how to make a youtube thumbnail

How to Make a YouTube Thumbnail Using YouTube Thumbnail Maker

As a graphic design enthusiast myself, I love watching design tutorial videos on different YouTube channels. What attracts me most when it comes to YouTube videos, especially in this niche, are the highly clickable snapshots called YouTube thumbnails. For a while, I’ve been analyzing the YouTube thumbnails of popular creators and have come to understand that they use them as part of their strategy to attract new viewers to their channels. These small, attractive images with titles provide a preview of what’s in the video, and within a microsecond, viewers decide whether to watch the video or not.

In this article, we will be looking into📝:

  • Understanding YouTube thumbnail images: Let’s dive into what YouTube thumbnails are and how they can increase your Click-through rates(CTR).
  • How to make your thumbnail stand out: We will thoroughly explore a step-by-step guide to creating the most influential and attractive thumbnails together and learn how to do it.
  • Top YouTube thumbnail makers: If you don’t have time, you can easily get the help of online thumbnail makers that will create thumbnails for you. Don’t worry; I’ve listed the top 5 such tools.
  • Essential design tips: Here, I’ve included personal opinions on how to create the best thumbnail with secret tips and tricks, so make sure to check that out. 

As far as YouTube content goes, you must have a thumbnail for every possible video to grab attention. So, it’s your duty as a creator to make sure you create YouTube thumbnails that look good and urge people to click. Also, though it’s not a perfect comparison, a YouTube thumbnail is as important as a book cover or a film poster as it makes the first impression that leads viewers to your channel or causes them to avoid it. In this blog, I’ve done the deed of putting together a small guide to help make your content creation journey more peaceful.

Understanding YouTube Thumbnail Images for YouTube Video

Understanding YouTube Thumbnails

First impressions matter, and I think if you really look into it, they sort of act as a hint of what’s coming next. YouTube video thumbnails is the first thing that grabs people’s attention, making them the first step in connecting with viewers before they watch your video.

So, if it doesn’t connect with your audience and, at the same time, doesn’t attract new viewers or hint at what’s in the video, well, you can kiss your YouTube revenue goodbye. To be successful on this competitive platform, you have to excel at creating the best thumbnails that viewers simply can’t ignore. A thumbnail can make or break your video.


Yeah, I know it can be difficult, but…


Learning how to make YouTube thumbnails as the main tool to entice subscribers to watch, and it can work wonders for your channel. Learn how to create scroll-stopping YouTube thumbnails with the help of this blog. Understand that the best thumbnails drive more traffic, increase CTR, and improve your brand consistency.

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Let’s look at how to make the best thumbnail that can boost your YouTube viewership.

A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Make a YouTube Thumbnail

how to make a youtube thumbnail

I will only suggest that you follow the steps mentioned below to create visually pleasing and attractive thumbnails that stand out and effectively catch the attention of new viewers. I think this guide will help you with making free templates for thumbnails. It should help you get in the right direction when it comes to video thumbnails.

Use the Correct Thumbnail Image Size

Before you start editing your images, I want you to learn the correct dimensions and size for your thumbnail. This can help you gain knowledge on how to create a customizable thumbnail template and use it for future videos.


To follow YouTube’s guidelines, the image itself must be 1280 X 720 pixels and have a minimum width of 640 pixels. The ideal aspect ratio is 16:9 and is the most common across all of YouTube, unless we are talking about YouTube Shorts.

Youtube thumbnail size and resolution
YouTube thumbnail size and resolution

When creating click-worthy YouTube thumbnails, you should also keep in mind that you should optimize them for mobile screens. So don’t make it either too big or too small, as it would look less professional. Basically, Google and YouTube are closely connected, so even when you search on either of these platforms, the search results will appear small. Make sure your thumbnails are perfectly balanced to look good on all platforms. To maintain the quality after editing, as a tip, I’d suggest saving the image as a JPEG, PNG, GIF, or BMP. Also, don’t forget that your maximum file size should be 2 MB.

