Small images utilized to represent YouTube videos are known as YouTube thumbnails. Their job is to attract viewers’ attention and get them to watch advertising content.
The image thumbnails are just as valuable as the video titles if you want to truly increase clicks. The photographs themselves are what will catch the attention of users and draw their interest in full-line search results. As these thumbnails also appear on Google’s search engine, they’re crucial for those looking to maximize their rankings.
What is a Thumbnail?
A thumbnail is a clickable and compressed image preview that represents the original content of a video. The size of the thumbnail varies based on how you access it. On YouTube videos, titles and thumbnails act as billboards that attract viewers to decide whether to watch the videos or try something else. Efficient thumbnail design for your YouTube channel will boost the traffic to your videos.
Best Size for YouTube Thumbnail
The ideal YouTube Thumbnail size/ dimension is 1280 pixels wide x 720 pixels tall.
- The perfect YouTube video thumbnail size is 1280 pixels by 720 pixels.
- These YouTube thumbnail dimensions use an aspect ratio of 16:9.
- Make sure your thumbnail size is a minimum of 640 pixels wide.
- Thumbnail images should be under 2MB.
- Image formats are JPG, GIF, or PNG.
Ideal YouTube Thumbnail Dimensions
- Ideal Dimensions: 1280 x 720 pixels
- Minimum Dimensions: 640 pixels wide
- Maximum file size: 2MB
- Image Files Formats: JPG, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP, and WebP
How to make a YouTube thumbnail?
Canva
Canva will help you create your own YouTube video thumbnails that look professional and clickable. With a comprehensive list of templates (see image) and a simple editing system, you can easily make the relevant YouTube thumbnail image that you want. The tool is free to use and continually updated to include user-uploaded templates.
Pixlr
Pixlr is another resource you can use to create appealing image thumbnails. Its intuitive image editing software makes it simple, and you’ll also find templates on Pixlr that make your thumbnails more attractive. Image templates for travel, lifestyle, and beauty videos are available on Pixlr.
Window Paint
Make in Window Paint To Take a Screenshot of a Picture and edit it.
How to Choose a Custom Thumbnail Image on YouTube
- Login to your YouTube account.
- Go to the verification page and follow the steps given there.
- Choose the mode that you want to receive the verification code in. It can either be a text message or a phone call.
- Select the country you live in and your phone number.
- Once you enter all the details, the Get Code button is enabled. Click on it.
- Enter the verification code that you receive and complete the verification process.
- You will then receive a success message from YouTube.
- Finally, you will see a screen that shows you a set of badges and your YouTube account status enabled with the eligible features.
- Since your account is verified now, the option to upload custom thumbnails should be enabled now for all the videos. You can always check this by navigating to Settings > Channel > Feature eligibility.
The ideal thumbnail size for YouTube and video players is 1280 pixels by 720 pixels with a width of 640 pixels, as well as the correct picture ratio for YouTube previews and players.
Have a resolution of 1280×720 (with a minimum width of 640 pixels).
Be uploaded in image formats such as JPG, GIF, or PNG.
Remain under the 2MB limit.
Try to use a 16:9 aspect ratio as it’s the most used in YouTube players and previews.
In conclusion, it is important to use the right YouTube thumbnail size for your videos. This will help ensure that your viewers see your thumbnail and are more likely to click on it. By using the right size, you can also create a more professional and polished look for your channel.