Globally Renowned Earning Content Creator

The amount of money that the highest-paid YouTubers make in a year is mind-blowing. They are the prime example of what Millionaires are.

If you tally up the estimated net worth of the top 10 richest YouTubers, then you get a whooping 300+ Million dollars.

I repeat!!!

That’s more than 300 million dollars. So Who are these richest YouTubers? What is the thing that people like so much about them?

That’s what this guide is all about. Let’s look at these richest YouTubers.

1. MrBeast $58 Million
2. Jake Paul $60 Million
3. Markiplier $35 Million
4. Rhett and Link
5. Unspeakable
6. Nastya
7. Ryan Kaji - $25 Million
8. Dude Perfect
9. Logan Paul
10. Preston Arsement - $14 million

• What Decides the Highest-Earning YouTubers?

Part 1: Who are the Richest YouTubers in the World Today?

Here, we have compiled a list of the top 10 YouTube money makers with their 2022 estimated earnings and the number of subscribers of their main YouTube channel.

Sr. Number	YouTuber	2022 Estimated Worth	Subscribers
1	MrBeast	$58 Million	104M+
2	Jake Paul	$60 Million	20M+
3	Markiplier	$35 Million	33M+
4	Rhett and link	17.8M+
5	Unspeakable	14M+
6	Nastya	100M+
7	Ryan Kaji	$25 Million	33M+
8	Dude Perfect	58M+
9	Logan Paul	23.6M+
10	Preston Arsement	$20 Million	21M+

Now that you have an overview of the top 10 richest YouTubers let’s jump into the detail of what type of videos these millionaires make, one by one.

Part2. Highest-Paid YouTubers in the World 2022

1. MrBeast $58 Million

The richest YouTuber that makes the most out of YouTube is no other than MrBeast. Jimmy Donaldson, the MrBeast, is a YouTube star that has made record-breaking world earnings in the recent year from his YouTube channel with over 100 Million subscribers.

The extravagant stunts and philanthropist endeavors of MrBeast attract so many people like bees to honey.

But that’s not all; the MrBeast Burger app has also contributed to skyrocketing the earnings of Mr. Beast. With this mobile application, MrBeast handles marketing among his 100M+ subscribers while keeping a share of the sales.

Here’s one of his recent popular videos where MrBeast hunted for 100 people.

I Hunted 100 People For $1,000,000 .

Earning in 2021

$54 Million.

2. Jake Paul $60 Million

The next richest YouTuber, second only to MrBeast, is the famous boxer Jake Paul.

The personality of Jake paul is so bright that it continuously keeps him in the headlines.

Jake was a substantial part of the top 10 highest-paid YouTubers until 2017, but it was all busted by his brother Logan when he posted a video widely known as “Suicide Forest.” The backlash was so harsh that many sponsors cut off from Jake, and even YouTube stopped monetizing the channel.

But that’s all in the past because Jake is here again and on the second spot, of course.

Let’s look at a video from Jake Paul.

I turned down $40 million for this.

Earning in 2021

$45 Million.

3. Markiplier $35 Million

Now comes Mark Fischbach, aka Markiplier, a YouTube star that started his journey in 2012 as an avid gamer.

But later on, his Unus Annus series increased his popularity dramatically in 2019. This series was created with Co-Youtuber Ethan Nestor Darling. But the sad news is that Markiplier deliberately removed this series from his channel a year ago.

But the other thing that has greatly helped Markiplier in raking all this income is his ability to move Merchandise like T-shirts, hoodies, and other items. So it is of no surprise that he remains one of the richest YouTubers in the world.

Let’s have a look at one of his trending videos.

In Space with Markiplier: Part 1

Earning in 2021

$38 Million.

4. Rhett and Link

Starting with a friendly and nerdy talk show with the channel “Good Mythical Morning,” Rhett and Link quickly evolved their branding, and their popularity achieved a level of 17 Million subscribers.

Their recent collaborative cooking show, Mythical Kitchen, earned them 30 Million US$ last year.

The different guests they invite sometimes come off as a surprise for their loyal subscribers.

Lastly, the Mythical Accelerator Fund is another initiative currently increasing its popularity.

Here is a trending video from Rhett and Link.

International Carnival Food Taste Test.

Earning in 2021

$30 Million.

5. Unspeakable

A new YouTube star that popped up in the list of top 10 highest-paid YouTubers last year is Unspeakable.

Going by the name Natham Graham, unspeakable continuously makes videos of his little “Minecraft” games and has been posting them on his channel for the last 10 years.

But last year, he made a smart move and sold the whole catalog of his YouTube videos to “Spotter” in one go.

So what did he get in return? A huge lump sum, of course.

Here’s a video of Unspeakable.

Surviving Overnight in $60 Million Doomsday Bunker.

Earning in 2021

$28.5 Million.

6. Nastya

If we are talking about the highest-paid YouTubers, how can we skip this cute little princess?

This seven-year Russian-born Youtube star, Anastasia Radzinskaya, puts her daily life into the video and entertains kids and adults worldwide with her well-produced videos. Meanwhile, multiple brand extensions and a merchandise line added to their videos also considerably increased their earnings.

But wait a minute!!!

The Spotter is here to spoil the fun again. Recently, just like Unspeakable, Natsya has also sold all the monetization rights of her previous videos by making a lucrative deal with Spotter.

Now let’s check one of Nastya’s recent popular videos.

Nastya reads books and uses the Internet to get new information.

Earning in 2021

$28 Million.

7. Ryan Kaji - $25 Million

Look who’s back: Ryan Kaji returns to this list. This little fellow was above all other YouTubers in 2020, with an income of 29.5 Million US$ that year. But don’t think that his earnings decreased just like his ranking.

Ryan Kaji started his journey at the mere age of 4, and it’s been 6 years since his debut. With his child-amusing playtime, he has made over 33 Million subscribers on his channel Ryan’s World.

Utilizing his 33 Million subscribers on his main channel, Ryan Kaji is still earning a fortune with branded merchandise and toys sold at Target and Walmart.

Here’s an example video of Ryan Kaji for you.

Ryan’s Superhero Family Titan Universe!

Earning in 2021

$27 Million.

8. Dude Perfect

These five stunt masters have shocked the world with their classical and dangerous stunts.

This sports-comedy troupe is made of twins Coby and Cory Cotton, Garett Hilbert, Cody Jones, and Tyler Toney.

They make the classical “Don’t try at home” stunts which are dangerous and amusing.

But wait a minute!!

Recently these stuntmen released a “how-to” book on 101 amazing stunts with a complete step-by-step guide explaining everything with pictures.

So now, by following these instructions, you can try it at home if you want.

Here’s a video from Dude Perfect that we recommend watching.

Loser Gets Full Body Casted | OT 35.

Earning in 2021

$20 million.

9. Logan Paul

After Jake Paul, who acquired the second position in our list, we have another Paul here. Logan Paul, the older brother of Jake.

These brothers experienced a downfall after the “Suicide Forest” scandal in 2017, but here they are again on the list of 10 highest-paid YouTubers.

Last year, the mind-blowing podcast from Logan, which was named “IMPAULSIVE,” created over 100 Million YouTube views, and to be honest, that’s a lot.

Other than that, the “Pokemon Card Discussion” of Logan Paul is also pretty popular among his subscribers.

Let’s have a look at one of his trending videos.

I Made A Masterpiece | Logan Paul’s 99 Originals (Official Trailer.)

Earning in 2021

$18 Million.

10. Preston Arsement - $14 million

The last YouTube star in our list of the 10 highest-paid YouTubers is Preston Arsement.

This young lad has increased his popularity with first-class gaming and pranking skills.

Out of his several YouTube channels, PrestonPlayz is the one that describes this fellow quickly. The Minecraft version of the “Squid Games” he showed in one of his recent videos has hit the jackpot.

So how much does this young fellow earn? A lot!!!

Here’s a famous video of Preston Arsement.

50 Ways To DESTROY The Warden In Minecraft.

Earning in 2021

$16 Million.

After seeing all these highest-paid YouTubers, you must be wondering what makes them earn so much money with just a YouTube channel.

Here are some reasons that decide the highest-earning Youtubers.

