5 Essential Tips for Creating Great YouTube Thumbnails for Your Channel

youtube thumbnails

YouTube currently has more than two billion users, which is nearly one-third of everyone on the internet. If you’re using your YouTube channel to gain followers or customers, you’ll have steep competition.

The good news is that there are easy tips you can follow to increase your viewers. Optimizing your YouTube thumbnails is one way to make your channel more enticing.

We’ve put together five essential tips to help you create the best thumbnails for your channel.

1. Use the Right Image Specs

The first tip for creating a thumbnail is to make sure you’re using the right specs. If your thumbnail is too small, too grainy, or unreadable, viewers will move right on to a different option.

Your YouTube thumbnail size needs to be 1280×720 pixels. YouTube recommends that your width is no smaller than 640 pixels. The YouTube thumbnail ratio also needs to be 16:9. To make sure your image uploads correctly, the maximum thumbnail size for YouTube videos also needs to be 2MB or lower.

2. Use the Best Still From Your Video

To create a YouTube thumbnail, the easiest way is to grab a still from your video. When choosing your still, make sure it’s most relevant to your video title and is a clear, high-quality shot.

Here’s some good advice on what not to include when choosing your still:

  • Shots with people’s mouths open while they’re talking
  • Blurry shots of action or changing scenes
  • B-roll or footage that doesn’t make sense without context
  • Stills of text or copy that’s hard to read

3. Create Custom Graphics

The best YouTube thumbnails include custom graphics. You can edit your still to include text or illustrations, take a new photo just for a thumbnail, or create a new illustration. One important aspect of the thumbnail is the title. Even though viewers can see your title below your video, adding a shorter title in your thumbnail makes it even more eye-catching.

If you aren’t well versed in graphic design, consider using an easy thumbnail maker. Many of these services have attractive templates that you can use and customize.

4. Incorporate Your Branding

Make sure your YouTube thumbnail uses the same branding you’ve used on other platforms. It’s always a good idea to add your logo somewhere on your thumbnail so it’s obvious that you’re the creator. Be sure to also use your brand’s colors and fonts.

5. Avoid Clickbait

Above all, make sure your thumbnail is relevant to the video you’ve made. If your thumbnail is clickbait, you’ll get a lot of users bouncing off of the video without sticking around to watch. Clickbait will also tarnish your brand and can even damage your reputation on YouTube. 

Why Are YouTube Thumbnails Important?

YouTube thumbnails are like the advertisement for your video. They give users a brief snapshot of what to expect from watching the video. Users have a short attention span, and your video will show up among thousands of others. Your thumbnail is your chance to stand out and entice viewers to click. By sticking with your brand and standing out, you can build your subscribers and grow your channel.

View our blog for more about graphic design and marketing.