Most Indian viewers see your thumbnail on a 6-inch screen for less than a second.
Rules
- One face, big. Show emotion.
- 3–4 words max. Bigger than you think.
- High contrast. Yellow on black, white on red.
- One idea. Don't cram.
- Different from the title. The thumbnail teases; the title explains.
Test
Shrink it to stamp size. Can you still read it?
A/B test
YouTube's "Test & compare" lets you test up to three thumbnails. Use it on your most important videos.
The click is only the start
A great thumbnail on a weak video hurts retention. Make sure the first 30 seconds deliver what the thumbnail promised.
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