Part3. What Decides the Highest-Earning YouTubers?

Multiple factors influence YouTubers’ earnings.

First of all, it’s the subscribers’ growth. As subscribers to the YouTube channel increase, the creator can apply for YouTube’s Partner Program and start monetizing the channel with channel membership or subscriptions.

That’s not all; the creator can also use different ads, and the revenue generated can even be in millions if you have a lot of subscribers.

Then comes the channel type. If the channel is a niche, it will not make as much money as channels that meet the public’s appetite.

Lastly, we can’t ignore the quality of videos, can we?

A high-quality video with multiple transitions, effects, and interactive scenes is a must if you want to gain popularity on your YouTube channel.

So how can we make our videos top-notch?

Read on and find the answer in the bonus tip below.

Bonus Tip to Increase YouTube Money

Wondershare Filmora

One of the best video editor platforms for pushing the storytelling boundaries of your YouTube videos is Wondershare Filmora.

This powerful and intuitive video editor is suited for all kinds of content creators, especially YouTubers. Multiple video effect plug-ins, excellent templates, and intuitive annotations are available for polishing and shaping your videos just like you want.

Meanwhile, you can readily temper the video settings of your content to slow the vital point of the video or make the video sounds more clear and fascinating. So why are you waiting?Just download the Wondershare Filmora now and level up your YouTube videos before you upload them on your channel.

Now, YouTube is not the only social media platform for making money. TikTokers are also earning a fortune nowadays. But which one of them is better? Let’s have a look at it.

Are YouTubers Earning More Money than TikTokers?

With analysis, it’s crystal clear that YouTubers are making more money than TickTokers, and it’s not without reason.

In the year 2021, YouTube has paid more than 15 Billion US$ to its creators altogether, according to JUMPSTART . And it’s to be expected because Youtubers have been making content for way longer than TickTokers.

For example, MrBeast posted his first video on YouTube in 2012, and it has been about 10 years since he created his content.

Are Highest-Paid YouTube Stars Always Trending?

Since the highest-paid YouTubers make so much money, you may think they are always “Trending” on YouTube.

Sorry to pop your bubble, but they are not.

The highest-paid YouTubers may have a ton of subscribers, but being in “Trending” is different.

The most important reason is that the “Trending” part of YouTube shows popular videos in the specific area of the users, so it varies depending upon the user’s location.

Final Words

The world’s biggest video-sharing platform, YouTube, offers an opportunity to all content creators.

And those who get on the top strike a fortune without a doubt.

The top 10 highest-paid YouTubers are listed in this article who are making millions of dollars with their YouTube channel.

And if you also want to create first-class YouTube videos just like them, try using Wondershare Filmora for editing your videos before uploading them on YouTube.

Thanks for reading, folks.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

Part 1: Who are the Richest YouTubers in the World Today?

Here, we have compiled a list of the top 10 YouTube money makers with their 2022 estimated earnings and the number of subscribers of their main YouTube channel.

Sr. Number	YouTuber	2022 Estimated Worth	Subscribers
1	MrBeast	$58 Million	104M+
2	Jake Paul	$60 Million	20M+
3	Markiplier	$35 Million	33M+
4	Rhett and link	17.8M+
5	Unspeakable	14M+
6	Nastya	100M+
7	Ryan Kaji	$25 Million	33M+
8	Dude Perfect	58M+
9	Logan Paul	23.6M+
10	Preston Arsement	$20 Million	21M+

Now that you have an overview of the top 10 richest YouTubers let’s jump into the detail of what type of videos these millionaires make, one by one.

Part2. Highest-Paid YouTubers in the World 2022

1. MrBeast $58 Million

The richest YouTuber that makes the most out of YouTube is no other than MrBeast. Jimmy Donaldson, the MrBeast, is a YouTube star that has made record-breaking world earnings in the recent year from his YouTube channel with over 100 Million subscribers.

The extravagant stunts and philanthropist endeavors of MrBeast attract so many people like bees to honey.

But that’s not all; the MrBeast Burger app has also contributed to skyrocketing the earnings of Mr. Beast. With this mobile application, MrBeast handles marketing among his 100M+ subscribers while keeping a share of the sales.

Here’s one of his recent popular videos where MrBeast hunted for 100 people.

I Hunted 100 People For $1,000,000 .

Earning in 2021

$54 Million.

2. Jake Paul $60 Million

The next richest YouTuber, second only to MrBeast, is the famous boxer Jake Paul.

The personality of Jake paul is so bright that it continuously keeps him in the headlines.

Jake was a substantial part of the top 10 highest-paid YouTubers until 2017, but it was all busted by his brother Logan when he posted a video widely known as “Suicide Forest.” The backlash was so harsh that many sponsors cut off from Jake, and even YouTube stopped monetizing the channel.

But that’s all in the past because Jake is here again and on the second spot, of course.

Let’s look at a video from Jake Paul.

I turned down $40 million for this.

Earning in 2021

$45 Million.

3. Markiplier $35 Million

Now comes Mark Fischbach, aka Markiplier, a YouTube star that started his journey in 2012 as an avid gamer.

But later on, his Unus Annus series increased his popularity dramatically in 2019. This series was created with Co-Youtuber Ethan Nestor Darling. But the sad news is that Markiplier deliberately removed this series from his channel a year ago.

But the other thing that has greatly helped Markiplier in raking all this income is his ability to move Merchandise like T-shirts, hoodies, and other items. So it is of no surprise that he remains one of the richest YouTubers in the world.

Let’s have a look at one of his trending videos.

In Space with Markiplier: Part 1

Earning in 2021

$38 Million.

4. Rhett and Link

Starting with a friendly and nerdy talk show with the channel “Good Mythical Morning,” Rhett and Link quickly evolved their branding, and their popularity achieved a level of 17 Million subscribers.

Their recent collaborative cooking show, Mythical Kitchen, earned them 30 Million US$ last year.

The different guests they invite sometimes come off as a surprise for their loyal subscribers.

Lastly, the Mythical Accelerator Fund is another initiative currently increasing its popularity.

Here is a trending video from Rhett and Link.

International Carnival Food Taste Test.

Earning in 2021

$30 Million.

5. Unspeakable

A new YouTube star that popped up in the list of top 10 highest-paid YouTubers last year is Unspeakable.

Going by the name Natham Graham, unspeakable continuously makes videos of his little “Minecraft” games and has been posting them on his channel for the last 10 years.

But last year, he made a smart move and sold the whole catalog of his YouTube videos to “Spotter” in one go.

So what did he get in return? A huge lump sum, of course.

Here’s a video of Unspeakable.

Surviving Overnight in $60 Million Doomsday Bunker.

Earning in 2021

$28.5 Million.

6. Nastya

If we are talking about the highest-paid YouTubers, how can we skip this cute little princess?

This seven-year Russian-born Youtube star, Anastasia Radzinskaya, puts her daily life into the video and entertains kids and adults worldwide with her well-produced videos. Meanwhile, multiple brand extensions and a merchandise line added to their videos also considerably increased their earnings.

But wait a minute!!!

The Spotter is here to spoil the fun again. Recently, just like Unspeakable, Natsya has also sold all the monetization rights of her previous videos by making a lucrative deal with Spotter.

Now let’s check one of Nastya’s recent popular videos.

Nastya reads books and uses the Internet to get new information.

Earning in 2021

$28 Million.

7. Ryan Kaji - $25 Million

Look who’s back: Ryan Kaji returns to this list. This little fellow was above all other YouTubers in 2020, with an income of 29.5 Million US$ that year. But don’t think that his earnings decreased just like his ranking.

Ryan Kaji started his journey at the mere age of 4, and it’s been 6 years since his debut. With his child-amusing playtime, he has made over 33 Million subscribers on his channel Ryan’s World.

Utilizing his 33 Million subscribers on his main channel, Ryan Kaji is still earning a fortune with branded merchandise and toys sold at Target and Walmart.

Here’s an example video of Ryan Kaji for you.

Ryan’s Superhero Family Titan Universe!

Earning in 2021

$27 Million.

8. Dude Perfect

These five stunt masters have shocked the world with their classical and dangerous stunts.

