Small YouTubers Struggle Making Thumbnails
Content creators, particularly those new to platforms like YouTube, are experiencing frustration and low engagement due to a lack of effective thumbnails. They recognize the importance of compelling visuals but struggle with design skills, understanding what resonates with audiences, and achieving higher click-through rates. This leads to feelings of inadequacy and a desire for guidance or affordable design solutions.
SOURCES (60)
“You only know it's AI generated when it's poorly done. If it's well done you don't have a clue.”
“Well, your thumbnails are elegant and clean -- and consistent, since they're composed of the same angle shot of your varying die-cast autos -- but some would say they lack punch. Consider a photo of the car with a snazzy background, maybe a little text in the thumbnail, a hook, something to catch the viewer's attention. You might have to get a little click-baity, as cringe as that sounds. Nothing too drastic, but a mention of one of the features of the particular car featured, a selling”
“It's like looking at those low-effort art tutorials on TikTok! You blink and you suddenly have 12 finished sprites in front of you... submitted by /u/aikashi-aika [link] [comments]”
how many of those do you see on youtube? that have a lot of views?
“I agree with the thumbnail idea for the long form, usually in my understanding shorts thumbnail matter only 50%, it's the content in the short that makes people stick to it. But I am only 2 weeks old into content making. I am reading other OGs reply and learning and implementing myself.”
“Just saw it, I'll reply with my channel and Discord. Down to hop on a call this week and swap what's worked for thumbnails.”
“Yeah, thumbnails determine CTR, CTR determines impressions, and then impressions guide the algo to match your channel with your audience. So in your latest thumbnail, you did a lot right, but there are too many different background graphics, and the text isn't really a hook by itself. Maybe if the title was "Can Wolverine Save XBox?" Titles are the second most important. It should be a question under 50 characters so it can be seen on mobile, and any game title or tag can come afte”
“you can only do it on mobile. since shorts are a feed it offers zero benefit beyond the aesthetic benefit to your homepage”
“Okok cool that can helppp So the titles are alright, the thumbnails however are too busy or too simple- like the recent Xbox one is too messy while some of the past ones seem uninteresting with just text over a background. I see you might be going for search results over suggested or recommended content too based on your titles and content. As cliche as it is (since you're using affinity) find thumbnails of contemt you watch/similar in content amd replicate it. Not fully copy, but utilize fr”
“I've noticed that you are not the only one. There is that, I think German guy on YouTube who photos are never clear.”
“Hello all. Im Aaron and I have gotten into making resin crafting videos. Ive done 49 so far and have plans for many more. I mostly do smaller items and recently purchased a pressure pot to have better results. Here's a sample: https://youtu.be/VMI4n1PQ9sM I use capcut to edit cellphone-shot video (cellphone is in a moveable holder with an led light) and have been trying to make sure im always talking. Id love some suggestions on ways I can improve.”
“Saw your post and figured i should reach out. been going through the same thing with trying to crack what makes a thumbnail actually work. noticed that my travel vlog thumbnails with a clear face and simple text get way more clicks than the ones where i overcomplicate the background. its almost annoying how much that one tweak matters. im 24 and do a mix of cooking and tech reviews, so not exactly what you listed but still interested in talking shop. the worst part is editing alone and not havin”
“Because they look better visually. Can you link your channel? I’d be interested to know what your thumbnails look like.”
“I have just started a channel named as The Kid with Linux I have my logo banner and everything. I have a idea to start but nowhere to go I don't know what I should do next. 1. Should I use my orignal voice or use AI voice. 2. Should I use my cam for the first video. 3. What should I do first. 4. From when should I start streaming, I want to do that as fast as possible Its a linux content creation channel where I will be doing Tutorials in channel and in future will be installing and try to i”
“most people film first, edit, upload, then think about the thumbnail and title last. backwards order, and it shows. if you can't picture the thumbnail before you hit record, that's a sign the idea isn't clickable yet, not something a good thumbnail can save later. decide the hook first. what question is this video answering that someone's actually asking. once you know that, the thumbnail and title basically write themselves, because they're just pointing at something that al”
“I like the thumbnail. The next is a little crunchy on my screen, maybe like a resolution thing. Dinosaur man looks funny I'd click it”
“yeah the long narrow stuff is one of the worst shapes for a square thumbnail tbh. you end up either stretching it and it looks fake or there's just dead space sitting on both sides. what's worked better than rotating for me is not leaving that space empty. throw a background color back there, or let the shadow run past the edge of the product a bit. that makes it look way more intentional instead of like you gave up on the crop.”
