5 min
Why Do Your YouTube Thumbnails Matter?
So why do my YouTube thumbnails matter? Your videos might be underperforming 📉 - and sure, that happens to everyone. But if that happens a lot, you need to consider that your thumbnails might be the problem.
Seriously, thumbnails can make or break your video… 😅
YouTube thumbnails matter because YouTube uses visual stimulation as content. Viewers are much more likely to rely on visual aids to catch their attention than skim through titles. YouTube thumbnails also matter as a unique selling point that explains the contents of the video.
The rest of this article is going to explain this topic in much greater detail, including why your YouTube thumbnail affects your views, how to design better thumbnails, if you should update your old YT thumbnails, and more.
Why Do My YouTube Thumbnails Matter?
It's a killer question, with an important answer. Your YouTube thumbnails matter because that's what draws the attention of the viewer.
That's what makes their eyes pop as their brain explodes with curiosity. 🤯 Your thumbnail design is going to make or break their desire to click on that video.
Your YouTube thumbnails matter because YouTube is a visual game, not a book. 🚫
YouTube relies on visual stimulation - I mean think about it, you don't read on YouTube.
You watch videos, and thumbnails are basically a “freeze-frame” of your video. A unique selling point, if you will.
An elevator pitch. 😎
And this elevator pitch is going to be the deciding factor. This thumbnail is going to either make your viewer click your video, or continue on scrolling down their feed.
So why do your YouTube thumbnails matter? Well, it should be pretty intuitive. I know I'd click on a video with an eye-grabbing attention-catching thumbnail, and I'm sure you would too.
Really, think back to the last 10-20 videos you've clicked on - if you can even remember the videos, LOL. 😂
Think about how they caught your attention - did you read the title, and only after looking at the thumbnail?
I'll bet you didn't. I'll bet your attention was drawn by the thumbnail, and then maybe you checked out the title before clicking.
Why Your YouTube Thumbnail Affects Your Views
You might be able to guess the answer to this one - I mean, it's a picture after all. And pictures are worth a thousand words. 🎨
Your YouTube thumbnail affects your views by drawing attention. YouTube thumbnails are eye-catching and consist of pictures and images. Thumbnails stimulate and cause emotions in potential viewers. Thumbnails are also much more likely to be the initial source of interest as compared to titles.
You've gotta think about it this way… 😅
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then your title would have to be a thousand words long in order to catch the attention of a viewer.
And in the digital age especially, none of us can be bothered enough to even read something that long! 📱
We watch content, and we want to watch it right now.
So if you're making a thumbnail, give me a reason to click. Or to read the title. But this is your chance to sell your video.
Because your thumbnail is going to affect your views much more than your title ever could.
The simple fact that you, yourself - your attention is drawn by thumbnails, not titles. And everyone else is the same in that way.
That's why your thumbnail affects your views on YouTube. 🤯 Because it makes people decide if they want to watch your video or not.
How to Design Better YouTube Thumbnails
Okay, so you get why your thumbnails matter now. But now you want to know how to design better YouTube thumbnails, right? 🤫
To design better YouTube thumbnails, explain your video visually. YouTube thumbnails should be designed as a summary of your video. Thumbnails should also remain simple and visual. Also, thumbnails should incorporate the use of bold attention-grabbing elements.
I'm going to explain how to use an elevator pitch, how to keep the design simple, how to use text sparingly and for effect, and why visual aids are more important than text aids. 🥳 So sit tight and keep reading.
Use an Elevator Pitch
So you hop in an elevator, and somebody else hops in with you. You've got a floor or two before you've gotta get out.
Your new friend in the elevator turns to you asks what you do. 🤷♀️
That's the concept of the elevator pitch. You have to sell yourself and your work in the time it takes for the elevator to reach the next floor, so start talking. 💬
On YouTube, your thumbnails basically take the place of the elevator pitch. When somebody is scrolling through a feed and they see your thumbnail, they're not going to stare at it for hours.
You've gotta explain everything about your video, or at least the good parts 🥺 - the attention-grabbing parts if you will - in the time it takes for their eyes to drift off the thumbnail.
So focus on grabbing the attention of the viewer and keeping the thumbnail clickbait while also telling the viewer what's going to happen in the video.
Keep the Design Simple
There's nothing I hate more than complex thumbnails. Argh! I don't want to look at a thumbnail and have the entire Bible memorized by the time I finish.
😤 I want a snippet of clear and easily recognizable content.
When you're designing a thumbnail, there's nothing better than keeping the design simple. That's actually why I initially built my free online thumbnail designer (Viral Thumbs).
It's hard to keep things simple when you have to come up with every part of the design yourself.
It's way too tempting to add more and more visual elements. 📚
You don't have that problem with templates, though, and since keeping your design simple is so important, well - templates are the way to go!
If you don't keep the design simple, you won't keep the viewer on the page. They won't want to watch your video because you bored them to death with your thumbnail. 🤭
Use Text Sparingly and for Effect
A common mistake I see with thumbnail design is that people will dump an entire paragraph on their thumbnail.
Don't do that. Please. Instead, use text sparingly and for effect. 😉
An example would be if your video is about 100 people in a circle competing for a prize (if you know you know), you might add the text “100 people” on the thumbnail.
No more, no less. 😎
Keep your text sparse and simple. It should be used to boost your visual design and imagery, not take their places.
Seriously, no paragraphs.
Visual Aids Are More Important Than Text Aids
This is just a final reminder, but visual aids are more important than text aids. Your goal is not to explain your video on your thumbnail, but with your thumbnail.
Use the design to show 🔥 and you won't have to tell - at least not very much.
Having a bit of text is good, don't get me wrong. I love explaining my video with a few bold, carefully chosen words.
And that can help with views, too. But ultimately the visual aspect is more important.
So always keep that in mind. Your thumbnails need to show the YouTube surfers why they should click your video 🥳 - visually.
The Bottom Line
Your YouTube thumbnails matter because that's what the viewer sees. The thumbnail is going to be what catches their attention. ⚠️
The thumbnail is going to be what makes your viewer decide to become your viewer.
And if you have a bad thumbnail, it's going to make what could have been a viewer of your video a distant memory. 🥺
In conclusion, your YouTube thumbnails matter because they provide visual stimulation and a summary of your videos. This means that your YouTube thumbnails will help the potential viewer decide if they want to watch your video or not.