This sports-comedy troupe is made of twins Coby and Cory Cotton, Garett Hilbert, Cody Jones, and Tyler Toney.

They make the classical “Don’t try at home” stunts which are dangerous and amusing.

But wait a minute!!

Recently these stuntmen released a “how-to” book on 101 amazing stunts with a complete step-by-step guide explaining everything with pictures.

So now, by following these instructions, you can try it at home if you want.

Here’s a video from Dude Perfect that we recommend watching.

Loser Gets Full Body Casted | OT 35.

Earning in 2021

$20 million.

9. Logan Paul

After Jake Paul, who acquired the second position in our list, we have another Paul here. Logan Paul, the older brother of Jake.

These brothers experienced a downfall after the “Suicide Forest” scandal in 2017, but here they are again on the list of 10 highest-paid YouTubers.

Last year, the mind-blowing podcast from Logan, which was named “IMPAULSIVE,” created over 100 Million YouTube views, and to be honest, that’s a lot.

Other than that, the “Pokemon Card Discussion” of Logan Paul is also pretty popular among his subscribers.

Let’s have a look at one of his trending videos.

I Made A Masterpiece | Logan Paul’s 99 Originals (Official Trailer.)

Earning in 2021

$18 Million.

10. Preston Arsement - $14 million

The last YouTube star in our list of the 10 highest-paid YouTubers is Preston Arsement.

This young lad has increased his popularity with first-class gaming and pranking skills.

Out of his several YouTube channels, PrestonPlayz is the one that describes this fellow quickly. The Minecraft version of the “Squid Games” he showed in one of his recent videos has hit the jackpot.

So how much does this young fellow earn? A lot!!!

Here’s a famous video of Preston Arsement.

50 Ways To DESTROY The Warden In Minecraft.

Earning in 2021

$16 Million.

After seeing all these highest-paid YouTubers, you must be wondering what makes them earn so much money with just a YouTube channel.

Here are some reasons that decide the highest-earning Youtubers.

Part3. What Decides the Highest-Earning YouTubers?

Multiple factors influence YouTubers’ earnings.

First of all, it’s the subscribers’ growth. As subscribers to the YouTube channel increase, the creator can apply for YouTube’s Partner Program and start monetizing the channel with channel membership or subscriptions.

That’s not all; the creator can also use different ads, and the revenue generated can even be in millions if you have a lot of subscribers.

Then comes the channel type. If the channel is a niche, it will not make as much money as channels that meet the public’s appetite.

Lastly, we can’t ignore the quality of videos, can we?

A high-quality video with multiple transitions, effects, and interactive scenes is a must if you want to gain popularity on your YouTube channel.

So how can we make our videos top-notch?

Read on and find the answer in the bonus tip below.

Bonus Tip to Increase YouTube Money

Wondershare Filmora

One of the best video editor platforms for pushing the storytelling boundaries of your YouTube videos is Wondershare Filmora.

This powerful and intuitive video editor is suited for all kinds of content creators, especially YouTubers. Multiple video effect plug-ins, excellent templates, and intuitive annotations are available for polishing and shaping your videos just like you want.

Meanwhile, you can readily temper the video settings of your content to slow the vital point of the video or make the video sounds more clear and fascinating. So why are you waiting?Just download the Wondershare Filmora now and level up your YouTube videos before you upload them on your channel.

Now, YouTube is not the only social media platform for making money. TikTokers are also earning a fortune nowadays. But which one of them is better? Let’s have a look at it.

Are YouTubers Earning More Money than TikTokers?

With analysis, it’s crystal clear that YouTubers are making more money than TickTokers, and it’s not without reason.

In the year 2021, YouTube has paid more than 15 Billion US$ to its creators altogether, according to JUMPSTART . And it’s to be expected because Youtubers have been making content for way longer than TickTokers.

For example, MrBeast posted his first video on YouTube in 2012, and it has been about 10 years since he created his content.

Are Highest-Paid YouTube Stars Always Trending?

Since the highest-paid YouTubers make so much money, you may think they are always “Trending” on YouTube.

Sorry to pop your bubble, but they are not.

The highest-paid YouTubers may have a ton of subscribers, but being in “Trending” is different.

The most important reason is that the “Trending” part of YouTube shows popular videos in the specific area of the users, so it varies depending upon the user’s location.

Final Words

The world’s biggest video-sharing platform, YouTube, offers an opportunity to all content creators.

And those who get on the top strike a fortune without a doubt.

The top 10 highest-paid YouTubers are listed in this article who are making millions of dollars with their YouTube channel.

And if you also want to create first-class YouTube videos just like them, try using Wondershare Filmora for editing your videos before uploading them on YouTube.

Thanks for reading, folks.

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

The Complete Thumbnail Playbook: From Creation to Analysis

The Ultimate Guide to YouTube Thumbnails that Get Views

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Search for any topic on YouTube and you’ll find thousands of videos. How do you decide which of them to watch? Thumbnails play a major role in what viewers decide to click on. They’re often more important than video titles.

Viewers click on thumbnails that both standout and feel relevant to their search. Your task when it comes to creating YouTube thumbnails is to make something that does both of those things while also maintaining your personal style.

1. How to Make a YouTube Thumbnail
2. How to Upload a YouTube Thumbnail
3. YouTube Thumbnail Makers
4. How to Make Thumbnails that Get Clicks (Without Clickbait!)
5. Animated YouTube Thumbnails

Part 1: How to Make a YouTube Thumbnail

In order to create a custom video thumbnail, you’ll need a program to put it together in. You can use an image editing program like Photoshop if you have one, but if you don’t you can check out these free thumbnail makers.

Here are some examples of popular thumbnail styles.

1. The Classic Thumbnail (Photo or Screenshot)

A photo that shows what happens in your video – whether that means the finished ‘look’ from your makeup tutorial or you posing in front of the landmark you shot your travel vlog in front of – is a great way to let viewers know what to expect. While curiosity can be a big motive behind clicking on a video thumbnail (or anything online), when people have searched for a specific topic they want to be convinced that your video has what they’re looking for.

#1. Choose Your Photo

To start off, either choose a still frame from your video or take a photograph while you’re still set up from your video. A separate photograph is usually a better idea because your video editor might not be able to export a high-quality snapshot, and also because you’re able to choose your facial expression.

Aim to make this shot a close-up or medium close-up and make sure you’re either in the center of the screen or off to one side, as per the ‘rule of thirds’. Many cameras allow you to bring an optional grid up onto your viewfinder. This will divide your screen into three equal segments both vertically and horizontally. Try to make sure your eyes line up with the top line, and if you’re going to be off to one side then make sure you’re on one of the vertical lines. This will ensure your image is visually appealing.

If you want to add text later, it’s a good idea to be off to one side.

Including your face is important for most types of YouTube videos. People are attracted to eye contact and are more likely to click on thumbnails that feature a face. Gamers might choose to use a picture of a video game character instead and it will have the same effect.

Some situations where it isn’t essential to include your face include tech reviews, where viewers will be more interested in seeing the product, and cooking videos where people are looking to be tempted by a yummy food pic.

#2. Add Text and/or Images

This part isn’t essential – in some cases, a photo is enough – but a lot of the thumbnails for the videos ranked highest in YouTube’s search results include either a couple of words of text, a simple graphic (i.e. an emoji), or both.

In some cases you might use text to make it clear what type of video you’ve made, i.e. ‘review’ or ‘tutorial’. It’s best to keep any text you use brief, but you could get a bit more descriptive and write something like ‘fall makeup tutorial’. Three words is probably the most you can get away with. Remember that your text will be shrunk down with the rest of your image; you need to make it big enough to read easily once it’s shrunk, and that means you don’t have a ton of room for text.

You should also avoid fonts that are harder to read. Fonts with a lot of curves can be harder to read, and you want to make sure you choose a color that stands out from your background. Yellow might work against black, but it probably won’t work against the beige wall of your sunny bedroom. Sans serif fonts tend to be best.

Another tactic used in successful thumbnails is to add small graphics, like emojis or small images (i.e. pumpkins for a Halloween video), which are related to your video’s content. As with text, you don’t want to overload your thumbnail with images, but they’re a great way to add something eye-catching that’s a bit different from competing thumbnails.

