If you want your video thumbnails to stand out from the competition, use our short guide. Learn the rules that will also work when creating visual communication for your channel.
The principle of composition and the harmonious arrangement of elements Dynamic or static, open or closed, asymmetrical or symmetrical - the composition should be matched to the type of content, theme, character, and mood of the video. The arrangement of elements should be consistent and create a harmonious whole.
Color Research shows that the human brain responds better to bright colors. Images with harmonious colors are remembered better. However, if we want to convey important information, include a text to which we would like to draw the viewer’s attention. It is best to use contrasting colors. For a clear image, it is also best to use a strong color contrast between the background and the text. Interestingly, yellow, which in excess is tiring for the eye, is also the color that our eye notices the fastest. In combination with a dark color, especially black, it can be particularly effective. Another great procedure is the use of brand colors, it gives a professional character, and over time it will develop the viewer's association with your logo and channel.
Legible text - font selection Choosing the right font is as important as the arrangement of elements or colors. The text should be written in a font easy to read and one that matches the content. Contrasting colors in the background will make the text clearly visible.
Face and emotions A photo of a smiling face or one expressing more extreme emotions catches our attention. This is how our brain works. It is worth using this knowledge when designing the thumbnail of your video.
Inspirations Watching the competition and drawing inspiration from the best could be an inspiration for creating your own projects. For this purpose, you can create a thematic brief or an inspiration board. It will be the starting point for thumbnail designs or other visual elements of the channel, e.g. banner, or logo. This way you can create a coherent whole visual communication of your channel.
Fall in love with the stats Reading and analyzing data, numbers, and statistics tell us how our work is perceived. How our audience sees us, whether our content is interesting, and whether our thumbnails are effective. The measurement of the effectiveness of thumbnails is the CTR (Click-Through Rate), which is a factor that tells us how many times our video has been displayed on the YouTube platform, and how many times it has been clicked and played. Learn, draw conclusions, and try new ideas.
YouTube Community Guidelines Please note that the thumbnail must meet the YouTube community guidelines, which state that the thumbnail must not contain content such as nudity or sexual provocation, violence, harmful or dangerous content, or hateful content.
Use free graphics software Even if you are not a professional graphic designer, you can create a professional project thanks to the available templates and free graphic design programs - thumbnails, e.g. Canva https://www.canva.com/. You can download free photos, illustrations, or other graphic elements from free websites, e.g. Pexels https://www.pexels.com/, Pixabay https://pixabay.com/ or Unsplash https://unsplash. com/.
