Youtube Thumbnail: Boost your CTR Fast (2021)

Today I’m going to show you how to design the Youtube Thumbnail which brings you more views.

Also, you will see,

How bigger players in different space are leveraging this technique to grow their Youtube channel.

Eventually, I’m going to show you exactly how you can follow the road-map to make your own thumbnails.

The Youtube thumbnails that bring you the views and helps you to build a viewership.

Click below to be taken right to a section or just keep going with the flow.

Why do we use Custom Thumbnail!

For you to build a viewership on youtube,

Making them click on your video comes in the very first place.

And when it comes to grabbing their attention there are two things we should consider.

Video Title and Thumbnail.

Now, Let’s make things even more simple.

Just take a look below.

What did you saw the most?

The Video thumbnails!

It is no secret that 90% of the best performing videos on youtube has custom-designed thumbnails.

Technically speaking,

A youtube thumbnail can either grow or destroy your view metric.

Unfortunately, making the video thumbnail that brings you the flood of views is not simple. Also, it might be different in different industries.

This is where user psychology comes into play.

Now,

When you are done with this. You will have to split test different youtube thumbnails and so find that which thumbnail pattern brings you the best result.

How your Youtube thumbnail should look like and how it shouldn’t?

The best and easy answer is to put yourself in your viewer’s boot.

Let’s make this easy for you.

Take a look at the combination of different video thumbnails below.

Now which set gave you more information ?

Of Course A!

Now,

Here are the two different video thumbnails from the same videos.

Now, imagine that those are Youtube thumbnails. Which out of the two will you click the most?

You certainly choose to click on B!

Bottom Line:

The picture you use in your Youtube thumbnail must clearly display the character/object and its emotion/importance.

1. What YouTube thumbnail pattern work in your space?

Believe it or not,

The quality of the video content comes the second.

In order to grow the viewership, the Youtube thumbnails come at the very first to bring most of the audience on board.

And if you are doing it for the long term or to become a brand. Then Your video thumbnails must follow the pattern which is working on your space.

Here is how the pattern looks like.

You can easily define the pattern on the thumbnails.

Now,

You can figure out your thumbnail pattern on your own.

Or,

You can see what other successful people in your space are doing with their youtube thumbnail.

Let’s make this even more easy for you.

Just visit any one or few successful channels in your space. Then go through their list of the videos.

Now, Analyse the pattern within their thumbnails.

You are here to find out the most common aspects they are using. Later, you are going to use the same within your youtube thumbnail.

Note down everything that you find common in each of their thumbnails.

Wait!

You just don’t have to copy the exact strategy.

Moreover, you can improve it to be more effective than what is been working for them.

Also, you can come up with an even better version of what they have been doing until now.

In addition,

You should always paint it with your brand picture colors whenever possible.

2. Show that what should they expect.

If your video is about something useful, funny, scary, Just anything!

Let your viewer know about it right before they click on it.

Neil Patel uses this all the time in his video thumbnails and really rocks it.

60% of all human communication is nonverbal that is body language.

Neil Patel uses the Big bold text + Face Expression and Gestures to convey his message through the single thumbnail image.

MrBeast does it in the most funny way.

Read his title and take a look at the corresponding thumbnails…

You can clearly see the action in his thumbnails.

It is very clear,

The more your Youtube thumbnail will resemble the video content, the more CTR (Click Through Rate) you will obtain.

The color technique for Youtube Thumbnail to Get more Viewers?

You have discovered that how your youtube thumbnail should look like.

Also, you discovered how to convey your message through that single image.

But the problem is,

Those formula is not going to work if they are not combined together with the best thumbnail colors.

Fortunately,

It is easy to find out that which color combinations are the best for your youtube thumbnails.

How to define the best background color for your Youtube Thumbnail?

In case,

If you have a brand color, then you must use it in various ways.

Having a brand color is always useful. It keeps your thumbnail to stand out from the others and also is good to build the thumbnail pattern with.