2. The Emotional Laser (Background + Face Reacting)

One increasingly popular style of YouTube thumbnail is what we’re going to call the ‘Emotional Laser’. It’s bright (like, blindingly bright), it communicates a clear feeling, and it creates high expectations for how exciting the video’s content is going to be.

The three main elements of the Emotional Laser thumbnail are a background (usually bright), your face on the right wearing an over-pronounced expression, and either the thing your expression is in reaction to (i.e. food, a product, the topic of your video in text) or reinforcement of your emotion (i.e an emoji or question marks) on the left.

#1. Ham It Up (Take Your Reaction Photo)

Take a high-quality photograph of yourself conveying strong emotion. Generally, you want to look extremely excited, disgusted, angry, or shocked depending on the theme of the video.

If there’s an object you want to include in your thumbnail, like a product you’ll be talking about, then it’s a good idea to hold it for this photo. Hold it to one side of your head, turn towards it slightly (but not so much that the camera can only see the side of your face) and put on the expression that’s supposed to be a reaction to the object.

It can be a good idea to take this photo in front of a solid color so you can remove the background easily with chroma key.

#2. Choose Your Background

Your background might be scenery, a solid color, or even the room you filmed the video in. Light or bright colors are popular. Make sure there’s nothing that will distract from your expression. If your background is a room, or anything else where there could be things like pictures hanging, you may want to add a blur effect in the next step.

#3. Put It Together

In your thumbnail maker or a program like Photoshop, you’ll need to put your photo and your background together. This will work differently depending on what program you use. If your program has a chroma key tool and your reaction photo was taken against a solid color then you can make that solid color transparent.

What if I don’t have a separate background? If you don’t have a background you want to use, but you still want your reaction to stand out the same way it would if you did, then you can use your photo editor’s blur tool to turn the normal background of your photo into something you can pop-out from.

#4. Add Extras (Text, Emojis, etc.)

If instead of an object you plan to fill the other side of your thumbnail with text, question marks, emojis, or some other graphic element then now is the time to add it.

Part 2: How to Upload a YouTube Thumbnail

When you upload a new video to YouTube, you will see a Custom thumbnail option under Video thumbnails after your upload is complete.

If you want to add a custom thumbnail to a video that’s already up, that’s easy too.

1. Go to your Video Manager in the Creator Studio.
2. Find the video you want to change the thumbnail for and click Edit next to it.
3. Click Custom thumbnail on the right of the preview screen.
4. Upload your thumbnail and click Save changes.

Remember when you’re uploading custom thumbnails that you need to use a .JPG, .GIF, .BMP, or .PNG image with an aspect ratio of 16:9 and that your file size has to be under 2MB.

YouTube recommends that thumbnail images have a resolution of 1280x720px, and you cannot upload an image with a width of less than 640 pixels.

Make sure that all of your thumbnails adhere to YouTube’s Community guidelines. Anything sexually suggestive, violent, or otherwise graphic could result in your video being age-restricted.

Part 3: YouTube Thumbnail Makers

You don’t have to go out and buy a photo editor like Photoshop to make custom video thumbnails (although it’s a good thing to use if you already have it). Here are two free online programs you can use instead:

Canva is an intuitive option with templates for Thumbnails, Channel Art, and other social media graphics. There are stock photos and graphics provided, but not all of them are free (paid options cost $1 each). Canva’s templates do tend to include paid resources, so you may want to use them mostly for their layouts or as inspiration and replace everything they provide with your own images.

Generally, using Canva is as easy as dragging and dropping things where you want them. You’ll be able to set the dimensions for your project so the image you export is a perfect size. Adding text and changing the size, font, or color is easy too.

Adobe Spark also has templates for channel art, and it’s also very easy to use. The first time you use it helpful notes will pop up to guide you through the process. Using templates is especially simple because you just click on the elements in the pre-made thumbnail and replace them with your own photos/text.

You can make changes to the colors in your Spark thumbnail easily by selecting a new color scheme or filter. You can even toggle through layouts easily. When you choose a new layout, Spark will rearrange all the pieces of your current thumbnail to align with the new layout so you can quickly see what it looks like instead of having to rebuild.

Click to check more YouTube thumbnail makers

Part 4: How to Make Thumbnails That Get Clicks (Without Clickbait!)

Here are the top 10 best practices for creating effective YouTube thumbnails:

#1. Show What Your Video Is About

Being mysterious and clickbaity can get you views, if you’re already big. For small YouTubers, it pays off to be clear about your video’s topic. You want people to click who want to watch the actual content of your video. Even if you manage to get some clicks by being mysterious, you’ll probably end up with low viewer retention because people are clicking away when they realize your video isn’t what they were looking for. That will make YouTube’s algorithm rank your video lower, and then even fewer people will find it.

If your video is a product review, show the product in the thumbnail and maybe even write ‘review’ on it. If your video is a makeup tutorial, show your face with the finished makeup and maybe even include pictures of the products you used. People want to know what they’re clicking on before they click.

#2. Use a Consistent Layout

As you grow, you’ll want people to be able to see one of your thumbnails and instantly know it’s yours. Building a recognizable brand is about consistency. Try to stick with one basic layout for all of your videos. You can still customize every individual thumbnail by using different facial expressions and different graphics, but try to use similar backgrounds, fonts, and general layouts (i.e. you to the right of the thumbnails, text to the left) over and over.

#3. Use Your Face

Why should people want to watch your videos? If the answer is ‘because I can teach them to create delicious food’ or ‘because they want to learn about the latest iPhone’ then your thumbnail should include that food or that iPhone.

If part of the reason people want to watch your videos is you – your personality and your sense of humor – then you should be in your thumbnail.

Viewers who are on YouTube because they like seeing a creator’s personality like to feel the presence of that personality in the video thumbnail, and eye contact naturally draws attention and clicks.

#4. Add Small Graphics

Adding small graphics, like emojis or hearts, to your thumbnail can help you stand out in a couple different ways. First, if they’re being compared to thumbnails that are just screenshots from the video, your thumbnails will look a lot more polished. Second, they’ll add a splash of color which can draw eyes to your video in a search where other thumbnails are not using those same colors.

#5. Your Text Should Be Huge

Your thumbnail will end up being a fraction of the size it is while you’re creating it in your thumbnail maker, and that means that any text you use will end up being shrunk down. You could probably type a six-word sentence in a size 18 font and have it look fine while you’re making your thumbnail, but after you upload it there’s no way people will be able to read it at a glance.

Aim for a huge font size, and 3 words or less (so your thumbnail doesn’t end up looking crowded).

#6. Check Out The Competition

Type your video’s title or topic into the search engine on YouTube and look at the thumbnails for the videos that come up. These are your competition. You want to make a thumbnail that is similar enough to what comes up that viewers know it’s on the same topic, but different enough that it stands out.

Generally, if most of the thumbnails have the same layout, you’ll want to mimic that layout. Where you can break from the crowd is in the colors, fonts, and graphics you use.

Part 5: Animated YouTube Thumbnails

Whether or not you upload a custom thumbnail to YouTube, YouTube’s A.I will choose what it thinks are the 3 juiciest seconds of your video (you cannot choose for yourself) and play them as a GIF-like animation when people mouseover your video thumbnails.

As of now, this only works in the Google Chrome desktop browser. Videos have to be at least 30 seconds long to get moving thumbnails.

Alright, now that you know everything about YouTube thumbnails, go make one! Tell us in the comments what you’re going to do to make your video thumbnails stand out.

Touch Up YouTube Videos with Effects & Elements in Filmora

As one of the most widely used video editing software in YouTube video editing, Filmora provides lots of templates and effects with an intuitive interface. Download the free trial version and get started now.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Search for any topic on YouTube and you’ll find thousands of videos. How do you decide which of them to watch? Thumbnails play a major role in what viewers decide to click on. They’re often more important than video titles.

Viewers click on thumbnails that both standout and feel relevant to their search. Your task when it comes to creating YouTube thumbnails is to make something that does both of those things while also maintaining your personal style.

