The internet has changed the way we consume content. The world has become a global village and it is easy for people to communicate and find new content. On the same line, videos have changed the way we consume content over the internet as well.
There were times when you had to physically ask people about a particular product or service before buying it or had to go to an institute to learn the most minute thing. This is effectively replaced with search engines and social media platforms, giving us an excellent opportunity to get what we want from the comfort of our homes.
There were times when people used to read articles a lot to learn from them but that is (arguably) well out of fashion now. While they do give us information and a fraction of people still prefer written content over videos, a significant chunk of people prefer learning through videos.
This generation and the upcoming one are crazy in love with video content as it saves time and makes things fun to learn. From a toddler to a university professor, everyone you see is involved in video content.
Hands down, YouTube is the best source for video content due to its easy-to-use interface. People are making their livelihoods from home just by creating engaging content and uploading it. Of course, there are many factors involved in being successful on YouTube, including a proper thumbnail for your videos, which is not allocated its due share of importance by most creators.
If this comes as a shock to you and you’re sitting scratching your head wondering why YouTube thumbnails matter, we will talk about the role of thumbnails in your video’s success on the platform below: You can also try youtube go for pc and make your thumbnail more attractive.
Why does it Matter?
Have you ever heard the phrase “the first impression is the last impression”? Or “never judge a book by its cover”? Well, there is a reason for these famous phrases. People often decide what to buy or what to watch by looking at its first appearance.
If your first impression is bad or inadequate, you can kiss your traffic goodbye!
What is a good thumbnail?
Your thumbnail is the opening gate to your villa, so make sure it looks good and something that makes your guest curious enough to make him look forward. The following are some ways that can guide you on how to create a good thumbnail:
Giving it a Compelling Look
Your thumbnail plays a vital role in increasing your viewership as it displays the core of your video and helps set your video apart from the rest. You can give your thumbnail a touch of elegance by looking at what your competitors are doing and adopting the best practices from the lot.
It is important to make your thumbnail appealing to an extent where users feel compelled to click on your video instead of any other.
By Being Consistent
Have you ever seen the Jimmy Fallon Show on YouTube? Ever notice how he has the same thumbnail in all his videos?
Do you think that his social media team has gone crazy and has lost that touch of creativity? Well, no, they know what they are doing and they know it well!
A custom made thumbnail always gets better viewership than a handpicked shot from the video itself. Putting an element of your branding in the thumbnail can also work wonders for you. If you find this hard to believe, just think back of how you (might) recognize the Hubspot Academy’s videos from their unified color scheme in all of their thumbnails!
Knowing the Trend
Trends cannot be limited to fashion and stuff; YouTube thumbnails also follow different trends that come and go. Be fully aware of what is going on around social media platforms and adapt as the wind blows. Following are a few popular trends of YouTube over time:
- Asking a question that you know your potential viewer would like the answer to, as this makes them interested in your content even before clicking it.
- Content creators used to create thumbnails that are more expressive as they lead to more clicks to their videos.
- Using the products used in the video also helps you get more views as the viewer sometimes becomes curious about how this video will end.
By Getting Inspiration and Being Inspirational
I have always encouraged the idea of getting some help from your peer, but by some, I mean some! Knowing what is going on in your surroundings is essential but knowing how people are doing it is equally crucial too. This technique helps you to get a head-up before even starting with your work, and if you are wise enough, you will start your work from where others have ended.
Finding some channel and getting inspiration from them is not a foul practice; that is just being smart, but being an inspiration yourself afterward can make your work pan out even better.
By Doing it More Often
Practice makes a man perfect and in this case, continuously working on your thumbnail skills can make you a master of the art. Sometimes when we do not see the results, we stress over it and leave the right path. We decide to change things up since we do not see tangibly good results.
In a market with so many users and providers, one must be patient to see the results and realize the fact that better results take time.
YouTube is the most trending social media platform of this time, and people are getting way more benefit from it than you think, whether they are a user or a business.
Many aspects lead to better viewership, and eventually, more revenue, using appropriate and eye-catching thumbnails are one of them. Understanding its importance and using the methods mentioned above can not only increase your viewers but improve your overall brand image as well.
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