Brian dean of backlinko does this very nicely.

If you do not have a defined brand color palettes, you can still do so.

In most of the cases,

It is good to use the non-youtube colors like red, white and black when possible.

The main reason to use a background color is to make it less blending among the other video thumbnails.

Just search for the main keyword your video is related to.

Whatever background color you choose, be sure that it is not blending into the above crowd.

Additionally, it will improve the click-through rate.

This is how it will look like when not blending in.

Pro tip:

• Identify the color which is appearing mostly in the search list. Later, Use that color in your thumbnail that contrasts with the whole list.
• Use the non-youtube colors like Yellow, Green, Orange, Purple, Pink, Blue.

What is the winner color combination for Youtube thumbnails?

You have learned how to make the Youtube thumbnails, that makes people click on it.

Also, you have learned how to keep it in the pattern.

Now,

Whether it is your brand color sprinkled all over or its the color going to perform best for click-through-rate (CTR).

The color combination of your youtube thumbnail that is the text and the background has to be contrasting.

Always remember,

Your Youtube Thumbnail should quickly and easily display what is inside your video.

Let’s do this again!

Take a quick look and think that which of the thumbnails text you can read them fast and easily?

There is no doubt,

Text in A thumbnails is more easily readable.

Have you wondered?

All the thumbnails above are equipped with most of the factors you just learned. Still, you just saw the great difference!

The color combination of text and background can make or break your youtube thumbnail, So choose them very carefully.

Pro tip: Use the most contrasting color between text and the background.

The NETFLIX – How they show you the best thumbnail?

Netflix is one of the greatest examples of Split testing in thumbnails.  

You would have wondered that they keep changing their video thumbnail continuously.

Netflix knew that if they are not able to grab their user’s attention within 90 seconds. Eventually will lose the interest.

And when it happens, they abandon the platform.

Gopal Krishnan at Netflix came up with an amazing Idea to split test the video thumbnails.

He and his team started looking for ways to improve the viewership on the platform. Eventually, they found that Improving the CTR comes at the very first.

Gopal and his team started creating as well as testing different artworks to describe the same content.

Gopal explained, “We sought the support of our Creative Services team who work on creating compelling pieces of artwork that convey the emotion of the entire title in a single image while staying true to the spirit.”

It is very likely to say that Netflix knows which images you will click.

The most important: Avoid being Clickbait

Remember, whatever you show in your thumbnail is a promise, that promise you should always keep in your video.

Let’s take a look.

The thumbnail, as well as the video title, clearly says how to get 1000 Subscribers in just one day!

People who are going to watch the video are most certainly are those who just getting started with youtube.

Also, they should be expecting steps or an actionable list which they can follow to reach their goal.

But guess what,

There is no such actionable they had explained inside which we can follow through.

Here is another example of clickbait which you should avoid at any cost.

The video title says “Get a Six Pack in 5 Days”. Honestly, I was very excited to see it.

And then at the very beginning of the video, I saw this.

He is clearly saying that this video does not guarantee muscles.

Facepalm!

Remember, People clicked on your video based on the promise you made to deliver through your content.

And if you do not keep that promise, then your viewers will leave your video like it is on fire.

Bottom line:

When you show something in your thumbnail, but you did not deliver that in your actual content.

Your youtube thumbnail turns to become a clickbait.

And when it happens,

You may get a good number of views.

But, it is very less likely that people are going to watch your video for long.

And, Youtube does not like that at all.

The whole point to optimize your youtube thumbnail is to create a viewership instead of just getting views.

Your Viewership defines how your viewer trusts you and your content.

Now I want to Hear From You

Now you have it!

Method to design your Youtube thumbnail, which boosts your video views.

Now I want to Hear From You…

Are you going to convey a better message through your youtube thumbnail?

Are you going to use the background color which is not blending?

Or maybe, you want to try batching your video thumbnails…

Either way, let me know by leaving a comment below right now.