1. How to Make a YouTube Thumbnail
2. How to Upload a YouTube Thumbnail
3. YouTube Thumbnail Makers
4. How to Make Thumbnails that Get Clicks (Without Clickbait!)
5. Animated YouTube Thumbnails

Part 1: How to Make a YouTube Thumbnail

In order to create a custom video thumbnail, you’ll need a program to put it together in. You can use an image editing program like Photoshop if you have one, but if you don’t you can check out these free thumbnail makers.

Here are some examples of popular thumbnail styles.

1. The Classic Thumbnail (Photo or Screenshot)

A photo that shows what happens in your video – whether that means the finished ‘look’ from your makeup tutorial or you posing in front of the landmark you shot your travel vlog in front of – is a great way to let viewers know what to expect. While curiosity can be a big motive behind clicking on a video thumbnail (or anything online), when people have searched for a specific topic they want to be convinced that your video has what they’re looking for.

#1. Choose Your Photo

To start off, either choose a still frame from your video or take a photograph while you’re still set up from your video. A separate photograph is usually a better idea because your video editor might not be able to export a high-quality snapshot, and also because you’re able to choose your facial expression.

Aim to make this shot a close-up or medium close-up and make sure you’re either in the center of the screen or off to one side, as per the ‘rule of thirds’. Many cameras allow you to bring an optional grid up onto your viewfinder. This will divide your screen into three equal segments both vertically and horizontally. Try to make sure your eyes line up with the top line, and if you’re going to be off to one side then make sure you’re on one of the vertical lines. This will ensure your image is visually appealing.

If you want to add text later, it’s a good idea to be off to one side.

Including your face is important for most types of YouTube videos. People are attracted to eye contact and are more likely to click on thumbnails that feature a face. Gamers might choose to use a picture of a video game character instead and it will have the same effect.

Some situations where it isn’t essential to include your face include tech reviews, where viewers will be more interested in seeing the product, and cooking videos where people are looking to be tempted by a yummy food pic.

#2. Add Text and/or Images

This part isn’t essential – in some cases, a photo is enough – but a lot of the thumbnails for the videos ranked highest in YouTube’s search results include either a couple of words of text, a simple graphic (i.e. an emoji), or both.

In some cases you might use text to make it clear what type of video you’ve made, i.e. ‘review’ or ‘tutorial’. It’s best to keep any text you use brief, but you could get a bit more descriptive and write something like ‘fall makeup tutorial’. Three words is probably the most you can get away with. Remember that your text will be shrunk down with the rest of your image; you need to make it big enough to read easily once it’s shrunk, and that means you don’t have a ton of room for text.

You should also avoid fonts that are harder to read. Fonts with a lot of curves can be harder to read, and you want to make sure you choose a color that stands out from your background. Yellow might work against black, but it probably won’t work against the beige wall of your sunny bedroom. Sans serif fonts tend to be best.

Another tactic used in successful thumbnails is to add small graphics, like emojis or small images (i.e. pumpkins for a Halloween video), which are related to your video’s content. As with text, you don’t want to overload your thumbnail with images, but they’re a great way to add something eye-catching that’s a bit different from competing thumbnails.

2. The Emotional Laser (Background + Face Reacting)

One increasingly popular style of YouTube thumbnail is what we’re going to call the ‘Emotional Laser’. It’s bright (like, blindingly bright), it communicates a clear feeling, and it creates high expectations for how exciting the video’s content is going to be.

The three main elements of the Emotional Laser thumbnail are a background (usually bright), your face on the right wearing an over-pronounced expression, and either the thing your expression is in reaction to (i.e. food, a product, the topic of your video in text) or reinforcement of your emotion (i.e an emoji or question marks) on the left.

#1. Ham It Up (Take Your Reaction Photo)

Take a high-quality photograph of yourself conveying strong emotion. Generally, you want to look extremely excited, disgusted, angry, or shocked depending on the theme of the video.

If there’s an object you want to include in your thumbnail, like a product you’ll be talking about, then it’s a good idea to hold it for this photo. Hold it to one side of your head, turn towards it slightly (but not so much that the camera can only see the side of your face) and put on the expression that’s supposed to be a reaction to the object.

It can be a good idea to take this photo in front of a solid color so you can remove the background easily with chroma key.

#2. Choose Your Background

Your background might be scenery, a solid color, or even the room you filmed the video in. Light or bright colors are popular. Make sure there’s nothing that will distract from your expression. If your background is a room, or anything else where there could be things like pictures hanging, you may want to add a blur effect in the next step.

#3. Put It Together

In your thumbnail maker or a program like Photoshop, you’ll need to put your photo and your background together. This will work differently depending on what program you use. If your program has a chroma key tool and your reaction photo was taken against a solid color then you can make that solid color transparent.

What if I don’t have a separate background? If you don’t have a background you want to use, but you still want your reaction to stand out the same way it would if you did, then you can use your photo editor’s blur tool to turn the normal background of your photo into something you can pop-out from.

#4. Add Extras (Text, Emojis, etc.)

If instead of an object you plan to fill the other side of your thumbnail with text, question marks, emojis, or some other graphic element then now is the time to add it.

Part 2: How to Upload a YouTube Thumbnail

When you upload a new video to YouTube, you will see a Custom thumbnail option under Video thumbnails after your upload is complete.

If you want to add a custom thumbnail to a video that’s already up, that’s easy too.

1. Go to your Video Manager in the Creator Studio.
2. Find the video you want to change the thumbnail for and click Edit next to it.
3. Click Custom thumbnail on the right of the preview screen.
4. Upload your thumbnail and click Save changes.

Remember when you’re uploading custom thumbnails that you need to use a .JPG, .GIF, .BMP, or .PNG image with an aspect ratio of 16:9 and that your file size has to be under 2MB.

YouTube recommends that thumbnail images have a resolution of 1280x720px, and you cannot upload an image with a width of less than 640 pixels.

Make sure that all of your thumbnails adhere to YouTube’s Community guidelines. Anything sexually suggestive, violent, or otherwise graphic could result in your video being age-restricted.

Part 3: YouTube Thumbnail Makers

You don’t have to go out and buy a photo editor like Photoshop to make custom video thumbnails (although it’s a good thing to use if you already have it). Here are two free online programs you can use instead:

Canva is an intuitive option with templates for Thumbnails, Channel Art, and other social media graphics. There are stock photos and graphics provided, but not all of them are free (paid options cost $1 each). Canva’s templates do tend to include paid resources, so you may want to use them mostly for their layouts or as inspiration and replace everything they provide with your own images.

Generally, using Canva is as easy as dragging and dropping things where you want them. You’ll be able to set the dimensions for your project so the image you export is a perfect size. Adding text and changing the size, font, or color is easy too.

Adobe Spark also has templates for channel art, and it’s also very easy to use. The first time you use it helpful notes will pop up to guide you through the process. Using templates is especially simple because you just click on the elements in the pre-made thumbnail and replace them with your own photos/text.

You can make changes to the colors in your Spark thumbnail easily by selecting a new color scheme or filter. You can even toggle through layouts easily. When you choose a new layout, Spark will rearrange all the pieces of your current thumbnail to align with the new layout so you can quickly see what it looks like instead of having to rebuild.

Click to check more YouTube thumbnail makers

Part 4: How to Make Thumbnails That Get Clicks (Without Clickbait!)

Here are the top 10 best practices for creating effective YouTube thumbnails:

#1. Show What Your Video Is About

Being mysterious and clickbaity can get you views, if you’re already big. For small YouTubers, it pays off to be clear about your video’s topic. You want people to click who want to watch the actual content of your video. Even if you manage to get some clicks by being mysterious, you’ll probably end up with low viewer retention because people are clicking away when they realize your video isn’t what they were looking for. That will make YouTube’s algorithm rank your video lower, and then even fewer people will find it.

If your video is a product review, show the product in the thumbnail and maybe even write ‘review’ on it. If your video is a makeup tutorial, show your face with the finished makeup and maybe even include pictures of the products you used. People want to know what they’re clicking on before they click.

#2. Use a Consistent Layout

As you grow, you’ll want people to be able to see one of your thumbnails and instantly know it’s yours. Building a recognizable brand is about consistency. Try to stick with one basic layout for all of your videos. You can still customize every individual thumbnail by using different facial expressions and different graphics, but try to use similar backgrounds, fonts, and general layouts (i.e. you to the right of the thumbnails, text to the left) over and over.