Use an HD Image for Eye-Catching Thumbnail Background

how to make a youtube thumbnail (5)
Thumbnail rules you can follow

As the second step when it comes to adding images for your YouTube thumbnail video, make sure you use a fantastic photo that grabs people’s eyeballs in an instant. Use images that are in context with your video, serving as a little teaser. If you’re planning to use your own images, make sure to add expressive snapshots that evoke curiosity in the minds of the audience. You can design a thumbnail with facial expressions by taking a snap from the video or a photo that is related to the context of your video.

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When it comes to the psychology of viewers, we are most likely to get attracted to things that are weird, emotional, and unique. So make sure to use high-quality images; if you want to, you can take a still and edit it using different photo editing tools available in the market. As my suggestion goes, I think you should show some kind of image from the video to make it more enticing.

how to make a youtube thumbnail
Expressive Images for Thumbnail

Customize with Easy to Read Text

I would say there’s always a pro to adding text everywhere, and it has the same effect when you’re planning to add it to a YouTube thumbnail. The main pro is that it gives context about what is in the video.

As we know, an image alone cannot send the right message across, so you need to add some text that also generates the emotion of peak curiosity.

how to make a youtube thumbnail (8)
Examples of Text Layout in Thumbnails

But keep these essential design tips in mind:

  • Use Minimal Texts: Don’t go overboard with text; use minimal text or font that remains legible even on a small screen.
  • Use Bold and Simple Fonts: Don’t use fonts that are hard to read, and make sure your fonts stand out from the rest. You can find sans serif fonts to use on designs that are more legible.
  • Reduce Clutter: Only use short, essential words that are necessary and to the point with the video. Focus on words that can easily get viewers’ attention.

As a personal tip, I’d only suggest you play with your text and use specific numbers or dates or just information that can push people to check out the video.

Use a Good YouTube Thumbnail Maker

If you don’t have enough time to spend on making a thumbnail yourself, you can always invest in good quality thumbnail makers in the market. They will help you find the best font, images, and design style that can help you create a distinctive identity for your channel. You can check out some of the best thumbnail makers below.

Create a Branded YouTube Thumbnail Template

As a last step, make sure you have a branded template for your own channel. I feel branding is more important when you’re trying to establish yourself as a creator in the social media world. So stick to a style that suits your video niche and maintain the same theme for all your videos and creative media. You can choose a color palette, design, and font, and make sure you’re consistent with that. This way, your viewers will instantly recognize your video.

Look at some of the ways or tips in which you can focus on branding and consistency.

Branding and Consistency in Thumbnail Design: Tips and Tricks

Use a Color Scheme

Always have a color scheme for the thumbnails you make. Let your channel be associated with these brand colors. For example, it can be the colors present in your logo or simply colors that you like in your brand kit. But make sure you consistently add these on-brand colors to your other thumbnails as well.

Add Logo and Font Text to the Final Image

If you want to create your YouTube video’s thumbnail, you can also customize your YouTube thumbnail with logos and share it on social media for hype generation. You can also add your channel logo to any corner of the thumbnail to make it a mark and visible to the audience. This way, people can easily connect with the video, and it can help establish you as a strong brand and spread awareness. Don’t make the logo too big or grab all the attention, just consistently maintain a classic spot for it. As a tip, I’d suggest avoiding placing the logo on the bottom right, as the video length will cover it.

Create Thumbnails Using Top Youtube Thumbnail Makers

Free online youtube thumbnail makers

Here are the top YouTube thumbnail makers or design tools that can help you create great thumbnails. 

1. Canva

Canva YouTube thumbnail maker
Canva YouTube thumbnail maker

You can access Canva with more than 2 million images in their library, hundreds of fonts, and customizable backgrounds and colors. You can choose from a wide selection of templates If you want to create a thumbnail for a desktop or mobile device. If you want your YouTube thumbnail right, you can use this to tweak and make interesting thumbnails for your video.

