#Make a thumbnail for youtube 2017 mac how to
#Make a thumbnail for youtube 2017 mac full
#Make a thumbnail for youtube 2017 mac professional
#Make a thumbnail for youtube 2017 mac free

You can learn a lot just from these alone!Ĭolor can make all the difference. I did a random search on YouTube for “How to make a video” and these were the first few results. So how do you make yours stand out from the crowd? And, a good number of them will have custom video thumbnails. Four ways to make your thumbnail stand outĪ quick search on YouTube for just about any subject will turn up hundreds if not thousands of videos. And, it helps anyone looking at it decide if that video is right for them.Īlso, check out How TechSmith Optimizes YouTube Custom Thumbnails for Viewers. That’s a ton of information conveyed by a single image.

#Make a thumbnail for youtube 2017 mac free

We let you know that there’s a free template available to help.

The video’s speaker (our own Andy Owen) uses a humorous pose to convey an emotion.

The video’s title is large and easy to read.

In the example above, you can clearly see these elements.

When possible, show the face of the person speaking in a fun and inviting way.

Give your audience a reason to watch your video - especially if your video is just one of many on the same subject. If a thumbnail is your audience’s first impression of your content, you want to make it a good one.Ī custom thumbnail gives you an opportunity to really sell yourself and your video. You can choose a different thumbnail from the options YouTube presents to you, but using a custom thumbnail is so much better. And if you can’t be bothered to look like you care about how your video looks, why should I bother to watch it?

#Make a thumbnail for youtube 2017 mac professional

It’s not enticing and it’s not a professional look. Plus, there’s nothing that identifies what the video is about or why anyone would want to watch it. All three of the default thumbnail options show me with a weird facial expression. In the example above, I uploaded a video of me recorded from my webcam. If you have a person speaking in your video, it’s almost a given that the default thumbnail will include a weird or awkward facial expression. And, I’m here to tell you it’s almost certainly going to be unflattering. It’s probably just some random still image from the video.īy default, if you don’t choose and upload a thumbnail for your video, YouTube (and other video hosts) will pick one for you from various still shots from your video. Exciting graphics, people smiling or just looking cool and inviting.Ī good thumbnail makes you want to watch the video.Īnd, conversely, you’ve probably seen a ton of other videos that seem to have given no thought to it at all. If you’ve spent any time on YouTube, you’ve likely seen dozens if not hundreds of cool thumbnails. It’s a super-easy way to give your video a professional look. Why are video thumbnails important?Ī great custom video thumbnail can make all the difference when it comes to a viewer clicking through to your video. You’ve probably heard that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but if that were true, book publishers wouldn’t go to so much trouble and expense to make book covers look so exciting.Īnd the same is true of your video thumbnail.

In the example above, you can see that, when viewing this folder of images, the computer presents a smaller representation of the actual file.Īnd, while a video thumbnail isn’t simply a smaller version of the actual video, like its still-image ancestor, it should provide a viewer with an idea of what they will see when they choose to watch.

#Make a thumbnail for youtube 2017 mac full

A thumbnail was a smaller version of a full digital image that could easily be viewed while browsing a number of images.Įven your computer’s operating system uses thumbnails. The term “thumbnail” originated with still images. And, like a book cover, it should entice a potential viewer to want to see more. Read the Guide What are video thumbnails?Ī video thumbnail is a still image that acts as the preview image for your video. Learn how you can create video thumbnails that entice viewers and keep them coming back! The right video thumbnail can mean the difference between a viewer watching your video or moving on.

#Make a thumbnail for youtube 2017 mac how to

Learn How to Create Video Thumbnails to Drive Views