#3. Use Your Face

Why should people want to watch your videos? If the answer is ‘because I can teach them to create delicious food’ or ‘because they want to learn about the latest iPhone’ then your thumbnail should include that food or that iPhone.

If part of the reason people want to watch your videos is you – your personality and your sense of humor – then you should be in your thumbnail.

Viewers who are on YouTube because they like seeing a creator’s personality like to feel the presence of that personality in the video thumbnail, and eye contact naturally draws attention and clicks.

#4. Add Small Graphics

Adding small graphics, like emojis or hearts, to your thumbnail can help you stand out in a couple different ways. First, if they’re being compared to thumbnails that are just screenshots from the video, your thumbnails will look a lot more polished. Second, they’ll add a splash of color which can draw eyes to your video in a search where other thumbnails are not using those same colors.

#5. Your Text Should Be Huge

Your thumbnail will end up being a fraction of the size it is while you’re creating it in your thumbnail maker, and that means that any text you use will end up being shrunk down. You could probably type a six-word sentence in a size 18 font and have it look fine while you’re making your thumbnail, but after you upload it there’s no way people will be able to read it at a glance.

Aim for a huge font size, and 3 words or less (so your thumbnail doesn’t end up looking crowded).

#6. Check Out The Competition

Type your video’s title or topic into the search engine on YouTube and look at the thumbnails for the videos that come up. These are your competition. You want to make a thumbnail that is similar enough to what comes up that viewers know it’s on the same topic, but different enough that it stands out.

Generally, if most of the thumbnails have the same layout, you’ll want to mimic that layout. Where you can break from the crowd is in the colors, fonts, and graphics you use.

Part 5: Animated YouTube Thumbnails

Whether or not you upload a custom thumbnail to YouTube, YouTube’s A.I will choose what it thinks are the 3 juiciest seconds of your video (you cannot choose for yourself) and play them as a GIF-like animation when people mouseover your video thumbnails.

As of now, this only works in the Google Chrome desktop browser. Videos have to be at least 30 seconds long to get moving thumbnails.

Alright, now that you know everything about YouTube thumbnails, go make one! Tell us in the comments what you’re going to do to make your video thumbnails stand out.

Touch Up YouTube Videos with Effects & Elements in Filmora

As one of the most widely used video editing software in YouTube video editing, Filmora provides lots of templates and effects with an intuitive interface. Download the free trial version and get started now.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

Search for any topic on YouTube and you’ll find thousands of videos. How do you decide which of them to watch? Thumbnails play a major role in what viewers decide to click on. They’re often more important than video titles.

Viewers click on thumbnails that both standout and feel relevant to their search. Your task when it comes to creating YouTube thumbnails is to make something that does both of those things while also maintaining your personal style.

1. How to Make a YouTube Thumbnail
2. How to Upload a YouTube Thumbnail
3. YouTube Thumbnail Makers
4. How to Make Thumbnails that Get Clicks (Without Clickbait!)
5. Animated YouTube Thumbnails

Part 1: How to Make a YouTube Thumbnail

In order to create a custom video thumbnail, you’ll need a program to put it together in. You can use an image editing program like Photoshop if you have one, but if you don’t you can check out these free thumbnail makers.

Here are some examples of popular thumbnail styles.

1. The Classic Thumbnail (Photo or Screenshot)

A photo that shows what happens in your video – whether that means the finished ‘look’ from your makeup tutorial or you posing in front of the landmark you shot your travel vlog in front of – is a great way to let viewers know what to expect. While curiosity can be a big motive behind clicking on a video thumbnail (or anything online), when people have searched for a specific topic they want to be convinced that your video has what they’re looking for.

#1. Choose Your Photo

To start off, either choose a still frame from your video or take a photograph while you’re still set up from your video. A separate photograph is usually a better idea because your video editor might not be able to export a high-quality snapshot, and also because you’re able to choose your facial expression.

Aim to make this shot a close-up or medium close-up and make sure you’re either in the center of the screen or off to one side, as per the ‘rule of thirds’. Many cameras allow you to bring an optional grid up onto your viewfinder. This will divide your screen into three equal segments both vertically and horizontally. Try to make sure your eyes line up with the top line, and if you’re going to be off to one side then make sure you’re on one of the vertical lines. This will ensure your image is visually appealing.

If you want to add text later, it’s a good idea to be off to one side.

Including your face is important for most types of YouTube videos. People are attracted to eye contact and are more likely to click on thumbnails that feature a face. Gamers might choose to use a picture of a video game character instead and it will have the same effect.

Some situations where it isn’t essential to include your face include tech reviews, where viewers will be more interested in seeing the product, and cooking videos where people are looking to be tempted by a yummy food pic.

#2. Add Text and/or Images

This part isn’t essential – in some cases, a photo is enough – but a lot of the thumbnails for the videos ranked highest in YouTube’s search results include either a couple of words of text, a simple graphic (i.e. an emoji), or both.

In some cases you might use text to make it clear what type of video you’ve made, i.e. ‘review’ or ‘tutorial’. It’s best to keep any text you use brief, but you could get a bit more descriptive and write something like ‘fall makeup tutorial’. Three words is probably the most you can get away with. Remember that your text will be shrunk down with the rest of your image; you need to make it big enough to read easily once it’s shrunk, and that means you don’t have a ton of room for text.

You should also avoid fonts that are harder to read. Fonts with a lot of curves can be harder to read, and you want to make sure you choose a color that stands out from your background. Yellow might work against black, but it probably won’t work against the beige wall of your sunny bedroom. Sans serif fonts tend to be best.

Another tactic used in successful thumbnails is to add small graphics, like emojis or small images (i.e. pumpkins for a Halloween video), which are related to your video’s content. As with text, you don’t want to overload your thumbnail with images, but they’re a great way to add something eye-catching that’s a bit different from competing thumbnails.

2. The Emotional Laser (Background + Face Reacting)

One increasingly popular style of YouTube thumbnail is what we’re going to call the ‘Emotional Laser’. It’s bright (like, blindingly bright), it communicates a clear feeling, and it creates high expectations for how exciting the video’s content is going to be.

The three main elements of the Emotional Laser thumbnail are a background (usually bright), your face on the right wearing an over-pronounced expression, and either the thing your expression is in reaction to (i.e. food, a product, the topic of your video in text) or reinforcement of your emotion (i.e an emoji or question marks) on the left.

#1. Ham It Up (Take Your Reaction Photo)

Take a high-quality photograph of yourself conveying strong emotion. Generally, you want to look extremely excited, disgusted, angry, or shocked depending on the theme of the video.

If there’s an object you want to include in your thumbnail, like a product you’ll be talking about, then it’s a good idea to hold it for this photo. Hold it to one side of your head, turn towards it slightly (but not so much that the camera can only see the side of your face) and put on the expression that’s supposed to be a reaction to the object.

It can be a good idea to take this photo in front of a solid color so you can remove the background easily with chroma key.

#2. Choose Your Background

Your background might be scenery, a solid color, or even the room you filmed the video in. Light or bright colors are popular. Make sure there’s nothing that will distract from your expression. If your background is a room, or anything else where there could be things like pictures hanging, you may want to add a blur effect in the next step.

#3. Put It Together

In your thumbnail maker or a program like Photoshop, you’ll need to put your photo and your background together. This will work differently depending on what program you use. If your program has a chroma key tool and your reaction photo was taken against a solid color then you can make that solid color transparent.

What if I don’t have a separate background? If you don’t have a background you want to use, but you still want your reaction to stand out the same way it would if you did, then you can use your photo editor’s blur tool to turn the normal background of your photo into something you can pop-out from.

#4. Add Extras (Text, Emojis, etc.)

If instead of an object you plan to fill the other side of your thumbnail with text, question marks, emojis, or some other graphic element then now is the time to add it.

Part 2: How to Upload a YouTube Thumbnail

When you upload a new video to YouTube, you will see a Custom thumbnail option under Video thumbnails after your upload is complete.

If you want to add a custom thumbnail to a video that’s already up, that’s easy too.

