Your Guide To Creating The Perfect Thumbnail

13 Oct

Want your social media videos to grab your audience's attention instantly? Well, duh. Of course you do.

We've tested a lot of different thumbnails over the years, and we're here to save you the trial and error with our favourite tips to make yours more interesting and engaging. These work across the board, Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube, so take notes!

1. Keep it real

Making sure your thumbnail reflects the content of the video is an absolute must! Don't trick your audience with clickbait. Seriously, that's the fastest way to lose trust. Your thumbnail needs to show what your video's really about, or no one's sticking around to watch.

2. Get up close and personal

Your audience wants to see you! Don't like the idea of putting your face front and centre? We get it. But trust us, people connect with people. A thumbnail of you looking right at the camera will help users connect with you, making them more likely to click on your video.

3. Bring on the drama

Faces are great, but faces showing emotion? Even better. People are naturally drawn to extreme reactions, so make those feelings pop in your thumbnail and watch the clicks roll in.

4. Go big or go home

Contrasting colours, bold fonts, punchy images, and eye-catching icons will always beat boring and dull. You want your thumbnail to stand out amongst the other videos in the users' feeds. Keep the text short and snappy so you can grab your audience's attention at first glance.

5. Consistency is key

Branding is everything, my friend. And you want to make sure your audience recognises your brand each time they see your video pop up in their feed. This includes everything from colours, fonts, tone of voice, and style of imagery. It's all about creating that unmistakable vibe that keeps them coming back for more.

Grab attention, build trust, and let your brand do the talking.

Whether you're smashing it on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube, a killer thumbnail is your golden ticket to standing out in a sea of sameness. Now go and try for yourself - test out what works for your brand and your social media and stay original and authentic.