So, you started using YouTube and want to take it to the next level!
Custom Thumbnails is a simple, small detail that can make a major difference! Often the original thumbnail preview images don’t look good. You can add a better image so your video looks even better and helps get more viewers to press the play button.
Sounds complicated, but it isn’t!
Follow these seven easy steps to get a custom thumbnail on your YouTube videos.
- Log in to your YouTube account
- Go to Creator Studio > Video Manager
- Next, to the video you wish to add the custom thumbnail, click Edit
- On the left of the preview screen, you will see three pre-selected thumbnail options YouTube has picked for you. You can choose one of these thumbnails, OR click on the custom thumbnail button below the three images!
- Click the “Custom Thumbnail” Button
- Choose a file you have saved on your desktop
- Click “Save”
In the examples below, we’ll use a video of our CEO, Sean Stapleton, to show you how we added a custom thumbnail.
In your video manager, select one of the three preview images, or, click on Create thumbnail. This lets you upload a custom image.
Find the desired still image, crop it using a snipping tool while the video is paused, and save the file.
Select the new thumbnail image you uploaded, then click save.
Once saved, you’ll see the custom thumbnail image in the preview.
Pro Tips!
- Consistency! Picking an image that can be consistent across all your thumbnails while still allowing the customer to know what the video is about is key!
- Clean! Do not overdo the image. People need to know what they are going to click on quickly!
- Size! The size of a custom thumbnail on YouTube should be 1280 x 720 with a minimum width of 640 pixels!
- Format! Be sure it is a JPG, GIF, BMP or PNG File!
Hat-tip to Katie Donovan for this excellent YouTube channel advice!