1. Go to your Video Manager in the Creator Studio.
2. Find the video you want to change the thumbnail for and click Edit next to it.
3. Click Custom thumbnail on the right of the preview screen.
4. Upload your thumbnail and click Save changes.

Remember when you’re uploading custom thumbnails that you need to use a .JPG, .GIF, .BMP, or .PNG image with an aspect ratio of 16:9 and that your file size has to be under 2MB.

YouTube recommends that thumbnail images have a resolution of 1280x720px, and you cannot upload an image with a width of less than 640 pixels.

Make sure that all of your thumbnails adhere to YouTube’s Community guidelines. Anything sexually suggestive, violent, or otherwise graphic could result in your video being age-restricted.

Part 3: YouTube Thumbnail Makers

You don’t have to go out and buy a photo editor like Photoshop to make custom video thumbnails (although it’s a good thing to use if you already have it). Here are two free online programs you can use instead:

Canva is an intuitive option with templates for Thumbnails, Channel Art, and other social media graphics. There are stock photos and graphics provided, but not all of them are free (paid options cost $1 each). Canva’s templates do tend to include paid resources, so you may want to use them mostly for their layouts or as inspiration and replace everything they provide with your own images.

Generally, using Canva is as easy as dragging and dropping things where you want them. You’ll be able to set the dimensions for your project so the image you export is a perfect size. Adding text and changing the size, font, or color is easy too.

Adobe Spark also has templates for channel art, and it’s also very easy to use. The first time you use it helpful notes will pop up to guide you through the process. Using templates is especially simple because you just click on the elements in the pre-made thumbnail and replace them with your own photos/text.

You can make changes to the colors in your Spark thumbnail easily by selecting a new color scheme or filter. You can even toggle through layouts easily. When you choose a new layout, Spark will rearrange all the pieces of your current thumbnail to align with the new layout so you can quickly see what it looks like instead of having to rebuild.

Click to check more YouTube thumbnail makers

Part 4: How to Make Thumbnails That Get Clicks (Without Clickbait!)

Here are the top 10 best practices for creating effective YouTube thumbnails:

#1. Show What Your Video Is About

Being mysterious and clickbaity can get you views, if you’re already big. For small YouTubers, it pays off to be clear about your video’s topic. You want people to click who want to watch the actual content of your video. Even if you manage to get some clicks by being mysterious, you’ll probably end up with low viewer retention because people are clicking away when they realize your video isn’t what they were looking for. That will make YouTube’s algorithm rank your video lower, and then even fewer people will find it.

If your video is a product review, show the product in the thumbnail and maybe even write ‘review’ on it. If your video is a makeup tutorial, show your face with the finished makeup and maybe even include pictures of the products you used. People want to know what they’re clicking on before they click.

#2. Use a Consistent Layout

As you grow, you’ll want people to be able to see one of your thumbnails and instantly know it’s yours. Building a recognizable brand is about consistency. Try to stick with one basic layout for all of your videos. You can still customize every individual thumbnail by using different facial expressions and different graphics, but try to use similar backgrounds, fonts, and general layouts (i.e. you to the right of the thumbnails, text to the left) over and over.

#3. Use Your Face

Why should people want to watch your videos? If the answer is ‘because I can teach them to create delicious food’ or ‘because they want to learn about the latest iPhone’ then your thumbnail should include that food or that iPhone.

If part of the reason people want to watch your videos is you – your personality and your sense of humor – then you should be in your thumbnail.

Viewers who are on YouTube because they like seeing a creator’s personality like to feel the presence of that personality in the video thumbnail, and eye contact naturally draws attention and clicks.

#4. Add Small Graphics

Adding small graphics, like emojis or hearts, to your thumbnail can help you stand out in a couple different ways. First, if they’re being compared to thumbnails that are just screenshots from the video, your thumbnails will look a lot more polished. Second, they’ll add a splash of color which can draw eyes to your video in a search where other thumbnails are not using those same colors.

#5. Your Text Should Be Huge

Your thumbnail will end up being a fraction of the size it is while you’re creating it in your thumbnail maker, and that means that any text you use will end up being shrunk down. You could probably type a six-word sentence in a size 18 font and have it look fine while you’re making your thumbnail, but after you upload it there’s no way people will be able to read it at a glance.

Aim for a huge font size, and 3 words or less (so your thumbnail doesn’t end up looking crowded).

#6. Check Out The Competition

Type your video’s title or topic into the search engine on YouTube and look at the thumbnails for the videos that come up. These are your competition. You want to make a thumbnail that is similar enough to what comes up that viewers know it’s on the same topic, but different enough that it stands out.

Generally, if most of the thumbnails have the same layout, you’ll want to mimic that layout. Where you can break from the crowd is in the colors, fonts, and graphics you use.

Part 5: Animated YouTube Thumbnails

Whether or not you upload a custom thumbnail to YouTube, YouTube’s A.I will choose what it thinks are the 3 juiciest seconds of your video (you cannot choose for yourself) and play them as a GIF-like animation when people mouseover your video thumbnails.

As of now, this only works in the Google Chrome desktop browser. Videos have to be at least 30 seconds long to get moving thumbnails.

Alright, now that you know everything about YouTube thumbnails, go make one! Tell us in the comments what you’re going to do to make your video thumbnails stand out.

Touch Up YouTube Videos with Effects & Elements in Filmora

As one of the most widely used video editing software in YouTube video editing, Filmora provides lots of templates and effects with an intuitive interface. Download the free trial version and get started now.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

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Search for any topic on YouTube and you’ll find thousands of videos. How do you decide which of them to watch? Thumbnails play a major role in what viewers decide to click on. They’re often more important than video titles.

Viewers click on thumbnails that both standout and feel relevant to their search. Your task when it comes to creating YouTube thumbnails is to make something that does both of those things while also maintaining your personal style.

1. How to Make a YouTube Thumbnail
2. How to Upload a YouTube Thumbnail
3. YouTube Thumbnail Makers
4. How to Make Thumbnails that Get Clicks (Without Clickbait!)
5. Animated YouTube Thumbnails

Part 1: How to Make a YouTube Thumbnail

In order to create a custom video thumbnail, you’ll need a program to put it together in. You can use an image editing program like Photoshop if you have one, but if you don’t you can check out these free thumbnail makers.

Here are some examples of popular thumbnail styles.

1. The Classic Thumbnail (Photo or Screenshot)

A photo that shows what happens in your video – whether that means the finished ‘look’ from your makeup tutorial or you posing in front of the landmark you shot your travel vlog in front of – is a great way to let viewers know what to expect. While curiosity can be a big motive behind clicking on a video thumbnail (or anything online), when people have searched for a specific topic they want to be convinced that your video has what they’re looking for.

#1. Choose Your Photo

To start off, either choose a still frame from your video or take a photograph while you’re still set up from your video. A separate photograph is usually a better idea because your video editor might not be able to export a high-quality snapshot, and also because you’re able to choose your facial expression.

Aim to make this shot a close-up or medium close-up and make sure you’re either in the center of the screen or off to one side, as per the ‘rule of thirds’. Many cameras allow you to bring an optional grid up onto your viewfinder. This will divide your screen into three equal segments both vertically and horizontally. Try to make sure your eyes line up with the top line, and if you’re going to be off to one side then make sure you’re on one of the vertical lines. This will ensure your image is visually appealing.

If you want to add text later, it’s a good idea to be off to one side.

Including your face is important for most types of YouTube videos. People are attracted to eye contact and are more likely to click on thumbnails that feature a face. Gamers might choose to use a picture of a video game character instead and it will have the same effect.

Some situations where it isn’t essential to include your face include tech reviews, where viewers will be more interested in seeing the product, and cooking videos where people are looking to be tempted by a yummy food pic.

#2. Add Text and/or Images

This part isn’t essential – in some cases, a photo is enough – but a lot of the thumbnails for the videos ranked highest in YouTube’s search results include either a couple of words of text, a simple graphic (i.e. an emoji), or both.

In some cases you might use text to make it clear what type of video you’ve made, i.e. ‘review’ or ‘tutorial’. It’s best to keep any text you use brief, but you could get a bit more descriptive and write something like ‘fall makeup tutorial’. Three words is probably the most you can get away with. Remember that your text will be shrunk down with the rest of your image; you need to make it big enough to read easily once it’s shrunk, and that means you don’t have a ton of room for text.

