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How to create professional thumbnails for YouTube videos

Updated: May 5, 2022

In this post, we'll be discussing the key points to creating the most professional thumbnails for your YouTube videos.


As you probably know, there are many ways to create a thumbnail. The first step is deciding on a design.


Will you incorporate text? Images? Will it be simple or complex?


The next step is to decide what software you want to use.


There are many programs that can be used to create thumbnails, but here are some of the most popular:


Photoshop: Photoshop is a very powerful image editing program that gives a lot of control over every aspect of your thumbnail. It has a big learning curve but is well worth it if you're looking for the highest level of customization possible. If you feel it is difficult to use then we have got your back with our Professional Graphic Designers.


Pixelmator: Pixelmator is similar to Photoshop, but has an interface that's much easier to learn and use. The downside of this program is that it doesn't give as much control over things like colour correction and effects, which can be an issue if you need those features in your design.


GIMP: GIMP is a free, open-source alternative to Photoshop that gives many of the same features at no cost. It is also more difficult to learn than Pixelmator but gives more control over certain aspects


The first thing that I recommend doing when it comes to creating your thumbnails is adding text to them. The reason why this is important is that we are now living in an age where people are consuming more videos than ever before.

There's more video available today than there has ever been in the history of mankind, so there's no shortage of content out there. What that means is that people are becoming more particular about which videos they watch and which ones they skip over.

If they're looking at two videos side by side and one has text on it and one doesn't, guess which one they're probably.


Since we're all busy and short on time, I want to make sure that you get the most out of this video, so here are the key points to creating the most professional thumbnails for your YouTube videos.


I highly recommend using Adobe Photoshop when it comes to creating thumbnails. It's the best tool out there. With its advanced features and ease of use, you'll be able to create professional-looking YouTube thumbnails in no time!


You may also want to consider adding a text overlay on your thumbnail image. Make sure you use a font that is easy to read and looks good with your overall design. Visit DaFont. com for some great fonts and font combinations!


The next thing you'll need is some kind of image editing software as I told you, like Photoshop or Gimp (which is free). You can also use an online editor like Pixlr if you don't have access to these programs on your computer. If neither of those options works for you, try using Microsoft Paint instead—it has many useful tools for making simple edits such as cropping or resizing images.


There are many other things that go into making a great YouTube thumbnail, but these are just some tips to get started!


Some basic points to keep in mind:

-Make sure the picture is clear.

-Make sure it's relevant to the video.

-Use a good size font - don't make it too big or little, but somewhere in between.

-Choose a bold colour - one that you know will pop out on people's screens.

-Keep it simple and clean looking. You don't want to overwhelm your viewers with too much going on in such a small space.


The last thing you want to do is spend hours creating a beautiful video only to see it ignored because of a poorly-made thumbnail. The thumbnail, or preview image, is your first opportunity to entice viewers, so it’s critical that it stands out and sets your video apart from the competition.

If you're looking to improve your YouTube thumbnails, here are some tips for creating attractive thumbnails that will help your videos get noticed.


Keep it simple: Thumbnails are usually viewed as small files on users' screens.


1) Use a high-quality image: The first thing that catches your viewer's eye is going to be the image you use in your thumbnail—it needs to be clear and eye-catching. You can use a screenshot from the video (if it's high-quality enough), or you can use something else—a stock photo or a custom graphic that matches the video content.


2) Put text over the image: Text on thumbnails helps draw attention to them, so try adding a relevant phrase, tagline, or description in white text over a dark area of your image. You can use graphics programs like Canva or Photoshop to add this text easily.


3) Keep it branded: If you want people to know that the video is yours without even looking at the title, consider adding your logo or branding colours to the thumbnail as well. This will help build brand recognition and strengthen your brand identity on YouTube.


YouTube is an extremely competitive space to be in, and there's a lot of pressure to attract viewers who will stay on your channel and keep watching. One important way to do so is by creating attractive and eye-catching thumbnails that will make people want to click on your video. To do so, here are a few key points:


1) Include relevant text. This can include the name of your brand or channel and the title of the video.


2) Grab attention with colour and contrast. You don't want your thumbnail to blend into the background of YouTube—the colour scheme should be bright enough to stand out. Contrast also helps; if most of your image is dark, you'd want to place lighter text over it so that it's readable, or vice versa.


3) Stay within YouTube's guidelines for thumbnails. This means not including any pictures of people unless you have their permission, not misrepresenting what happens in the video, etc.




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