How to design catchy YouTube thumbnails?
By: Indranil Kar Chowdhury
Tags: Designer, Graphic Design, Thumbnail, YouTuber, Make Money Online

The thumbnail size is 1280 x 720 pixels with an aspect ratio of 16:9. The file formats can be JPG/JPEG/BMP/PNG/GIF with file size less than 2 MB. Choosing a smaller size image is a big mistake. Use of bold fonts with larger size grabs the attention of the viewer.

Main design Components:

1. Background

2. Title Text

3. Text shadows

4. Image

5. Editing of Image if required

6. Choosing ICONS for better engagement.

Background

Background colour choice is very important for the thumbnail design. Applying gradient to the chosen colour creates a beautiful transition and makes the image catchy. Extracting colour from the image could be one option. You can choose your colour combination matching your brand colours or your favourite colours.

Title Text

Your video title plays a very important role in creating curiosity in the mind of the viewer. Proper choice of words related to the subject matter of the video drives the viewer to click the video to see the details. From a design point of view, choice of FONT and Colour plays a crucial role aligned with the channel profile or with the background image you choose.

Text Shadows

Shadows create a visual effect and make your thumbnail stand out in the competition. It can be designed in a number of ways like drop shadow, long shadow etc. and the final choice will be based on the text font. Colour of the shadow is another important aspect of the design.

Image

Image adds essence to the design. It builds a connection with the viewer. The background image when used to contrast and clarity draws the attention of the viewer and drives to check what is inside the video. The image size can be anything but it has to be resized and after colour adjustment as it is needed will be used in the design. The image of the presenter with a look aligned with the mood of the video, creates a sort of engagement with the viewer. From a design point of view, any minor adjustment or editing such as removing background or colour enhancement as needed must be done as per the need.

Editing of Image (if required)

A high image resolution is always better to use for clarity and creating an impression in the mind of the viewer. Playing with little adjustment in the colour profile, settings will enhance the quality of the image. If any background removal is needed, must be done with the tool in the software or any other online background remover websites to fit in the frame of the design. But for online websites when used for background removal the picture quality must be checked before use.

Choosing ICONS for better engagement

ICONS adds another dimension in the design and empowers it to catch the attention of the viewer. Conveying a message with visuals is always easy to understand and information gets processed at a faster pace. ICONS with your brand colours closely resembles and connects with the viewer. It creates an image in the mind of the viewer so that they can easily identify your thumbnail in a pool of documents.

If you have any further questions may contact at dataentryikc@gmail.com

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