, your thumbnail should be a showcase of design elements that are eye-catching at a small scale, like high-contrast overlays of text or color.
Functionally, it should give viewers a peek into what the video is about but not reveal everything. If you want to establish a YouTube channel with a large following, a clickable thumbnail is essential.