How changing thumbnails effect Click Through Rate

Nicekid76

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I changed how I design my thumbnails for this last video and the video got a 6.3% click through rate. Personally for me that's really good.
I think in general 4% is okay, and 8% is good, and like 12% would be you nailed it! but for where I'm at 6% is a step closer to my short term goal of 8% CTR

As a vlogger who mainly talks about my own life events I normally have thumbnails that are mainly my face and some text. In this last video I was trying to deprioritize my face and the boring thumbnail text in favor of more attention grabby images. I think my old thumbnails made it obvious I was a vlogger but as I'm not famous why would someone click just for my face. To balance things out, I've been adding story time to the end of my titles so it's still obvious that it's a vlog. I'll test this in future videos to see if this is a fluke or if I'm on to something.

Hope this helps someone.
Happy Thumbnail Designing Everyone




ps. While I'm here, I might as well tell you about my watch time on this latest video. 33% watch time. For me that's kinda bad. I'll keep working on my story telling, pacing and intros to hopefully stay closer to my upper average of 44% to 50% which is what for me I would consider GREAT for my channel. No point getting more eyes on my video if they just leave the moment I open my mouth, but I guess it would make sense that with more people clicking on, more people would leave... I think?

1623289496823.png
 

JayZippo

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That is interesting.

Thumbnails have always been an oddity for me. It is so odd how it works. Some just use the screen still YT poops out and they do fine. Others spend an hour a thumbnail and struggle to gain any views.

Recently I have been making more unique thumbnails, probably my last 10-12. I have not seen much of a change really. I have one where one of my characters cleavage is prominent, attempting some click bait of sorts... and it did worse than when I have Dogmeat (the dog in fallout 4) playing with his teddy bear.

I have a small sample base to compare this too, or experiment with so for me to say anything about it, take it with a grain of salt, or however that saying goes.

I did notice the change in color recently for your thumbs, :) BTW started watching some of your vids. Two thumbs up my man!
 
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crazy-logic

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This is interesting - i put little to no effort into mine other than grabbing relevant logo's

Below is data for my channel for the last 28 days - sorted by CTR and also just by views - some CTR's are crazy, but i guess my takeaway is that the title/topic is more important for my video's than the thumbnail. Also - very different style/category of video.

Be interesting to know what you think of the numbers and how they compare with your own findings?
 

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Rhody Seth

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I definitely put a bit of effort into my thumbnails. I don't use a set style though, I tend to switch up the format, fonts and colors with every video. I heard that having faces in your thumbnail helps but I hate slapping my grizzled image up there so more often not I don't go that route.
 
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Tito Tims Videos

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I have a template frame that I use. I thought I had used it for about 18 months... guess it has been 3 years... So I recently changed the template and my CTR improved quite a bit. My average CTR is 5%, but my most recent vids (new thumbnail design) is 7-10%. The border and my name are in all thumbnails, then I take some pics from the vid for the thumb. I like having a recognizable thumbnail, to identify my channel. I do find that if my wife or I (or a bikini girl) are in the thumb, we get better CTR. My new design seems a lot brighter, and I like it better. The CTR is much better as well.

Old template, 5% CTR.

5 CTR.JPG


New template, 11% CTR

11.JPG
 

Nicekid76

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change in color recently for your thumbs,

Thank you! I was trying to make a clear visible change from my older content. I prefer my newer content so if a friend of mine is on my channel I would typically tell them that blue is old stuff, red is the newer style of videos

So I recently changed the template and my CTR improved quite a bit.
I think part of it is that because the template is new / updated, your audience will be more likely to click which increases your CTR from your audience, which pushes it to more new time viewers. I'm just guessing though.

I definitely put a bit of effort into my thumbnails. I don't use a set style though, I tend to switch up the format, fonts and colors with every video.
I like to use a style just because if you watch my video and you see another video in recommending with a purple banner on the side, I want you to know that that's me, even without text or my face. If you liked my video hopefully that clear banner makes it more likely that you will click on my next video no matter where it is. Does it work? no idea lol

have you tried A/B thumbnail testing. I think that tubebuddy (paid version) can do this. Maybe.
I have not use AB testing through tubebuddy, but I have updated old thumbnails and seen how it effected my CTR. basically AB testing the manual way. I don't think my videos get enough views for AB testing to actually be worth it in my opinion.
If I was getting more views I would 100% be using AB testing. If I'm not mistake AB testing works by showing 1 thumbnail for a few days then switching to the other thumbnail. Since most if not all my views come in from the first 3 days, it doesn't make sense to me at the moment.
 

LandyVlad

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I'm not sure how it specifically works. TRUE A/B testing (noting I'm not sure how tubebuddy etc work) would have both showing in parallel (some users see one, other users see the other), and noting which generates the higher CTR
 

Nicekid76

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From what I understand, you can't do that because YouTube only allows 1 thumbnail at a time. If YouTube allowed it, that would be great. But until then, you have to switch back and forth, keeping track of when you switched and looking at how that effected views and watch time.
 
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