Let's make the perfect thumbnail

[Kirgle]

what is up yttalkers.

A commen critism I see when reading channel reviews on here is to "improve your thumbnails", but what does that actually mean?
Thumbnails can almost be a tiny work of art and not everyone likes the same thing.

So I thought it would be fun to have a conversation where we all describe what the ideal thumbnail looks like.

Don't jump straight in, but look at you favourite tubers and really study what you think stands out in a thumbnail.

The ideal goal of this experiment is that we will get a huge array of comments and should be able to see a trend in what a huge crowd of people find appealing in a thum nail.

Let's get started.

I like big yellow type face (it just grabs me) and I find that a screen grab of the presenter with an exaggerated reaction really jumps out for me. Or alternatively if no on screen person, a screen grab with the most extreme energetic moment.

 

[Cherry Tung]

I like colorful thumbnails, so I always increase the saturation when I edit my thumbnails. Using larger font for the title/keywords also help.

 

[Robot Elixir]

Great idea for a thread! I also think faces, in general, work, especially when they are large in the frame.

I also think high contrast images work, especially when the subject/object is dark against a light background or vice versa.

Looking forward to hearing other people's thoughts on this.

 

[SvenInMotion]

I like simple thumbnails that clearly show what the video is about.
I dont mind faces and all that, as long as they dont put bunch of faces and bunch of text and bunch of colors, and ugh, if you put an emoji Im not clicking on it unless its a famous youtuber we are talking about. Emojis were fun at first but now they're everywhere and please, just, dont if you dont have to lol.

 

[Dadrules]

I agree on this totally

I have watched many channels advising how to make your thumbnail like this and make it like that. Has it happens i think a thumbnail that stands out , colourful , or weird or so forth will get a click. So many designers try and put the same principles to it as they do on web site design when in reality the same principles in channel thumbnails doesn't stand up. Because like you say there is far to much a variety of people and too many opinions and personnel preferences to actually conclude one set into any brackets. I think the fundamentals like making your thumbnails all show they belong to one channel can and does work but it can also work against you if they don't like your channel. we see many top channels claiming off the back of their acclaimed fame they know the correct thumbnail formula. Total rubbish , they are quality channels that are successful on their content not their thumbnails. The thumbnails argument worked back in the day of pew and related channels but today, many have adopted more of a sheen look that adheres to more professional looking designs and also we have the upgraded 4k and resolution which has helped too.

I think any thumbnail will attract its certain people, some like stupid , some like sleek, some like in your face and some like clean and simple. To many preferences for any channel to say you should adopt this or that. Thumbnails aren't rocket science, as long as the text on it is clear and to the point , it has something that can trigger that eye roll and more to the point, a naked lady and bam your set hahaha..

Thumbnails in my opinion give chance to explain who you are even before they have reached your channel, if i see a crazy thumbnail i will expect a crazy site and if i don't get that when i click on it and get some top notch clean presented channel, i leave immediately and vice versa. Putting personality into a thumbnail i think is what helps to grow your brand, once your top then a thumbnail doesn't really matter as long as its readable and they can see your name. Pews older thumbnails for example i believe at the beginning of you tube got his fame but now they do nothing and are in fact for me rubbish and do nothing to claim a click but again he doesn't need too, the toxic weather that surrounds him eats youtube alive hahaha

great topic...

Kind regards
Dadrules

 

[Turk-Lvlone]

I think general graphic design rules apply here, I'm not really a designer but I did some research about the rules of design and what's considered good vs bad, there's lots of ways to design something. I do find that I click more on faces and colorful thumbnails.

 

[nazyl]

You have to play with colors an trying a something like DVR option on Photoshop

 

[Yoursharkfriend]

Color is a huge thing! Your thumbnail should look like you spent hours on it not gonna lie. As someone who does spend hours on thumbnails and photoshop, I can see if your putting effort or not.
Clean, easy to read text. Clear photo that explains what the video is about.

 

[Penny Art]

Simple thumbnails are my favorites. If there's too much going on in the picture its off-putting.

 

[KYCnick]

Always something that draws attention and is somewhat click baitiy.

I'd also say mix it up. I see a lot of channels with a good thumbnail and then they use that template for literally every video.
So it just looks like a giant wall of the exact same thing over and over.