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Creating engaging YouTube Thumbnails is challenging. Not having any graphic design skills makes it even worse. If you use YouTube to market your brand, you must create captivating thumbnails and titles to get the necessary engagement for success. Some YouTubers resort to clickbait titles and thumbnail art while others use a combination of color theory and curiously worded titles. In this article, we uncover 10 hacks for making YouTube thumbnails stand out from the competition
11. Choose colors that stand out and reflect your brand.
Visit the top YouTube channels in your niche to see what colors they use for their thumbnails. Next, select a few color combinations that are dissimilar to your competitors. For instance, choose three colors to make up a color palette that you will use for your YouTube thumbnails. It’s also a good idea to use colors that are present in your logo, website or business cards.
10. Use clickbait titles sparingly
Much to the chagrin of viewers, clickbait titles, when done right, isn’t as bad as you think. For instance, a video of someone telling the story of how they lost their pet reads
“Lost my 3 week old puppy. What happens next will shock you”
It’s not exactly clickbait unless the story is true, relevant and somewhat shocking. Moreover, YouTube channels focused on comedic content and parodies get away with using clickbait-friendly titles. Nonetheless, if your content is more serious, then consider toning down the hyperbole knob.
9. Be honest with your content
Your video content should reflect what is indicated on the corresponding thumbnail. Viewers dislike content that is deceptive and not relevant to the subject matter that is advertised. So be honest with yourself and give the people what they want.
8. YouTube thumbnails with a face have better engagement
According to marketers, thumbnails that contain the image of an actual face get more clicks than faceless images. As human beings, we’re drawn to faces. Facial reactions quickly convey if the topic is humorous, serious or casual in nature. Not only do facial clues offer insight into the subject matter but it can be used as a branding tool and encourage recognition in the event the channel has a spokesperson attached to it.
7. Use Canva Free Image Editor For YouTube Thumbnails
We recommend using Canva, a free cloud-based image editor. Canva offers a wide variety of templates for eye-catching YouTube thumbnails. Simply load one up and make a few minor edits to get the custom that is suited for your brand. Visit Canva here and take advantage of wonderful image editor.
To Learn More On How To Create Captivating YouTube Thumbnails Using Canva, Click Here
6. Point to the wording
Your mother told you how disrespectful it was to point the finger. In this case, pointing to the text in a YouTube thumbnail encourages the reader to take note of the text.
5. Incomplete titles work
YouTube video titles have a 70 character limit before it’s truncated. You can use this to your advantage by prompting the viewer to click on your YouTube video to see the remaining characters that make up your title. For instance, “ I Went To Vegas On Vacation and Saw The Funniest Thing When…”
4. Use thumbnail to answer a question set forth in the video title
Video title text: How to Grill a Steak by Master Chef John Smith
YouTube thumbanil: 3 Grilling Tips For Juicy Steaks - Master Chef Explains
3. Bold font outlines are all the rage
Big bold text with thick outlines are all the rage. They draw attention and are on-trend among popular YouTubers.
2. Use titles such as… "here’s what happens next"
Although not entirely a thumbnail hack, a title ending with “here’s what happens next” is sure to draw attention and have visitors clicking to see the conclusion.
1. Boost older video views by replacing older YouTube thumbnail
Upgrade older videos by updating their thumbnails. If you had boring thumbnails attached to older videos, jazz them up with eye-catching versions. Although the content of the video may be dated, you may squeeze a few extra clicks just by slapping a new thumbnail as a cover.
