Substance and Style

    Create Better YouTube Thumbnails 

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    Thumbnails are the visual equivalent of a copyrighting hook. As the first impression your videos make, they are essential for getting clicks and views. If you want to connect with your audience, you have to attract them first. Here are some tips for making your thumbnails as effective as possible:

    1. Keep your branding consistent. Make sure your thumbnails are consistent with each other, and with your branding and messaging across all your marketing channels. Use the colors and fonts as well as the style and tone you have established so that your brand is immediately recognizable. If possible, incorporate your logo. Once you’ve created one design, use it as a template so you can save time on later designs and build a cohesive identity for your channel. 
    1. Use simple design. Cluttered design is never good, and it’s especially egregious on small screens. Use one or two key elements, and leave plenty of negative space. The viewer’s eye should be drawn to what is most important in your design. There should be no confusion. 
    1. Use visuals that make sense with your content. It’s important to attract attention, but you don’t want to mislead your viewers. Audiences are annoyed and even alienated when content is unrelated to what they clicked. Present your promises in an appealing way, and always deliver on them.
    1. Use elements that attract attention. If it is consistent with your brand and doesn’t compromise the simplicity of your design, sprinkle in some proven attention-getters. Faces tend to get more clicks, as do high contrast designs, and designs with text overlays that quickly convey the point of the video. Make sure fonts are legible and large enough to read, and keep messages short.
    1. Use high quality images that look good on a wide variety of screen sizes. People watch Youtube videos on tiny phone screens, large TV screens, and everything in between. Make sure your images are high resolution and look good across all kinds of devices. 
    1. Keep it legal. Make sure you aren’t using copyrighted artwork or violating any of YouTube’s guidelines or policies. Always stay in Youtube’s good graces.
    1. Experiment, test, and learn as you go! You’ll be attracting more viewers before you know it.