You’ve done your research on keywords, you’ve included them everywhere you can, you’ve written a killer description and your video is being suggested to potential viewers. Don’t ruin it with a bad thumbnail.

Potential viewers looking for a video are after something visually appealing. Your video needs to stand out and make the viewer say “that is the one I’m going to watch”. Say you Google searched for “How to increase YouTube rankings” and two videos were suggested. One, has a high-resolution thumbnail, it looks professional and relevant. The other video is a bit blurry, there’s an unflattering photo of a person mid-sentence, it looks amateur. Which one would you pick?

High resolution = high click rate

Blurred, low resolution images scream “unprofessional”, “unreliable”, and “amateur”. That does not lead to thousands of viewers and a high YouTube ranking. Make sure you have selected a high resolution image (minimum 640X360 pixels) to gain the trust, and clicks, of viewers.

People appeal to people

Studies have shown that thumbnails with a happy, clear, human face are more appealing to viewers. They generally have the highest ratings. So if you can include one, make sure you do so. Just remember to make sure it isn’t unflattering or too close (that’s never a good look!)

Accurate representation

That one little thumbnail needs to show viewers what your video is all about. The right image will accurately represent the video content, but it also needs to be simple and eye catching. For a video on YouTube SEO and rankings, one of the best thumbnail options would be a clear image of a person who appears to be explaining, with the YouTube logo next to them. This would show that it is an informative video about YouTube.

We look forward to seeing your thumbnails, being engaged and watching that great content!

For more information on how we can boost your online presence give us a call on 01566 784860 or email hello@mihidigital.co.uk