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If you don’t know how to design, you can easily use Canva’s drag-and-drop interface to create your own thumbnails. I feel it’s a great option where you can easily sign up and use their free version or paid options, as it allows you to focus on uploading your video without sacrificing the effectiveness of your thumbnail.

2. FotoJet

In this list, FotoJet turns out to be one of the leading free online YouTube thumbnail makers that comes with templates to help you summarize your video into a clickworthy image. You don’t need to sign up with an email or account setup; you can use it as soon as you land on the homepage. There’s a vast variety of stock images, font styles, and clip art elements to customize your design. You can also export it in either JPG or PNG format.

3. Adobe Spark

Adobe spark
Adobe spark

Adobe Spark lets you select from thousands of photos on the web and a variety of built-out themes with their own unique layouts, colors, and fonts to craft eye-catching YouTube thumbnails. The only drawback I felt was that the free version comes with a watermark on all the content when you download from the system. But you can always upgrade to the paid version, which makes it easier for you to use.

4. Snappa

Snappa

Snappa has over 50,000 stock photos and a vast library of professionally designed templates. You can also choose customizable graphics, shapes, and text to help you create a YouTube thumbnail. Yes, it comes with a small drawback, if you’re planning to do multiple downloads in the free version, it only allows you to download three thumbnails. If three YouTube thumbnails are enough for you, you can easily rely on Snappa for some great custom thumbnail templates.

5. Fotor

Fotor

Fotor provides different templates under various themes to create captivating thumbnails. You can look over those themes to help you decide on a template for your new thumbnail. It includes all the trending YouTube thumbnail pop features like photo frames, the Lomo effect, and background recovery. You will be amazed by the options, as they are almost limitless with Fotor.

Personal Opinon on Custom YouTube Thumbnail

I think when it comes to my channel, I am ready to make my own thumbnails because I realized how important they are, as it can be a skill that helps me understand and improve my whole content. If you’re a small channel, I won’t suggest you spend money on premium versions of thumbnail makers but rather spend the money investing in good gadgets and content. I prefer thumbnails that represent the content accurately rather than clickbait. It builds trust with my audience.

I’d suggest you experiment with different YouTube thumbnail designs for the same video. You can use thumbnail templates to streamline this process and see which one engages viewers more effectively by tracking CTR. There are different YouTube analytics that monitor the performance of each thumbnail design. If a thumbnail works with the audience, try to stick to that format for the next few videos and see if that works.Honestly, I’m tired of seeing the same over-the-top expressions and flashy text in thumbnails. It feels disingenuous and makes me less likely to click. So, try to create minimalistic, not over-the-top, thumbnails for your channel and make a distinctive style for yourself. Happy video-making!

Conclusion

I’ll tell you one thing: content creation is no easy task. From tweaking your thumbnail design to making sure your content has quality, if you want to generate YouTube revenue, you need to make sure everything is perfect. Making a click-worthy thumbnail for YouTube is a strategy, and learning how to make one is a skill in the modern social media world. If you find it hard to find time to spend on thumbnail making, I’d only suggest you connect with us on Graphically. We have in-house professional designers who help with making good designs by taking YouTube video editing as part of our package.

You just have to focus on creating content, and we’ll handle the editing and graphic design part and give you a thumbnail, which you get to post and earn while subscribing to us for an affordable monthly rate. Now, as a last tip, I think you can add new mainstream music to your video to tweak your designs based on the feedback you get from the audience. Just a tip: go check the regular comments, take everything positively, and try to make it better in the next video. Happy YouTube video-making!

FAQ

1. How do you make YouTube thumbnails?

YouTubers often turn to graphic design tools such as Adobe Photoshop, Canva, or GIMP to craft their thumbnails. To determine which thumbnail performs best, they utilize A/B testing platforms like ThumbnailTest. The process begins with selecting an eye-catching image or design that effectively represents the video’s content.

2. Is YouTube thumbnail maker free?

Create captivating YouTube thumbnails that grab your audience’s attention and make them pause while scrolling. Start designing with free customizable templates specifically for YouTube thumbnails!

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