Page 23 - creatingvideos

Create custom thumbnails

Thumbnails matter, maybe even more than

titles. That’s because our brains are

hardwired to notice visuals first. We process
them in less than 13 milliseconds, according

to one MIT study. YouTube produces

automatic thumbnails for all videos, but they

can be blurry or out of focus. To boost views,
create an eye-catching custom thumbnail for

every video you post. We recommend these

simple “rules of thumb” for best results:

• Resolution: 1280 x 720 px (but any 16:9
aspect ratio should work)

• Format: .JPG, .GIF, .BMP, or .PNG

• Size: respect the 2MB limit

• Use high contrast images

• Add text and colors to encourage clicks
• Choose a close-up image, if you can

• Use a stock photo when in doubt

• Be consistent with other branding

Which of these two thumbnails are you
more likely to choose? The blue graphic
below is brighter, more eye-catching, and
much more clickable! 23