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Adding Thumbnails to YouTube Shorts | Explained

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Table of Contents

YouTube Shorts is a perfect tool for creating short, eye-popping videos. Similar to any other YouTube video, thumbnails are crucial because they help attract more viewers. Can one include a thumbnail for YouTube Shorts? The answer is yes!

YouTube Shorts is now available!

Adding thumbnails, especially when creating a YouTube Shorts video is possible. Shorts allows choosing a thumbnail from the frames of the uploaded video or uploading a custom one on YouTube. This is important because custom thumbnails can make Shorts more appealing, encouraging people to click and watch. You can also read an article about how to make a scratch thumbnail.

How to Make a Good YouTube Thumbnail

Creating a good YouTube thumbnail involves several key steps:

Plan Your Thumbnail

When designing your thumbnail, consider your video’s main message and how to present it visually. This step is almost the same as how to make a good YouTube title. Planning well will ensure that your thumbnail matches your video’s content and highlights key moments.

Capture High-Resolution Images

Quality is essential. Use a high-resolution camera for clear, sharp images. Blurry or pixelated pictures can make your content look bad and turn viewers away. High-quality photos are essential for a polished and attractive thumbnail.

Use Bold and Contrasting Colors

Bold and contrasting colors can make your thumbnail stand out on YouTube. Bright colors catch viewers’ eyes and make your thumbnail more noticeable. Try different color combinations to see what works best for your content.

Add Expressive Faces

At least one image of each thumbnail shows a subject’s face with an expression of surprise, excitement, or curiosity. These emotions hook viewers and make them desire to watch your video. Incorporating expressive faces into your thumbnails increases the chances of getting more clicks.

Include Clear and Concise Text

You can easily add a title to your thumbnail to give the audience a brief idea of what the video will present. Some key recommendations are to employ high-contrast colors for text and background and to write with vast letter heights and simple, strong words. The content should be readable where the text is small and should, therefore, correspond to the images. Make it brief to minimize the information you display in the header.

Best Editor for YouTube Thumbnails

Using the best editor for YouTube thumbnails can make designing more accessible and faster. Some top editors are:

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop is a professional tool with advanced features for making great thumbnails. It has many editing options, such as layers, fixing colors, and adding text.

Canva

Canva is easy to use and has many templates and design parts. It’s great for people who want to make good thumbnails without being experts in graphic design.

GIMP

GIMP is a free, open-source alternative to Photoshop. It has robust editing tools and can do complex designs well. It’s suitable for making high-quality thumbnails.

Conclusion

Creating thumbnails for YouTube Shorts is as essential as creating thumbnails for any other video. To make your thumbnail stand out, plan the design carefully and use clear images, vibrant colors, animations, and relevant text. Using the best thumbnail editor for YouTube can make this process easier and ensure high-quality results.

Consider using a professional design service for top-notch thumbnails and to save time. Vidpros provides expert video editing and thumbnail design services to enhance your channel.

Contact Vidpros now to see how they can improve your video’s performance and attract more viewers!

 

 

About the Author

Mike

Michael Holmes is the founder and CEO of Vidpros, a trailblazer in video marketing solutions. Outside the office, Michael nurtures a growing community of professionals and shares his industry insights on the blog.

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