How to create YouTube thumbnails

LandyVlad

King of Mycenae
Jun 8, 2020
582
550
93
53
Brisbane, Australia
gsx1400owners.org
I ride a
Suzuki GSX1400
Thumbnails are very important when it comes to attracting views of your YT videos.

I'm an advocate / fan of Justin at Primal Video. Their content to help YouTubers is really helpful.
(I'm not associated with them in any way).

Anyway Justin has just released a new video on how to create thumbnails - which might be helpful for quite a few people here.

 

Moto Mengy

Motovlogger from PA, USA
Mar 23, 2020
1,115
1,709
113
51
I ride a
2018 Honda Goldwing Tour DCT
I use a free program called Inkscape to make my thumbs, it's a program I'm used to using for graphics in game development. I also use GIMP to pretty up pics for the thumbs now and then too.
 

Meifesto

Semi-Suicidal Dutchie
Jan 5, 2013
1,802
1,608
113
The Netherlands
I ride a
Yamaha XT660R
I use an old photoshop elements, which works great.
For continuity, i have a basic template that i can work around with, with the main part being my logo in there.

I for some reason don't like the thumbnails described i above video, with people's face on them in a weird pose/flex.
I tend to skip those xD
Even the channels that i follow, like SmarterEveryDay or TheSlowmoGuys don't actively do that ;)

But i do think that continuity is important in your thumbnails, without making them look all the same (old mistake i did).
Upgrading old thumbnails to newer standards can also help, haven't done it because it takes so much time xD
 

Meifesto

Semi-Suicidal Dutchie
Jan 5, 2013
1,802
1,608
113
The Netherlands
I ride a
Yamaha XT660R
Meifesto I just had a look on your channel and the thumbnails (to me) don't seem to have any sort of base template ???

With edge, logo, filter. That is also the base template is ;)

The reviews and first ride have that in common as well, added with the text of what it is ;)


My rule for thumbnails is the image has to be something from my video. If not (for me) it comes across as misleading or clickbate.

- Wolf

Same here, 95% time it is somewhere out of the footage or a photo taken during said ride.
 

UncleL

Uncle LongBeard
Feb 29, 2020
113
170
43
49
Midlands, UK
I ride a
HD, W800, RE
My rule for thumbnails is the image has to be something from my video. If not (for me) it comes across as misleading or clickbate.

- Wolf
same with me, but the problem is that there is too many colourful shouting thumbnails everywhere and it's getting harder and harder to compete with those even if the most videos behind those thumbnails are pretty terrible (at least in motorcycle topic). I can see plenty of wonderful thumbnails nowadays with not that many wonderful videos tbh...
 

LandyVlad

King of Mycenae
Jun 8, 2020
582
550
93
53
Brisbane, Australia
gsx1400owners.org
I ride a
Suzuki GSX1400
Thumbnails are only designed to get people to click.
Only useful content will keep them there.

But you make a good point in that a decent but not 'shouty' thumbnail can stand out from the rest - as its different to what other people are doing. :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: UncleL

Meifesto

Semi-Suicidal Dutchie
Jan 5, 2013
1,802
1,608
113
The Netherlands
I ride a
Yamaha XT660R
So, bringing this one back to the game.
Thumbnails seem to be more important than ever.

Let's see what tips we as a collective have.
And what things to avoid.



Avoid for sure;
Small text. Or text that fades into the background due to similar colors.
 
  • Like
Reactions: HippoDrone

Winners Video

Website Supported by Ipswich SEO

Latest posts