YouTube thumbnails are definitely the most vital part of your branding. The thumbnail on your video is what helps the viewer decide whether to click on the video or not. Picking a thumbnail is just like shopping for clothes! They must be nice to look at and match the prices.
So it is essential that the thumbnail on your video is not only attractive but stands out among the pool of many videos on the platform of YouTube. We do not want people scrolling past your video content that you put all that effort into, do we? Certainly not!
In this article, we will discuss design tips so you can have a better understanding of what makes YouTube Thumbnails stand out and what does not.
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All You Need to Know About YouTube Thumbnails!
Before we dive into our thumbnail design hacks, let us take a look at what YouTube thumbnails are and how they work.
The YouTube thumbnail is displayed in your channel’s playlists, on the trending section, and even on the search results. However, this display size is smaller than the original one, which is mostly on a 16:9 ratio (1280x720px). When your YouTube videos are embedded in blogs, websites, or presentations, then the thumbnail is displayed in full size.
So it is important to make sure that the quality of a YouTube thumbnail is top-notch. A standard high-resolution thumbnail of 640 pixels can tolerate the constant change in sizes without losing its quality.
YouTube has introduced the thumbnail selection tool, which selects the best image from your footage and helps your video beat the algorithm. Although this feature is savvy and can save you a lot of time, people still prefer to click on custom aesthetic thumbnails over simple images. So, all the effort definitely pays off!
6 Design Hacks to a Popping Youtube Thumbnail
1. Add text but don’t add too much!
Adding a catchy text is the first step to designing your thumbnail. The more intriguing the words on the thumbnail of your video, the more chances people will try to see what it’s about. Invoking curiosity is a great hack that many famous YouTubers use to attract an audience. But make sure your title is not misleading. Otherwise, you will leave a bad impression on the community.
Before planning the layout of your thumbnail, you need to plan out the content that goes on it. Then, you can focus on the overall vibe.
Make sure the text on your video is
- short,
- to the point,
- follows the design hierarchy
Adding hierarchy to your typography will help to accentuate the message and this will leave you some room to play around with the font type and sizes.
Other than this, instead of using the usual Arial or Helvetica, try to use some fun and playful fonts to make your thumbnail appear attractive to the eye. Some of our favorite fonts that you can use in your design are:
- Bebas Neue
- Montserrat Black
- Impact
- Amsterdam
These are available on Dafont.com or other such royalty-free font sites. You can even hire a typography artist to spice up traditional-looking fonts and give you your brand style!
Once you have selected your font type, you can start playing around with it. Try adding highlights or a stroke to give your text that extra pop to your content. Use fun colors that contrast the background image; your motive is to direct attention to your text!
Always make sure the colors and font style you use reflect the theme of your video. It is suggested to stay away from serif fonts as they add a very serious tone and are not very entertaining. Unless, of course, your video delivers a serious atmosphere.
2. Make the best use of colors.
The more pleasing the color scheme, the more clicks it pulls. The correct use of colors is a popular design hack to attract the eye. If you use bright and happy colors, then people are most likely to opt for your video over others.
Even if your content is relevantly gloomy and dark, you can use stark colors for your text or other such elements to help your YouTube thumbnail grab the spotlight. However, do not make them too bright, or else you will end up with a tacky look.
Following the color wheel can save you a lot of effort. You can simply apply the color wheel knowledge and churn out the most aesthetically pleasing thumbnail!
3. Expressive headshots
Adding a face to your thumbnail is a great way to gain instant attention to your video. According to a study, around 72% of popular videos contain human faces with exaggerated expressions.
Faces with shocked, upset, or even sad expressions will pique the viewer’s interest immediately, as one would want to know what caused the YouTuber to react this way.
4. Use arrows and pointers
Another fun way to entice more views is by adding graphic elements like arrows and pointers to your thumbnail. The use of arrows or pointers directs the youtube video watcher’s immediate attention to the object or subject of focus. This way, as a YouTuber, you can also visually communicate the main focus of your video and effortlessly make that bit stand out from the rest.
5. Add background textures
To make your youtube thumbnail look more appealing is textures! You do not have to keep your images plain with a blocky single-colored background instead of a plain-jane look.
It also adds a professional tone to your videos and makes it seem like you are invested in your work.
Some useful textures you can use in your thumbnails are:
- Gradients: In this technique, two color hues are combined in a way that gives off an aesthetically pleasing look. These colors are often of similar shades and sometimes of contrasting hues. Both can give the design a nice look and a rather professional touch.
- Radial lines: In this technique, the radial lines connect towards the center, so the watcher’s eyes are already carried there. The key is not to make the design too messy. Keep it minimal and subtle. You can do this by reducing the opacity of the radial lines. Reducing opacity will give off a subtle yet cool touch to your thumbnail design.
- Recurring patterns: The most creative way to make your background fun is to add recurring patterns. You can add all sorts of things, from shapes to emojis, as long as it iterates and brings a casual yet catchy vibe!
6. Always make use of contrast.
Ensuring the use of contrast in your thumbnail will bring your channel more views to the table. The reason behind the spurt of viewers is because of the use of contrast. In areas like color, typography, and even the design elements used for the background.
The major contrast you should focus on is the contrast of colors. With the perfect color scheme and matching hues, you can gain the necessary attention and pull clicks the quickest.
Play around with colors but not too much. Since, you aim to use the contrast to highlight the necessary bits. Try to compose your thumbnail in a way that most of the attention is not diverted away from the text and subject of interest.
With the help of graphic elements, you can add highlight boxes or outlines. So, the areas stand out, and you can grasp the concept.
If you are having trouble getting your creative juices to flow, or you are simply short on time and will not be able to commit to a matching thumbnail, then fret not. You can outsource all your trouble to us at editvideo.io.
We’ll not only create a super catchy thumbnail for your YouTube video, but we’ll also provide you with all that you need to optimize your video for greater visibility.
It comes under our YouTube assistant service. Just send us your raw video, we’ll edit the video, create an attention-grabbing thumbnail that matches the vibe of your video, and also provide your with;
- Titles and tags
- Description and captions
- End Cards
The best part? You’ll receive all of this within 24 hours!
Say goodbye to delayed updates, and say hello to keeping your audience regularly engaged!
Timely publishing is truly the key to win at YouTube😌
Final Words
To sum it up, thumbnails are super important and can be the number one reason behind your youtube growth. Aside from these design hacks, all you need is a little bit of creativity, and you will be able to ace the thumbnail game for sure.
If you are wondering, will my thumbnail be able to make the cut and beat the algorithm? Then the answer is for sure! Just follow our tips, and you will be able to create one of the most jaw-dropping thumbnail designs for your Youtube channel.
For more hacks, make sure to follow our blog. If you have any more tricks up your sleeve, then do let us know in the comments down below!
