3 Thumbnails Viewers Can’t Resist

The thumbnail is the viewer’s first impression of a video. Like a movie poster or a book cover, this image has to both represent and advertise the content in the best way possible. You can tempt viewers to click on your videos with a few thumbnail tricks.

Here are three thumbnails viewers can’t resist.

1. Put their favorites YouTubers on your thumbnail.

When viewers see their favorite YouTubers on a thumbnail, they’re a lot more likely to click. It’s like picking up a magazine when you see your favorite celebrity on the cover. Even if you wouldn’t normally read that specific magazine, you may want to see the story about the celebrity you love.

However, don’t just use other YouTubers’ faces for clickbait. Make sure the thumbnail ties into the video itself. Come up with video ideas that focus on these other vloggers in some way.

Joey Graceffa has a popular video series in which he recreates other YouTubers’ Instagram posts. By putting British vlogger Daniel Howell in his thumbnail, Joey enticed Dan’s strong fanbase to check out his new video.

2. Conceal part of the thumbnail image.

Viewers like a little bit of mystery. By concealing part of the images on your thumbnail, you can leave them guessing about what’s in store. They’ll have to watch to find out.

You can blur or pixelate a surprise product, color over the results of a failed DIY, or put emojis over a shocking reaction. Make the concealment eye-catching to draw attention to the fact that you’re hiding something.

In this video, vlogger Olivia Cara told viewers about the time her hair bleaching went horribly wrong. She colored over her hair in the thumbnail so viewers would have to watch to see the disastrous results.

3. Show receipts and shocking details in the thumbnail.

Rather than hiding part of your video, you can instead use the thumbnail to draw attention to the most shocking detail. Use images, screenshots, and short lines of text to describe the most dramatic element of your video.

If you have receipts, or screenshots that serve as proof your story is true, put one in your thumbnail. Use question marks and exclamation points with your lines of text as well. Add an emoji or two if you really want to stir up viewers’ emotions.

If Ally Hardesty’s shocking title wasn’t enough to make viewers click on this video, then the thumbnail certainly was. She put the most shocking detail of her story in a text box and added the receipts to prove it.

The thumbnail serves as an advertisement for your video. Incorporate these elements into your video thumbnails to create ones viewers can’t resist.

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Kristen Harris enjoys listening to a wide range of music, from Taylor Swift to, on occasion, Celtic instrumental. She also spends her time writing, reading, and baking.