“my niche is gaming challenges btw submitted by /u/Ok-Tough-1366 [link] [comments]”
Bizly does it best, his quality in this format is unmatched
“Hi everyone! Does anyone have any idea why my thumbnail only shows up on my YouTube channel page (first picture) and not on the home page (second picture)? This is so frustrating, and I think it might be a bug. My video has an almost square aspect ratio (2162×2160), but I don't see why that would cause this issue. Does anyone know how to fix this? submitted by /u/Mince_Alors [link] [comments]”
“Glad Yt makes people be truthful about their thumbnails now since that's all I have to go on in the app submitted by /u/Dlan08 [link] [comments]”
“I have a different kind of request. I need someone’s creative mind to help me come up with a thumbnail style that I can create on my own. I use canva to make my thumbnails. also keep in mind my style of video is like a “current mma and ufc news” type video. so I need a thumbnail style that would match that. my YouTube channel name is “UNC MMA” any help would be greatly appreciated submitted by /u/Delicious-Region-911 [link] [comments]”
“For a rap niche thumbnail, I would judge it on speed and attitude. Can someone tell the subject immediately? Does the image feel like rap/music content before they read the title? Is there one clear focal point, or are there too many elements competing? I would avoid small text and clutter. One strong face, artist cue, lyric/controversy cue, or bold contrast usually beats a busy design. If you have two versions, put them side by side on launchpadyt.com and ask which one people understand faster.”
“I make toy/doll related content/reviews and I’d love to make my thumbnails a bit more professional looking. I’ve noticed a lot of creators in my niche use the specific toy line logo on their thumbnails (not just the company branding logo). But I’ve been searching endlessly and can’t find anywhere that has those logos for download. I’d be happy to pay for that if I have to. Does anyone have recommendations? Thanks for reading! submitted by /u/Confused_Barbie [link] [comments]”
“This is good advice. The mistake I keep making is trying to be too clever with my thumbnail text, focusing on wordplay. The thumbnails where I do the most “clever” jokes are the ones that do the worst. Thumbnails need to be clear and simple. Save wit and wordplay for the video itself.”
“Would this be for a long series of videos or something one off? I’ve lent my voice to a few creators who were too shy to do this themselves. If this is something like a short one time promo type video I’d be quite happy to record something on cam myself to help you.”
“Very weird but I felt like your videos are not that eyecatching, yes the thumbnails are pretty clean and consistent but try adding some red text to emphasize a certain word (for example in your video that's titled "your best idea will feel illegal" make "fraud" red colored also you should focus on searchable content like maybe turn your video "When motivation dies, do this instead" to "How to get motivated instantly" or smth like that so people that se”
“I design thumbnails for a living, and the question I get most from creators here is some version of: "I spent hours on this thumbnail and a lazy 5-minute one beat it. Why?" It's almost never luck. It comes down to something I call The Half-Second Feed . Your thumbnail is never seen the way you make it. You build it full-size, zoomed in, on a big screen, staring at it for twenty minutes. Your viewer sees it for half a second, the size of a stamp, next to eight other thumbnails, whil”
“How can I improve this, and also any tips in general please and thank you. (Acrylic) submitted by /u/Mobile-Speed-3464 [link] [comments]”
“AI can help with thumbnail ingredients, but I would not rely on it to make the final thumbnail. The common problem is that AI images look polished but vague. A good thumbnail usually needs one clear subject, readable emotion or action, strong contrast, and almost no clutter. My workflow would be: use AI for background/prop ideas, then assemble the actual thumbnail yourself in Canva, Photopea, Photoshop, or similar. Test it small. If it does not read at phone size, it will not work. For feedback,”
“I just recently started out a new youtube channel centered around story based gaming. My main focus is on RPGs and really long meaty lets plays that I will also use footage from to eventually make longer form video essay type content. I have started to get a little bit of traction (very little but it's movement!) with my channel which I think is good since it's only been around for about a week now. Some of my early feedback though is people being turned off by my use of AI created thumb”
“Check out my new video, I got classic thumbnail, attractive Title and description, please suggest if any improvements are required. Would appreciate any suggestions from you guys submitted by /u/OppositeEmployment86 [link] [comments]”
“If it outperformed the others, then it is the better thumbnail by definition. The trick is getting your personal standards of good/bad thumbnails to match the standards of viewers.”