You should also avoid fonts that are harder to read. Fonts with a lot of curves can be harder to read, and you want to make sure you choose a color that stands out from your background. Yellow might work against black, but it probably won’t work against the beige wall of your sunny bedroom. Sans serif fonts tend to be best.

Another tactic used in successful thumbnails is to add small graphics, like emojis or small images (i.e. pumpkins for a Halloween video), which are related to your video’s content. As with text, you don’t want to overload your thumbnail with images, but they’re a great way to add something eye-catching that’s a bit different from competing thumbnails.

2. The Emotional Laser (Background + Face Reacting)

One increasingly popular style of YouTube thumbnail is what we’re going to call the ‘Emotional Laser’. It’s bright (like, blindingly bright), it communicates a clear feeling, and it creates high expectations for how exciting the video’s content is going to be.

The three main elements of the Emotional Laser thumbnail are a background (usually bright), your face on the right wearing an over-pronounced expression, and either the thing your expression is in reaction to (i.e. food, a product, the topic of your video in text) or reinforcement of your emotion (i.e an emoji or question marks) on the left.

#1. Ham It Up (Take Your Reaction Photo)

Take a high-quality photograph of yourself conveying strong emotion. Generally, you want to look extremely excited, disgusted, angry, or shocked depending on the theme of the video.

If there’s an object you want to include in your thumbnail, like a product you’ll be talking about, then it’s a good idea to hold it for this photo. Hold it to one side of your head, turn towards it slightly (but not so much that the camera can only see the side of your face) and put on the expression that’s supposed to be a reaction to the object.

It can be a good idea to take this photo in front of a solid color so you can remove the background easily with chroma key.

#2. Choose Your Background

Your background might be scenery, a solid color, or even the room you filmed the video in. Light or bright colors are popular. Make sure there’s nothing that will distract from your expression. If your background is a room, or anything else where there could be things like pictures hanging, you may want to add a blur effect in the next step.

#3. Put It Together

In your thumbnail maker or a program like Photoshop, you’ll need to put your photo and your background together. This will work differently depending on what program you use. If your program has a chroma key tool and your reaction photo was taken against a solid color then you can make that solid color transparent.

What if I don’t have a separate background? If you don’t have a background you want to use, but you still want your reaction to stand out the same way it would if you did, then you can use your photo editor’s blur tool to turn the normal background of your photo into something you can pop-out from.

#4. Add Extras (Text, Emojis, etc.)

If instead of an object you plan to fill the other side of your thumbnail with text, question marks, emojis, or some other graphic element then now is the time to add it.

Part 2: How to Upload a YouTube Thumbnail

When you upload a new video to YouTube, you will see a Custom thumbnail option under Video thumbnails after your upload is complete.

If you want to add a custom thumbnail to a video that’s already up, that’s easy too.

1. Go to your Video Manager in the Creator Studio.
2. Find the video you want to change the thumbnail for and click Edit next to it.
3. Click Custom thumbnail on the right of the preview screen.
4. Upload your thumbnail and click Save changes.

Remember when you’re uploading custom thumbnails that you need to use a .JPG, .GIF, .BMP, or .PNG image with an aspect ratio of 16:9 and that your file size has to be under 2MB.

YouTube recommends that thumbnail images have a resolution of 1280x720px, and you cannot upload an image with a width of less than 640 pixels.

Make sure that all of your thumbnails adhere to YouTube’s Community guidelines. Anything sexually suggestive, violent, or otherwise graphic could result in your video being age-restricted.

Part 3: YouTube Thumbnail Makers

You don’t have to go out and buy a photo editor like Photoshop to make custom video thumbnails (although it’s a good thing to use if you already have it). Here are two free online programs you can use instead:

Canva is an intuitive option with templates for Thumbnails, Channel Art, and other social media graphics. There are stock photos and graphics provided, but not all of them are free (paid options cost $1 each). Canva’s templates do tend to include paid resources, so you may want to use them mostly for their layouts or as inspiration and replace everything they provide with your own images.

Generally, using Canva is as easy as dragging and dropping things where you want them. You’ll be able to set the dimensions for your project so the image you export is a perfect size. Adding text and changing the size, font, or color is easy too.

Adobe Spark also has templates for channel art, and it’s also very easy to use. The first time you use it helpful notes will pop up to guide you through the process. Using templates is especially simple because you just click on the elements in the pre-made thumbnail and replace them with your own photos/text.

You can make changes to the colors in your Spark thumbnail easily by selecting a new color scheme or filter. You can even toggle through layouts easily. When you choose a new layout, Spark will rearrange all the pieces of your current thumbnail to align with the new layout so you can quickly see what it looks like instead of having to rebuild.

Click to check more YouTube thumbnail makers

Part 4: How to Make Thumbnails That Get Clicks (Without Clickbait!)

Here are the top 10 best practices for creating effective YouTube thumbnails:

#1. Show What Your Video Is About

Being mysterious and clickbaity can get you views, if you’re already big. For small YouTubers, it pays off to be clear about your video’s topic. You want people to click who want to watch the actual content of your video. Even if you manage to get some clicks by being mysterious, you’ll probably end up with low viewer retention because people are clicking away when they realize your video isn’t what they were looking for. That will make YouTube’s algorithm rank your video lower, and then even fewer people will find it.

If your video is a product review, show the product in the thumbnail and maybe even write ‘review’ on it. If your video is a makeup tutorial, show your face with the finished makeup and maybe even include pictures of the products you used. People want to know what they’re clicking on before they click.

#2. Use a Consistent Layout

As you grow, you’ll want people to be able to see one of your thumbnails and instantly know it’s yours. Building a recognizable brand is about consistency. Try to stick with one basic layout for all of your videos. You can still customize every individual thumbnail by using different facial expressions and different graphics, but try to use similar backgrounds, fonts, and general layouts (i.e. you to the right of the thumbnails, text to the left) over and over.

#3. Use Your Face

Why should people want to watch your videos? If the answer is ‘because I can teach them to create delicious food’ or ‘because they want to learn about the latest iPhone’ then your thumbnail should include that food or that iPhone.

If part of the reason people want to watch your videos is you – your personality and your sense of humor – then you should be in your thumbnail.

Viewers who are on YouTube because they like seeing a creator’s personality like to feel the presence of that personality in the video thumbnail, and eye contact naturally draws attention and clicks.

#4. Add Small Graphics

Adding small graphics, like emojis or hearts, to your thumbnail can help you stand out in a couple different ways. First, if they’re being compared to thumbnails that are just screenshots from the video, your thumbnails will look a lot more polished. Second, they’ll add a splash of color which can draw eyes to your video in a search where other thumbnails are not using those same colors.

#5. Your Text Should Be Huge

Your thumbnail will end up being a fraction of the size it is while you’re creating it in your thumbnail maker, and that means that any text you use will end up being shrunk down. You could probably type a six-word sentence in a size 18 font and have it look fine while you’re making your thumbnail, but after you upload it there’s no way people will be able to read it at a glance.

Aim for a huge font size, and 3 words or less (so your thumbnail doesn’t end up looking crowded).

#6. Check Out The Competition

Type your video’s title or topic into the search engine on YouTube and look at the thumbnails for the videos that come up. These are your competition. You want to make a thumbnail that is similar enough to what comes up that viewers know it’s on the same topic, but different enough that it stands out.

Generally, if most of the thumbnails have the same layout, you’ll want to mimic that layout. Where you can break from the crowd is in the colors, fonts, and graphics you use.

Part 5: Animated YouTube Thumbnails

Whether or not you upload a custom thumbnail to YouTube, YouTube’s A.I will choose what it thinks are the 3 juiciest seconds of your video (you cannot choose for yourself) and play them as a GIF-like animation when people mouseover your video thumbnails.

As of now, this only works in the Google Chrome desktop browser. Videos have to be at least 30 seconds long to get moving thumbnails.

Alright, now that you know everything about YouTube thumbnails, go make one! Tell us in the comments what you’re going to do to make your video thumbnails stand out.

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Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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