Video: Thumbnails

Video: Thumbnails

What is a video thumbnail?

A video thumbnail is a small image taken from a video that acts as a preview or teaser for the content within. It usually appears when the video is being shared on social media platforms or on YouTube, allowing people to have a quick glimpse as the content before deciding if they want to watch the video. Taking the time to select the thumbnail that will best capture your audience will help to increase your views and engagement.

What is the purpose of a thumbnail?

When selecting the right thumbnail, it is important to remember the value of emotion. Customers can be heavily persuaded by how they feel. Although we like to think of ourselves as rational beings, emotion can play a big role in the decisions we make. Selecting a frame, therefore, that uses a human subject portraying a positive feeling can be very powerful.

This frame should also convey something about the content and help the user feel drawn to this particular link. Eye contact can be a great way to convey emotion and build relationships, so a frame when the subject makes eye contact with the audience can be helpful.

How do thumbnails work?

Low click-throughs but high watch times may indicate that your thumbnail is poor-quality, causing many people to skip your content, but the video itself is engaging. If your video is on YouTube, you can access numerous different analytics that will tell you how often your video was seen, watched and enjoyed all the way through. You can also collect information about the traffic sources, demographics and devices used by your viewers. This will give you considerable insight into what your users were looking for and how you measured up. 

Related: YouTube: Ads
Related: Shareable Content