Thank you LunarStranger2 for starting a Critique thread! - To lock the thread, comment "/lock" (permanent). - Use Standard Rules or create your own . - Optional: Add Pre-Formatted Short Rules to…
“Honestly if background removal is the main thing you need, don't pay for a full design suite just for that. I've been using BestPhoto's background remover for a few weeks now and it does a clean job on most images without the manual cleanup. The free tools don't require an account which is nice if you just want to test it before committing. That said, no AI remover is perfect with hair or complex edges, so keep that in mind. For thumbnails specifically though, you're usually”
“Hey, another question. Does anyone have a quick solution to bulk watermarking photos and videos? I use capcut pro and I can see it's possible to do there but looks like I need to still do them all individually. Any recommendations would be ahhhhmazing submitted by /u/victoriaenglishrose [link] [comments]”
“I've been using Canva premium but I realistically only use the background remover tool regularly. The other premium tools either don't apply to what I'm doing or fail spectacularly, (check out my post in r/darksouls for the latest example). Is there a free/cheaper option for decent background removal that doesn't require a ton of manual pixel removal and the like? submitted by /u/TheEmeraldWyrm [link] [comments]”
“For one upload, I'd treat it as a baseline, not a verdict. Check where the impressions came from, then try a different title/thumbnail on the next one before worrying too much about CTR.”
“Thank you for the detailed response. I never even thought about the text being blocked like that. I struggle with thumbnails for sure.”
“Hi all! I am a newtuber and wanted some unbiased input (not my boyfriends ‘I love it!’ Feedback) on my thumbnails & channel banner & pfp. I use canva for everything, I have a pro subscription as I use it for my nursing course aswell, but wanted some new eyes to judge my layout. I am very happy to be starting as I have always wanted to since my childhood. Thanks! submitted by /u/Shoddy-Classic-8228 [link] [comments]”
“I like your cutout in the screen with the hugely blurred background while you pop out. This could make you have a distinct feel. The "yay" you do at 3:50 is cool at this level of production. There's a moment later at I believe around 5-6 mins that there's a loading screen where you say nothing for a while, that feels a bit weird. Usually we're used to at least hearing the game music but at that point there is nothing. I would consider adding some filler. I'm just saying”
“Thanks a lot for the feedback. I appreciate it. What kind of title would it make you wanna click on such a video? What kind of b-roll would you add? Generic ones or having multiple camera angles? Regarding the structure, do you feel its too much of a lecture? I am aware the delivery is an issue right now since I am strugling with a burnout at work unfortunately”
“I believe the algorithm favors a face , not exactly your face. A thumbnail with a background and text is like a book. A thumbnail with something funny and a human face is like a video compared to a book. I believe it's more engaging. I never showed my face, but thumbnails that have big faces in highlight tend to be the videos I have more views regardless of content. Text works for niche, for example, you want to explain how to do something on Python, you will probably get away with a faceles”
“You’re doing really well and are getting good view numbers. Like others said… thumbnails. I like the more naturalistic style of yours but there are some tweaks to make. The big fonts look fine but the smaller text is hard to read on a mobile device. Also, avoid having titles go into the bottom right of the thumbnail frame as the time marker will block text entirely. It has done this for a few of your videos. I made this mistake as well on one of my recent videos; it looked fine with the slightly”
“Hi everyone! 👋 I’m a new YouTube creator focused on lifestyle, vlogs, and faith content. I’m working on improving my editing, thumbnails, and storytelling. What’s one piece of advice you wish you knew when you first started? I’d really appreciate any tips. Thanks! 🤎 submitted by /u/vea_18 [link] [comments]”